Hochul signs public health legislation to crack down on tobacco sales

Gov. Kathy Hochul has signed public health legislation (A1025/S50) to crack down on tobacco sales in New York. Her team said, “This legislation will make tobacco products less accessible by prohibiting the sale of these products at vending stands and in vending machines in New York state buildings.”

Hochul said, “For decades, tobacco companies have hooked generations of New Yorkers on nicotine. We’re cracking down on Big Tobacco by banning the sale of their harmful products in New York state buildings. Protecting public health is a top priority for me, and I will continue to discourage the sale and use of these dangerous, addictive products in New York.”

Legislation A1025/S50 amends the public buildings law to prohibit the sale of tobacco products in vending machines and at vending stands leasing space in New York state buildings. The prohibition will apply to new leases and contracts with vendors. This legislation makes the public buildings law consistent with other state laws and policies regarding tobacco sales.

Hochul’s team said, “According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S., resulting in more than 480,000 deaths each year. Given the proven link between the use of tobacco products and serious disease and health risks, this legislation aims to protect public health in New York state by curbing the sale of these products on state property. According to the 2013 Independent Evaluation Report of the New York Tobacco Control Program, reductions in tobacco use are achieved by creating a social environment and legal climate in which tobacco becomes less desirable, less acceptable, and less accessible.”