The Tobacco-Free CNY program of the Onondaga County Health Department reports that recently released data shows that smoking rates among adults have decreased in Onondaga, Oswego, and Cayuga counties. The New York State Department of Health recently announced that the current rate of adult smoking decreased from 17.2% to 12.0% in Onondaga County, 29.0% to 22.0% in Oswego County, and from 21.0% to 18.3% in Cayuga County.

Onondaga County Health Commissioner Dr. Indu Gupta states, “Reducing tobacco use and eliminating secondhand smoke exposure are ways we can improve health and reduce tobacco-related death and disease.  I applaud the community for reducing tobacco use and celebrate the health benefits that are recognized when a person quits using tobacco.”

Tobacco-Free CNY celebrates this accomplishment of our community. The program has worked with various community partners throughout the Central New York region to implement tobacco-free policies in outdoor areas, reduce secondhand smoke exposure through smoke-free housing policies, encourage employers to adopt tobacco-free policies for their property grounds, and reduce tobacco marketing targeting youth. Tobacco-Free CNY also provides resources to help enforce these policies and spread awareness of the tobacco-free environment.

Rachael Russell, Public Health Educator for the Tobacco-Free CNY program, states “This is wonderful news, and we acknowledge the progress our community has made in reducing smoking rates.” Russell continued, “We also recognize that there is still work to be done. Tobacco continues to be a leading cause of preventable death in New York State, claiming the lives of 28,000 New York State residents every year.”

Tobacco-Free CNY continues to support the community in creating tobacco-free spaces to improve the health and wellness of Central New York. For more information on Tobacco-Free CNY, please visit our website at www.tobaccofreecny.org or call (315) 435-3280.