|
Governor Announces Another $3 Million To Fight Teen Smoking
New York’s aggressive teen anti-smoking campaign largest in state history
New York State has received the highest possible award of $3 million over three years from the American Legacy Foundation (Legacy) to support statewide youth coalitions against teen smoking.
"New York is now doing more than ever to combat and prevent youth smoking and this funding will help us build on our historic accomplishments," Governor Pataki said in making the announcement of the funding. "As a father of four, I know how important it is to inform children about the ill effects of smoking. Our goal is to reduce teen smoking by 50 percent over the next five years and 1 am confident that we will meet or exceed that goal."
The award announced August 14th, brings the State’s tobacco control program budget to nearly $60 million - that’s 30 times more than the $2 million that was appropriated the last year of the previous administration.
The funding will go to the New York State Department of Health and be used to enhance a youth empowerment program by supporting a youth summit and by training youth to promote tobacco control policies. The Youth Empowerment Program Against Tobacco Use expects to change attitudes toward tobacco use, create youth leadership in the anti-smoking movement, reduce exposure to secondhand smoke and reduce availability and access to tobacco products by youth.
State Health Commissioner Antonia C. Novello M.D., M.P.H., Dr. P.H., said, "Governor Pataki continues to lead the nation in providing children with the best health care. His efforts related to youth tobacco are no different. By securing this funding and adding it to the already historic levels of support we have budgeted, the Department will be able to fund the most aggressive youth anti-smoking initiative in State history."
New York is only one of 18 states and the District of Columbia to receive grant awards and will match the award with its own funding. New York will utilize broad-based youth coalitions including public health organizations, universities, community and faith-based organizations, and non-profits that represent ethnically and culturally diverse populations.
The coalitions will be funded to support youth leadership development and skill building through training seminars and to implement public awareness campaigns to reach young people through events, media campaigns, and the Internet.
The State’s nearly $60 million tobacco control program will include/includes: support for school-based tobacco prevention programs; creation of the largest anti-tobacco advertising program in State history (including television, radio and billboards); promotion of smoking cessation services; aggressive efforts to restrict teenage access to tobacco; coverage of prescription and over-the-counter smoking cessation products for Medicaid clients; and smoker’s Quitline is being funded at Roswell Park Cancer Institute.
Earlier this year, at the direction of Governor Pataki, the State Health Department convened a diverse group of more than 150 youths from around the state for a first-ever youth anti-tobacco summit, which was aimed at reducing youth smoking and tobacco use. The teens attending the summit were provided skills, knowledge and opportunities to help them create changes in attitudes about tobacco use in their communities and schools. The Summit focused on youth tobacco use and solicited ideas from the youths for prevention messages that will be used in New York’s statewide media campaign targeted to prevent youth smoking.
The American Legacy Foundation collaborates with organizations interested in decreasing tobacco consumption among all ages and populations nationwide. Legacy is a national, independent, public health foundation located in Washington, D.C., created by the November 1998 Master Settlement Agreement.
"With our anti-smoking campaign, New York will continue to get the message out to the children of this State that tobacco products are dangerous and should not be used," Governor Pataki said.
| 
