Certain types of cigarettes in New York State could be banned this year. Governor Kathy Hochul has announced her plans to ban them in her 2023 State of the State.

FDA To Propose Ban On Menthol Cigarettes And Flavored Cigars
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New York State Has A Variety Of Anti-Smoking Laws

The Clean Indoor Act already banned smoking in many indoor spaces,

The Act prohibits smoking and vaping in almost all public and private indoor workplaces, including restaurants and bars, to protect workers and the public from exposure to harmful secondhand tobacco smoke and vaping aerosols. Localities may continue to adopt and enforce local laws regulating smoking and vaping; however, these regulations must be at least as strict as the Act.

New York State recently passed a new law that bans smoking in six outdoor spaces. On Friday, July 15, 2022, Gov. Hochul signed legislation (S.4142/A.5061) that prohibits smoking in 6 places. The legislation became law 90 days after that, banning smoking at,

1. All state-owned beaches
2. All state-owned boardwalks
3. All state-owned marinas
4. All state-owned playgrounds
5. All state-owned recreation centers
6. All state-owned group camps

As of May 2020, New York State banned the sale of flavored vapor products that do not have an FDA marketing order. Now, Gov. Hochul wants to expand the ban.

New York State Could Ban Flavored Tobacco

FDA Moves To Ban Menthol Cigarettes And Flavored Cigars
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In her 2023 State of the State book, Gov. Hochul details her plan to restrict tobacco further,

Solidifying New York’s leadership in ensuring a tobaccofree generation, Governor Hochul will introduce legislation to expand upon the State's ban on the sale of flavored vaping products by prohibiting the sale of all flavored tobacco products.

This includes menthol-flavored cigarettes. She also announced that she plans on raising the tax that the state collects per pack of cigarettes sold. It's all part of the Governor's efforts to reduce the amount of New Yorkers, especially young New Yorkers, who partake in the deadly habit.

According to the New York State Department of Health, 12 percent of adults in New York State smoke. While the number has decreased from 14.1% in 2017 to 12.0% in 2020, that is still more than a million smokers in the state. Smoking and secondhand smoke kill over 22,000 people each year in New York State. According to the NYS Department of Health,

An estimated 30% of all cancer deaths are related to cigarette smoking, and about 90% of all lung cancer deaths are caused by smoking.

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