NEW YORK CITY - November 14, 2007 - The Health Department is partnering with city hospitals, community organizations and clinics to observe this year's Great American Smokeout by giving away nicotine patches at sites across the five boroughs, the agency announced today. The Smokeout, a national tradition that dates back more than three decades, will take place on Thursday, November 15th, this year. Up to a third of the nation's 46 million smokers typically quit smoking for at least a day during the event. The goal of the local giveaway is to help more of them quit for good. Cigarettes – the city's leading cause of preventable death – kill 8,000 New Yorkers every year.
"If you smoke, quitting is the single most important thing you can do for your health," said Sarah Perl, the Health Department's Assistant Commissioner for Tobacco Control. "Besides helping you live longer, quitting helps you feel better and look better now. If you can't do it alone, try using nicotine patches. They can double your chances of quitting successfully."
"We urge all smokers to take the Great American Smokeout challenge," said Tamara Ehlin, Director of Community Health Initiatives at the American Cancer Society, Brooklyn Region. "Quitting smoking is not easy, but it can be done. Nicotine patches can really make the difference."
"Nicotine patches make quitting easier," said Kerry Gillespie, director of Staten Island University Hospital's smoking cessation program, "but they're not magic bullets. Successful quitting requires changes in thought and behavior. We have helped thousands of Staten Island residents quit smoking through a combination of nicotine patches and behavioral change counseling."
The following sites will offer nicotine patches supplied by the Health Department on Thursday, November 15*, on a first-come, first-served basis. See below for Times and Locations. The city's Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) is also handing out free patches at hospitals; please visit www.nyc.gov/hhc for Locations.
CONTACT INFORMATION FOR MEDIA:
Health Department : (212) 788-5290
Jessica Scaperotti
(jscapero@health.nyc.gov)
Sara Markt
(smarkt@health.nyc.gov)
Celina De Leon
(cdeleon@health.nyc.gov)
HHC : (212) 788-3339
James Saunders
(james.saunders@nychhc.org)
Bronx
|
Event Sponsor
|
Location
|
Type
|
Time
|
|
South Bronx Asthma Partnership and Community Education Center at Bronx-Lebanon Hospital
|
Bronx-Lebanon Hospital
1650 Grand Concourse, 2nd Floor
Murray Cohen Auditorium
|
Patch Distribution
|
1 - 4 PM
|
|
Our Lady of Mercy
Emergency Department
|
Our Lady of Mercy Medical Center
600 E. 233rd St.
Main Hospital Lobby
|
Patch Distribution
|
10 AM - 4 PM
|
|
Bronx Community College Health Service Office
|
CUNY Bronx Community College
West 181st St. & University Ave. at Meister Hall (on campus)
|
Patch Distribution
|
11AM - 2 PM
|
Brooklyn
|
Event Sponsor
|
Location
|
Type
|
Time
|
|
New York City Health Department
|
Atlantic Center Mall
625 Atlantic Ave., 2nd Floor,
Next to the Department of Motor Vehicles
|
Patch Distribution
|
10 AM - 4 PM
|
|
MHRA Maternity Infant Care (MIC) Program
|
MIC / Women's Health Services
Bushwick Health Center
335 Central Ave., 2nd Floor
|
Patch Distribution
|
9 AM - 4 PM
|
|
MHRA Maternity Infant Care (MIC) Program
|
MIC / Women's Health Services
Eastern Parkway Health Center
1783 Eastern Parkway
|
Patch Distribution
|
9 AM - 4 PM
|
|
American Cancer Society
Brooklyn Chapter
|
St. Francis College
180 Remsen St., Main Floor
McArdle Student Center
|
Patch Distribution
|
12 - 2 PM
|
|
Heilbrunn Nursing Center,
Long Island University School of Nursing and Long Island University School of Health Professions
|
Luntney Commons – Metcalf Building
1 University Plaza
Long Island University Brooklyn Campus
|
Patch Distribution
|
11 AM - 2 PM
|
Manhattan
|
Event Sponsor
|
Location
|
Type
|
Time
|
|
New York City Health Department
|
Foley Square CANCELLED
Please go to
lobby of 125 Worth
Street.
