Health Commissioner Novello Announces $3.4 Million in Funding for Tobacco Enforcement and Prevention

Albany, November 17, 1999 – State Health Commissioner Antonia C. Novello, M.D., M.P.H. today announced $3.4 million that will go to local governments and community–based organizations to fund Governor Pataki's aggressive tobacco enforcement campaign. Dr. Novello announced nearly $2.2 million in state grant awards to counties as part of Governor Pataki's Youth Access Enforcement Program initiative and an additional $1.2 million in federal funds to community–based organizations to fund comprehensive tobacco prevention programs.

"Governor Pataki's leadership on this issue has sent a clear and resounding message to vendors who sell tobacco products –– we will not tolerate the sale of tobacco products to children," Dr. Novello said. "As a result of the Governor's tobacco enforcement initiative becoming law in 1997, we have seen a substantial increase in vendor compliance checks. Consequently, in 1998, compliance checks of vendors throughout the State totaled nearly 28,000, an astounding 700 percent increase above the previous year."

Dr. Novello said, "Combined, these initiatives provide our communities with $3.4 million to expand local and statewide enforcement activities as well as enhance preventive and educational programs that have proven effective in reducing adolescent smoking in New York State."

The $3.4 million announced today is part of Governor Pataki's tobacco control program that totals about $20 million, which is the highest level of funding in State history. The State's tobacco control program's original budget of $8.4 million funds a statewide media campaign, including a new billboard campaign; partnerships with local governments to ensure retailers are not selling tobacco products to minors; and local youth organization partnerships.

In addition to the original $8.4 million budgeted for tobacco control, Governor Pataki directed, in September 1999, the Health Department's Medicaid program to cover prescription smoking cessation products, such as Zyban and Habitrol, to help eligible New Yorkers quit smoking. The estimated annual cost of providing smoking cessation products to Medicaid clients is between $10 and $13 million per year, bringing the total funding for New York's tobacco control program to about $20 million.

The $2.2 million for the Youth Access Tobacco Enforcement Program will be used to conduct retailer compliance inspections (including thousands with the cooperation of minors attempting to purchase over–the–counter tobacco products), the training of local enforcement officers in the surveillance of vendors, and development of anti–smoking literature and promotions for store use.

The $1.2 million awarded to community–based programs is federal money funded through Health and Human Services Prevent Block Grant and the Maternal and Child Health Block Grant. The $1.2 million in federal funding received by New York State will be used to expand the network of 19 community–based organizations to a coalition of 24 groups statewide. This money will be used to fund a comprehensive tobacco prevention program at the local level. All of the organizations funded today will include youths in their program planning and implementation.

"The Governor and I will not rest on the success of this program. We will continue to work with retailers and vendors to make sure they know the laws and protocols. But if any retailer is found to be out of compliance with New York State laws and regulations, you can rest assure that we will intensify our enforcement efforts in 2000 and continue to crackdown on those vendors who are selling cigarettes to children and underage teens," Dr. Novello said.

Community–Based Organizations Awards follow:

