The adult smoking rate in New York State has dropped to 9.3%, marking the lowest level since the state began tracking cigarette use through annual surveys. In 2000, about one in four adults in New York smoked cigarettes.
Jennifer Reilly Bluma, Community Engagement Coordinator for Tobacco Free Action Communities (TFAC) in Columbia & Greene, said, “This is a tremendous win for the health of New Yorkers and for our local communities.” She noted that in her region, average adult smoking rates have declined by more than 40% since 2013-2014. Data from that period showed 24.5% of adults in Greene County and 21% in Columbia County smoked; by 2021 those numbers had fallen to 14.5% and 11.9%, respectively.
TFAC Columbia & Greene operates as part of the American Lung Association and is among 21 organizations statewide that work with the New York State Tobacco Control Program (TCP), which is managed by the Department of Health. The TCP was established in 2000 to reduce tobacco-related illness, disability, and death, as well as exposure to secondhand smoke. According to the Department of Health, these efforts have helped decrease lung cancer death rates by nearly half across New York.
For every dollar spent on the TCP program, New York saves $15 in related healthcare costs, according to state data.
Despite these gains, officials warn that federal funding cuts could threaten ongoing tobacco prevention efforts. “Yet significant federal funding cuts to tobacco programming threaten the work of these lifesaving programs,” said Reilly Bluma. Currently, about $3 million—or 6.9%—of tobacco control funding comes from federal sources. One immediate effect is that the National Youth Tobacco Survey for 2025 was pulled early from the field, raising concerns about continued monitoring of youth tobacco use trends such as vaping.
Harold Wimmer, President and CEO of the American Lung Association, stated: “Halting funding for tobacco prevention and quitting programs will lead to more healthcare costs and lives lost.”
Certain groups—including racial and ethnic minorities, LGBTQIA+ individuals, people living with mental illness or substance use disorders, and lower-income communities—have been disproportionately targeted by tobacco industry marketing campaigns. This has contributed to disparities in tobacco use and related health outcomes.
The Department of Health says it remains committed to reducing tobacco’s impact through evidence-based policies aimed at preventing youth initiation, supporting cessation among smokers, and eliminating secondhand smoke exposure.
TFAC Columbia & Greene continues its work as a network dedicated to lowering tobacco use rates locally with support from state health authorities. More information can be found at https://Tobaccofreenys.org or https://Lung.org.
For questions about TFAC Columbia Greene’s programs or activities, contact program lead Jennifer Reilly Bluma.
