Cuts To Tobacco-Control Programs Are Costly

To The Readers’ Forum:

On Jan. 12, The American Lung Association in New York released a report highlighting key findings from the 2009 Tobacco Control Report which show that New YorkState is a leader among states when it comes to protecting its citizens from secondhand smoke, but is desperately in need of improvement when it comes to funding state tobacco control efforts.

"More than 25,000 New Yorkers die each year from tobacco-related illnesses and many more suffer from tobacco-caused diseases that diminish their quality of life," said Scott T. Santarella, President and Chief Executive Officer. "The 2009 State of Tobacco Control report, which pegs the economic cost of smoking to our state to be over $14 billion, should be a real call to action for New York state legislators to finally enhance lifesaving tobacco control programs that ultimately save money."

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