NEW YORK— Mayor Bloomberg and several public officials and health organizations are pushing for two tobacco restriction bills that aim to discourage youth smoking.
One of the legislations, “The Tobacco Product Display Restriction Bill,” would make New York City the first in the nation to keep tobacco products out of sight in retail stores.
Under this bill, sellers would have to to keep tobacco products out of sight, except during a purchase by an adult consumer or during restocking.
The second bill, Sensible Tobacco Enforcement, consists of policies that combat illegal cigarette smuggling. This bill will increase penalties for retailers who sell tobacco without a license, or evade tobacco taxes; prohibit retailers from discounting tobacco products or redeeming coupons; and require cheap cigars and cigarillos to be sold in packages of at least four, and little cigars to be sold in packages of at least 20.
The New York City Sheriff’s Office found 48 percent of more than 1,900 cigarette retailers were selling unstamped or untaxed products over the past 18 months. ” [It’s] a staggering number that puts law-abiding businesses at an incredible disadvantage,” NYC Finance Commissioner David Frankel said in a statement.
Product display restrictions not only deter youth smoking, but also help quitters refrain from buying impulsively. According to a survey, 59 percent of New York City residents—including 41 percent of smokers—favor keeping tobacco products out of sight.
Related: Exploring NYC’s Proposed Large Sugary Drink Ban
Twenty-eight thousand NYC public high school students tried smoking for the first time in 2011, and 19,000 under the age of 18 smoked regularly.
According to the mayor’s office, studies have found that public cigarette displays increase the likelihood that a young person will experiment with tobacco products. Youth who are frequently exposed to tobacco product displays are 2.5 times more likely to initiate smoking than youth who have less exposure.
Similar cigarette prohibitions began in Iceland in 2001, followed by Canada in 2005.
“These countries have already seen substantial declines in youth smoking,” states the mayor’s press release.
Recently, Norway, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, and England, have also implemented product display restrictions.
The city’s adult smoking rate has gone down from 21.5 percent to 14.8 percent from 2002 to 2011, according to New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley.
“However, smoking remains the leading preventable cause of death in New Yorkers, killing thousands per year, and youth smoking rates have remained flat at 8.5 percent since 2007,” Farley stated. “These two bills are logical, important next steps to further protect our teens from tobacco.”
“New York City has dramatically lowered our smoking rate, but even one new smoker is one too many – especially when it’s a young person,” Bloomberg said. “Young people are targets of marketing and the availability of cigarettes and this legislation will help prevent another generation from the ill health and shorter life expectancy that comes with smoking.”
According to the mayor’s office, the bills will not impact advertising. Retail stores will still be able to advertise tobacco product and price information to buyers.
Councilwoman Maria del Carmen Arroyo, Chair of the Health Committee, will introduce the bills in City Council on Wednesday, March 20.
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