Report Card
Enforcement
The state Department of Health contracts with local departments of health to engage local enforcement officers to perform at least one compliance check annually for all places where tobacco products are sold. Enforcement officers also check for violations of other youth access laws and have the authority to issue civil violations, with a graduated penalty structure that can lead to suspension of a retailer’s license. New York does not have any penalties placed for purchase, use, or possession (PUP) of tobacco products.
Tobacco Retail License
- Comprehensive statewide Tobacco Retail License covering all tobacco products
- Multiple Tobacco Retail Licenses that cover all tobacco products
- Tobacco Retail License only covers cigarettes and NOT e-cigarettes
- No statewide Tobacco Retail License
Preemption
- No preemption
- Preempted from raising the sales age
- Preempted from creating a Tobacco Retail License
All public health is local. Often Big Tobacco works to add preemption to statewide tobacco control bills so cities and counties are unable to enact laws that better protect the public.
High School Vaping Rate
27.4%
of High School Seniors have vaped in the past 30 days
Tobacco Prevention vs. Industry Marketing
$1 : $4
New York spends $39.8M in tobacco prevention efforts and the tobacco industry spends $163.3M in marketing. For every $1 spent in prevention, Big Tobacco spends $4 in marketing.
Tax per pack of cigarettes
$4.35
E-cigarette tax: $0.80
State Rank: 2
Higher tobacco taxes are associated with decreases in tobacco use and increases in cessation and lower youth initiation.
Annual State Healthcare Costs due to Tobacco Use
$10.39 billion
Information updated Nov 2020. Please contact megan.boelter@tobacco21.org if you have suggested updates.