In keeping with its annual tradition, the New York Department of Health is launching this year s new smoking cessation campaign, called Suffering Every Minute. As previous campaigns have done, this one will include TV, internet, and print ads warning people of the dangers of cigarettes by emphasizing the suffering that smoking causes.
And, in collaboration with New York State Smokers Quitline, the Health Department is encouraging smokers to call or sign up online to receive free nicotine replacement therapy products, which will be given away through September 20.
As we noted in a recent Dispatch, smoking remains a major public health concern. Unfortunately, although smoking rates have been declining since 2002, it remains the leading cause of premature preventable death in New York City. And nationwide, 285,000 people are currently living with lung cancer caused by smoking.
While we congratulate the Health Department for reminding folks about the dangers of smoking and actively trying to help them quit, we were once again disappointed to see that there was no mention of the potential benefits of tobacco harm reduction, including products such as smokeless tobacco and electronic cigarettes.
A press release from the Health Department notes that, although quitting smoking is hard, nicotine patches and gum can double your chances of success. Yet such information is completely misleading, says ACSH s Dr. Gilbert Ross. In fact, a study published in January found that smokers who used nicotine replacement therapy were no more successful in quitting than those who used no cessation aids whatsoever.
Out of the more than 45 million addicted U.S. smokers, only 3 percent are able to abstain from cigarettes for even six months. This alarmingly low figure demonstrates the need to introduce new products and tobacco harm reduction methods that can more effectively help smokers kick the habit for good. Therefore, we d like to encourage the Department of Health and all other public health officials to offer smokers other cessation options.