U.S. Surgeon General Report:
Preventing Tobacco Use Among Youth and Young Adults

Press Release (March 7, 2012): Ithaca Youth Council and Tobacco Free Tompkins Address Impact of In-Store Tobacco Marketing

Released March 8, 2012, the report finds that, despite all that has been done in the past 15 years, the prevalence of tobacco use in the United States has declined only marginally because the tobacco industry continues to recruit young, new smokers to replace adults who quit or die. 

In 2008, tobacco companies spent $10.5 billion in the US promoting their products, a 50% increase since 1998.  The report concludes that, “The evidence is sufficient to conclude that there is a causal relationship between advertising and promotional efforts of the tobacco companies and the initiation and progression of tobacco use among young people." Surgeon General Web site.

FAQ: Local Licensing of Tobacco Retailers

“This is Tobacco Marketing”  media campaign

Three things you should know:

One. There’s tobacco marketing in your local convenience store. That big display of cigarettes behind the counter? That’s marketing.

Two. The more tobacco marketing kids see in stores, the more likely they are to smoke. That may be hard to believe, but study after study has proven it’s true.

Three. You can help. Sign a petition to stop in-store tobacco marketing to children at TobaccoFreeNYS.org.

The tobacco industry insists that they don’t target kids, but that’s not what it looks like in retail stores around the state. A recent study demonstrated a direct relationship between the frequency that a teen visited stores containing tobacco advertising and his or her risk of becoming a smoker.

Retail stores are one of the last places where tobacco companies can expose kids to their advertising. Consequently, tobacco companies spend billions of dollars each year marketing their deadly products at the point of sale.

Exposure to tobacco marketing in stores is a primary cause of youth smoking. 

December 2010 Surgeon General Report:
“How tobacco smoke causes disease.”

• Exposure to tobacco smoke causes immediate damage to your body

• Present-day cigarettes are more attractive and addictive than ever before.

This report was released Dec. 9, 2010. The full report, executive summary and materials for consumers and clinicians are available at the U.S. Surgeon General Web site (click here).

The most convenient item in a convenience store...

The tobacco industry gets their deadly products in the best sales position in the store: right behind the cash register. That's where everyone can see them, including the teens who shop there! And since 75% of teens shop at convenience stores at least once a week, there are a lot of teens staring at a lot of cigarettes everyday.

Survey of local retailers shows youth bombarded by tobacco marketing. Click here for the story.

Adults Underestimate Tobacco Advertising in Local Stores

The hottest spot in retail is right behind the cash register.

And Big Tobacco snags it everytime!

It's called the "Goalpost", and it's where every sales rep wants their product displayed. So how does Big Tobacco get it almost everytime? Simple, they require retailers to dedicate that space to cigarette display through highly restrictive merchandizing contracts!

Central New York's licensed tobacco retailers display an average 17+ interior tobacco ads per store. Teens remember these ads twice as well as do adults.

Point-of-sale marketing and promotion encourages teens to start smoking, and influence them to become regular smokers. Less tobacco marketing could mean fewer teens get hooked on tobacco. And that can help save a life.

Retail Point of Sale Factsheet

Your kids can learn their tobacco brands while you pump gas.

Smoke-free Apartments:
The Smart Move for landlords and tenants!

Across New York State, landlords and property managers are recognizing the win-win-win that comes with taking their buildings completely smoke-free: growing market demand, reduced maintenance costs, more satisfied tenants.

The T-Free Zone program is promoting smoke-free apartments in Tompkins County, and supporting landlords and managers who take their properties smoke-free.

• Directory of smoke-free rental housing in Tompkins County
• Model lease addendum for smoke-free apartments
• FAQ for landlords
• New HUD memo encourages smoke-free housing (PDF, 22K)

Direct mail campaign for landlords

Health Commissioner Salutes Tompkins County Tobacco Control Efforts During National Public Health Week

ITHACA, N.Y. (April 6, 2009) – State Health Commissioner Richard F. Daines, M.D., today presented a Public Health Excellence Award to the Tompkins County Health Department, the City of Ithaca, and Tobacco Free Tompkins for their collaborative efforts to protect New Yorkers against exposure to second-hand smoke. The commissioner's stop in Ithaca is part of his visits highlighting effective community public health efforts during National Public Health Week. Read the full DOH release » | Read the Ithaca Journal article »

TV ads show consequences of smoking
3 ads in the Every Cigarette Does Damage series from Austrailia were broadcast last winter on CNY TV channels. Read about them »

CIAA Waivers in Tompkins County
For information and downloadable application form, click here.