Commercial Tobacco Use Reduction Network celebrates 25 years

PLATTSBURGH | Landmarks across New York State glowed purple on Friday, Nov. 21, in honor of the 25th anniversary of the New York State Department of Health's Tobacco Control Program (TCP). This statewide illumination took place the day after the Great American Smokeout, highlighting New York's long-standing commitment to reducing tobacco-related illness, protecting youth, and supporting residents who want to quit. The initiative, called Illuminating 25 Years of Landmark Progress, served as a powerful visual tribute to the program's achievements and to the local partners working every day to create healthier, tobacco-free communities. Local participation included the Essex County Health Department and Champlain Centre Mall. "I'm proud of the impact the Tobacco Control Program and its community partners have had over the past 25 years in improving health by reducing smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke," said Emily Moosmann, Community Engagement Coordinator, for the Commercial Tobacco Use Reduction Network Clinton Franklin Essex. "Together, we'll continue to fight the tobacco industry's marketing tactics and new products that attract and addict youth and make it harder for people to quit." Established in 2000 through New York State Public Health Law, the Tobacco Control Program has built a comprehensive approach to preventing tobacco use, lowering exposure to secondhand smoke, and helping people quit. Since its inception, adult cigarette smoking has fallen from 23 percent to 9.3 percent, reaching an all-time low. Youth cigarette smoking has also dropped dramatically and is now just 2 percent statewide, with overall youth tobacco use continuing to decline. In addition to changing behavior, New York has implemented strong public health protections such as the Clean Indoor Air Act, the elimination of tobacco sales in pharmacies, and statewide restrictions on flavored e-cigarettes. Local communities have added further protections by establishing smoke-free and vape-free policies in multiunit housing, outdoor recreation areas, and locations frequented by children. These efforts collectively reflect a prevention-focused strategy that has supported more than one million New Yorkers in quitting with assistance from the New York State Quitline. The program has also generated substantial cost savings for the state, with an estimated $15 in healthcare savings for every $1 invested in tobacco control. This work is carried out through a coordinated network of statewide and local partners. Community-based programs such as Advancing Tobacco-Free Communities (ATFC) help shape environments that support tobacco- and vape-free norms; in the North Country, C-TURN CFE serves as the ATFC grantee for Clinton, Franklin, and Essex counties. Local Health Systems for a Tobacco-Free New York(HSTFNY) partner, the Heart Network based out of Saranac Lake collaborates with medical providers and health networks to ensure patients receive consistent, evidence-based support to quit. The New York State Quitline continues to play a central role by offering free, confidential coaching, tools, nicotine replacement therapy, and digital support services. Its recently launched Drop the Vape program provides targeted resources for youth and teens looking to quit vaping. This anniversary also aligns with the Great American Smokeout, an annual event organized by the American Cancer Society for nearly five decades. The Smokeout encourages people who smoke to take an important step toward a smoke-free life, reinforcing the broader goals of New York's tobacco control efforts and the collective work happening in communities across the state. New York's statewide illumination included many well-known sites, among them One World Trade Center, the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge, Kosciuszko Bridge, the H. Carl McCall SUNY Building, the State Education Building, and the Empire State Plaza. Additional landmarks include Niagara Falls, the Mid-Hudson Bridge, the Pershing Square Viaduct at Grand Central Terminal, Albany International Airport Gateway, Moynihan Train Hall, the Fairport Lift Bridge over the Erie Canal, the East End Gateway at Penn Station, and the Roosevelt Island Lighthouse.

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Commercial Tobacco Use Reduction Network celebrates 25 years

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