Latest Breaking News

According to the Department's 2022 Chronic Disease Public Opinion Poll, the majority of respondents were in favor of such a bill, and only 28% of respondents were opposed. A 2018 Truth Initiative survey showed that support for a menthol ban is especially strong among African-Americans (60.5%) and other groups who have been targeted by the tobacco industry, including Hispanic/Latinos (69.3%). The Truth Initiative survey also found more than 1 in 4 current menthol smokers (28.5%) favored a ban.

The tobacco industry's influence in New York State continues to drive commercial tobacco-related disparities and inequities; annually, the tobacco industry spends $9.1 billion (almost $1 million every hour) to market and promote their deadly and addictive products nationally and of that total, an estimated $177.3 million is spent in the Empire State each year. For more than 60 years, the tobacco industry has specifically targeted Black communities with menthol tobacco product marketing and promotions. In New York State, menthol cigarettes are used by over half of all adult smokers (52%), while 86% of Black and 72% of Hispanic smokers exclusively smoke menthol cigarettes.[link:https://www.health.ny.gov/press/releases/2023/2023-02-09_flavored_tobacco_products.htm|