|
Patch Distribution
|
12 - 3 PM
|
|
New York City Health Department
|
New York State Office Building
CANCELLED
Please go
to lobby of Harlem District Public Health Office at 158 E. 115th
Street.
|
Patch Distribution
|
12 - 4 PM
|
|
New York City Health Department
|
Union Square
CANCELLED
Nicotine patches are available
at lobby of 125 Worth
Street.
|
Patch Distribution
|
11 AM - 5 PM
|
|
New York University
Health Promotion Office
|
New York University
Campus-wide
|
Patch Distribution
"Quit & Win" contest
|
10 AM - 7 PM
|
|
St. Luke's Roosevelt Smoking Cessation Program
Division of Pulmonary Care and Sleep Medicine
|
CUNY John Jay College
North Hall Building Lobby
445 W. 59th St.
|
Patch Distribution
|
9 AM - 2 PM
|
|
Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Community Center Smoke Free Project
|
Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Community Center
208 W. 13th St.
Lobby and C-Word event (cancer awareness)
|
Patch Distribution
|
5 - 8 PM Lobby
6:30 - 9 PM C-Word event (cancer awareness)
|
|
Bodies … The Exhibition Education Department
|
Bodies … The Exhibition
South Street Seaport Exhibition Centre
11 Fulton St. (corner of Front St.)
|
Testimonial speakers to school groups
and
Patch Distribution to adults
|
10 AM - 2 PM
|
|
Baruch College
Health Service Office
|
CUNY Baruch College
55 Lexington Ave., Vertical Campus,
2nd Floor Auditorium
|
Patch Distribution
|
12:30 – 4 PM
|
Queens
|
Event Sponsor
|
Location
|
Type
|
Time
|
|
New York City Health Department
|
Intermediate School 8
109-35 167th St.
|
School presentations and Patch Distribution for adults
|
10 AM - 2 PM
|
|
Queensborough Community College
|
CUNY Queensborough Community College
222-05 56th Ave.
Science Building Lobby
|
Patch Distribution
|
12 - 2 PM
|
Staten Island
|
Event Sponsor
|
Location
|
Type
|
Time
|
|
Richmond University Medical Center
|
Kids Against Tobacco Mini-Film Festival
Richmond University Medical Center MLB Conference Room 355 Bard Ave.
|
Teen
Mini-Film Festival.
No patches
|
12:30 - 2 PM
|
|
American Cancer Society
Staten Island Chapter
|
Staaten Restaurant
697 Forrest Ave.
|
"The Nurse as Ambassador To Good Health" Conference
Patch Distribution
|
8 AM - 3 PM
|
|
Staten Island YMCA
|
3939 Richmond Ave.
|
Patch Distribution
|
9 AM - 6 PM
|
|
Project Hospitality
|
Project Hospitality SHINE Center
150 B Richmond Terrace
|
Patch Distribution
|
10 AM - 4 PM
|
|
Project Hospitality
|
Project Hospitality Recovery Clinic 358 St. Mark's Place
|
Patch Distribution
|
10 AM - 4 PM
|
|
Staten Island University Hospital Smoking Cessation Program
|
Staten Island Ferry Terminal,
St. George (Staten Island side)
|
Patch Distribution
|
6 - 9 AM
|
|
Staten Island University Hospital Smoking Cessation Program
|
SIUH North Site,
475 Seaview Ave., Main Lobby
|
Patch Distribution
|
11AM - 4 PM
|
|
Staten Island University Hospital Smoking Cessation Program
|
SIUH North Site
475 Seaview Ave., at the Nalitt-Center Complementary Medicine Conference Room
|
Smoking and Health Lecture and Patch Distribution
|
5 - 6 PM
|
###
