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NEW YORK CITY – May 28, 2008 – Season Major League Baseball tickets…$2,025. A quarter- carat diamond engagement ring…$2,799. A ten-day Caribbean cruise…$1,750. For the 1 million New Yorkers who still smoke, these things could be theirs – if they quit. Beginning June 3rd, a pack of cigarettes will cost more than $8, adding up to almost $3,000 a year for the pack-a-day smoker, and making New York City cigarettes the most expensive in the country.
 Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg has proclaimed June 3rd as “NYC Quits Day.” And starting this week, the Health Department will launch television and radio ads, special events, and nicotine patch giveaways to urge New Yorkers to quit June 3rd. The campaign shows New Yorkers what they are giving up to smoke – from shopping sprees and plasma TVs to day care and health insurance. New Yorkers can visit www.nyc.gov/quitjune3 or call 311 for more information and help.
“Smoking is costing you your health,” said Dr. Thomas R. Frieden New York City, Health Commissioner for New York City. “But if you need an extra push to quit, you should know that smoking will now also cost you almost $3,000 a year. If you quit, the savings could buy you a bigger apartment, a summer vacation, or, over time, your child’s college education.”
Increasing the price of cigarettes has proven to be the most effective way of motivating New Yorkers to quit. Tax increases in 2002 spurred a 21% drop in adult smoking and a 52% drop in smoking among New York City public high school students as the Mayor announced earlier this year. The new state tax increase of $1.25 is expected to cut the number of smokers significantly and save tens of thousands of lives.
Five Tips to Make Quitting Easier
- Prepare yourself. Make a list of the reasons for
quitting and plan for situations that may tempt you to smoke.
- Pick a “quit date.” Get rid of ashtrays and lighters,
and all cigarettes.
- Make your home and car smoke-free. It is healthier for
others and will help you resist smoking.
- Get support and encouragement. Tell your family,
friends, and co-workers that you are quitting and ask for their support. If
you use medicines to quit, you can double or triple your chances of success.
- Find a “quit buddy.” Ask a smoker to quit with you, or find someone who has already quit who you can talk to for support.
The Health Department and its partners are offering nicotine replacement therapy at no cost on June 3rd. Events are scheduled at locations throughout the five boroughs (see table below).
June 3rd Nicotine Patch Giveaway Sites
|
Brooklyn |
Coney Island Hospital |
2601 Ocean Parkway
Brooklyn, NY 11235 |
718-616-5039 |
10-2 |
Cumberland Diagnostic and Treatment Center |
100 Portland Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11205 |
718-260-7756 |
11-3 |
East New York Diagnostic & Treatment Center |
2094 Pitkin Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11207 |
718-240-0611 |
10-3 |
Islamic Society of Bay Ridge |
6807 5th Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11220 |
917-915-8733 |
12-3 |
King's County Hospital Center |
E-Building Plaza
541 Clarkson Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11203 |
718-245-2782 |
10-3 |
New Concepts Community Support Services |
Gateway Mall
409 Gateway Drive
Brooklyn, NY 11220 |
718-495-0126 |
12-6 |
NYC Health Dept. |
Fort Greene Chest Center
295 Flatbush Avenue Extension, 4th Floor
Brooklyn, NY 11201 |
212-239-3035 |
9-2:30 |
NYC Health Dept. |
Bedford Chest Center
485 Throop Avenue, 3rd Floor
Brooklyn, NY 11221 |
212-239-3035 |
9-2:30 |
NYC DOHMH Brooklyn District Public Health Office |
480 Knickerbocker Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11237 |
646-253-5713 |
11-1:30 |
Turning Point |
80A 4th Avenue (between Bergen & St. Marks)
Brooklyn, NY 11217 |
718-439-0077 |
10-12 |
Turning Point |
79 Lorraine Street
Brooklyn, NY 11220 |
718-439-0077 |
12-2 |
Turning Point |