Award Program Description
Onondaga County
$33,000		 Develop peer leadership activities and materials to educate the public and employers, including creation of smoke–free restaurant guide and a brochure on cessation services to promote smoke–free work sites.
Genesee County, with Orleans & Wyoming Co.
$38,994		 Assess policies and practices of physicians and collaborate with other agencies to host training on best practices in cessation and prevention counseling.
Jefferson County, with Lewis Co.
$22,333		 Promote cessation services in coordination with primary care physicians and dentists, with the goal of educating the public about the dangers of second–hand Tobacco Smoke. Will work to increase the number of youth organizations involved in preventing tobacco use.
American Lung Assoc. (ALA) Hudson Valley, serving Putnam, Orange, Westchester, Rockland Co.
$47,756		 Continuation of Clean Indoor Air campaign; development and distribution of a restaurant guide of smoke–free restaurants; training will be provided to 15 area dentists on cessation guidelines.
ALA Finger Lakes, serving Monroe Co.
$34,000		 Assess physician smoking cessation practices and needs; partner with other community organizations to host a seminar on current smoking cessation initiatives; needs assessment for 23 inner–city churches, followed by facilitation of on–site cessation and prevention programs.
Adirondack, serving Warren, Washington, Clinton, Franklin, Essex & Saratoga Co.
$40,250		 Develop a smoke–free home brochure, a model smoking cessation program for physicians and dentists; and organize educational seminars for physicians and dentists.
ALA Finger Lakes TACFL, serving Ontario, Seneca, Wayne & Yates Co.
$38,000		 Partner with other community agencies, an educational stop smoking campaign, conducted through TV, billboards and promotional materials, to target women 14–35 who are expectant or have young children. A four–county Health Check survey of businesses to determine second–hand smoking exposure, smoking policies, enforcement and community support services.
Broome County, with Tioga Co.
$38,886		 Develop a toolkit for promoting tobacco control activities by local organizations; update and distribute a cessation resource guide. A chart audit system will be designed and implemented to monitor provider activities.
Livingston County
$31,000		 Collaborate with Medical Society and a local hospital to conduct three in–service training sessions for primary care providers to assess, encourage and assist physicians on policies related to advising patients on cessation products.
Mohawk Valley YMCA, serving Oneida & Herkimer Co.
$31,216		 Work with primary care physicians to adopt a policy for smoking intervention and assessing partnerships for adults and youth.
Erie & Niagara Counties
$59,600		 Survey area HMOs to determine policies regarding cessation assistance and follow up for smoking members, as well as methods used for engaging disparate populations in cessation programs. A physician task force will be formed to evaluate results from HMO and physician surveys, including the development of a policy report recommending changes.
Cortland County, with Tompkins, Cayuga & Madison Co.
$32,114		 Work with primary care providers to enhance policy development around cessation, create a cessation resource manual and provide grants to youth organizations and groups with disparate populations.
ALA New York State, serving Albany, Rensselaer & Schenectady Co.
$48,423		 Funds to schools for cessation programs, a smoking cessation service brochure; grants to youth organizations for prevention education programs; work with BOCES on a peer education program.
St. Mary's, serving Montgomery, Fulton & Hamilton Co.
$25,740		 Funds to schools for cessation programs, a smoking cessation resource brochure; grants for youth organizations for tobacco use prevention. Provide grants to organizations that work with racial/ethnic groups and develop an educational campaign on second–hand smoke.
Chautauqua County, with Cattaraugus Co.
$45,770		 Work with the Healthy Heart Partnership to implement the "Health Check" survey to 20+ businesses. A grant process will be utilized to recruit minority–serving agencies to develop tobacco prevention programs.
Dutchess County
$35,000		 An comprehensive approach to focus on dental and primary care physicians who advise on cessation. Will provide training to vendors who are not in compliance with Adolescent Tobacco Use Prevention Act and will increase the number of schools who provide tobacco use prevention curricula.
Chemung County, with Steuben & Schuyler Co.
$34,402		 Assess area physicians about policy on cessation counseling. Will collaborate with local medical societies to facilitate communication among members and provide training opportunities.
Nassau & Suffolk Counties
$93,810		 Will recruit agencies that work with the disparate population and provide training on cessation guidelines. Will work more closely with substance abuse facilities and incorporating tobacco cessation into their programs.
Medical Health Research Assoc. Serving NYC
$150,000		 Provide youth program support, community interventions and media activities targeted at local ordinances for Clean Indoor Air and Youth Access.
Oswego County
$20,000		 Work with employee assistance programs to promote cessation, performing an inventory of cessation resources, and collaborating with youth to identify and implement strategies that target this age group.
Chenango County
$20,000		 A new tobacco control coalition will be created, which will develop interventions that cross all goal areas and program components.
Sullivan County
$16,537		 Promote cessation among physicians, and through their school–based dental health program they will promote cessation training among area dentists.
Ulster County
$20,000		 Partner with American Cancer Society to support the Great American Smoke–Out and Smoke Free Families initiatives. They will also be addressing the mentally ill, which has an extraordinarily high rate of tobacco use.
Otsego County, with Delaware & Schoharie Co.
$20,000		 Administer a survey to the five largest area employers and follow up with appropriate education to reduce exposure to second–hand smoke.
New York City DOH
$100,000		 Concentration on youth programs and outreach; a large cessation network; a media campaign and surveillance and evaluation.
Roswell Park
$140,000		 Will continue serving the Task Force for Tobacco–Free Women & Girls. Rosewell has also developed a statewide tobacco "Helpline" for the public.

Youth Access Tobacco Enforcement awards for September 1, 1999 to October 30, 2000 are listed in the attached chart.

11/17/99–161 OPA