5220 4th Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11231 |
718-439-0077 |
9-5 |
United Jewish Organizations of Williamsburg |
32 Penn Street, Conference Room
Brooklyn, NY 11211 |
718-643-9700 x231 |
10-5 |
Woodhull Medical Center |
760 Broadway
Brooklyn, NY 11206 |
718-963-8913 |
10-4 |
|
Bronx |
|
Bronx Correction Community Linkage Program |
198 East 161st Street
Bronx, NY 10451 |
347-203-3246 |
9-4 |
Jacobi Medical Center |
1400 Pelham Parkway South
Bronx, NY 10461 |
718-918-3784 |
1-4 |
|
Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center |
234 East 149th Street
Bronx, NY 10451 |
718-579-4934 |
10-2 |
|
North Central Bronx Hospital |
3424 Kossuth Avenue
Bronx, NY 10467 |
718-918-3784 |
9-12 |
|
NYC Health Dept. |
Morrisania Chest Center
1309 Fulton Avenue, 1st Floor
Bronx, NY 10456 |
212-239-3035 |
9-2:30 |
|
NYC Health Dept. - Bronx District Public Health Office |
Crotona Park
at the entrance of East Tremont Avenue
Bronx, NY 10457 |
718-466-4319 |
10-2 |
|
Manhattan |
Bellevue Hospital Center |
462 First Avenue
New York, NY 10016 |
212-562-6087 |
9-5 |
Community Health Action of Staten Island, Inc. |
Staten Island Ferry terminal at Whitehall (lower Manhattan) |
718-808-1314 |
3-7 |
Gouverneur Healthcare Services |
227 Madison Street
New York, NY 10002 |
212-238-7570 |
10-3 |
Harlem Hospital Center |
506 Lenox Avenue
NY, NY 10026 |
212-939-8222 |
10-3 |
Metropolitan Hospital Center |
1901 First Avenue (97 & 1st Avenue)
New York, NY 10029 |
212-423-7211 |
10-12 |
NYC Health Dept. |
Chelsea Chest Center
303 Ninth Avenue
NY, NY 10001 |
212-239-3035 |
9-2:30 |
NYC Health Dept. |
Washington Heights Chest Center
600 West 168th Street, 3rd Floor
NY, NY 10032 |
212-239-3035 |
9-2:30 |
NYC Health Dept. - East and Central Harlem District Public Health Office |
Carver Housing Residents Association
1481 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10029 |
646-672-2376 |
12-4 |
Renaissance Health Care Network Diagnostic & Treatment Center |
215 West 125 Street (Between 7th & 8th Avenue)
New York, NY 10027 |
212-939-8222 |
10-3 |
St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital |
440 West 114th Street, Outpatient Entrance
New York, NY 10025 |
212-523-5471 |
9-12 |
St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital |
University Medical Practice Associates
374 West 125th Street
New York, NY 10027 |
212-523-5471 |
12:30-3 |
United Federation of Teachers |
52 Broadway
New York, NY 10004 |
212-598-7763 |
11-3 |
United Nations |
United Nations Headquarters (42nd Street & 1st Avenue)
866 United Nations Plaza
New York, NY 10017 |
212-963-9009 |
10-2 |
UNITEHERE Health Center |
275 7th Avenue, 4th Floor Lobby
New York, NY 10001 |
212-812-3557 |
9:30-12 |
|
Queens |
Elmhurst Hospital Center/Queensborough Community College |
79-01 Broadway
Elmhurst, NY 11373 |
718-334-3528 |
10-2 |
Flushing Hospital Medical Center |
Queens Library
41-17 Main Street
Flushing, NY 11355 |
718-661-1200 |
10-3 |
Flushing Hospital Medical Center |
45th Avenue at Parsons (at main entrance)
Flushing, NY 11351 |
718-661-1201 |
1-4 |
Korean Community Services of Metropolitan New York, Inc. |
H&Y Marketplace (parking lot)
150-51 Northern Boulevard
Flushing, NY 11354 |
212-356-9685 |
2-5 |
NYC Health Dept. |
Corona Chest Center
34-33 Junction Boulevard, 2nd Floor
Queens, NY 11372 |
212-239-3035 |
9-2:30 |
Queens College |
Queens College
Frese Hall 3rd Floor
65-30 Kissena Boulevard
Flushing, NY 11367 |
718-997-2760 |
9-5 |
Queens Hospital Center |
82-70 164th Street
Jamaica, NY 11432 |
718-883-4210 |
11:30-5:30 |
Queensborough Community College - CUNY |
222-05 56th Avenue, Humanities Quad
Bayside, NY 11364
(If raining, will be in the Science Lobby) |
718-631-6375 |
11-3 |
|
Staten Island |
Staten Island University Hospital |
475 Seaview Avenue, Main Lobby
Staten Island, NY 10305 |
718-226-6125 |
10-4 |
Staten Island University Hospital |
Center for Women's Health
440 Seaview Avenue
Staten Island, NY 10305 |
718-227-6715 |
10-4 |
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