A 4863 Galef No Senate Campanion
MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT
Referred to Assembly Health Committee Agenda
Reported to Codes 05/10/2011
AN ACT to amend the public health law and the penal law, in relation to increasing the purchasing age for tobacco products from eighteen to nineteen.
The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists District II supports this legislation, which would raise the purchasing age on tobacco products from 18 to 19 years of age to further reduce the incidence of smoking among teenagers.
While the illegal purchase of tobacco products by underage teenagers has dramatically decreased due to tough retail laws in New York State, underage smoking still exists. According to the New York State Department of Health's 2006 youth surveillance survey data, 16.3% of high school students smoked cigarettes on one or more of the past 30 days. This rate approaches the Healthy People 2010 national health objective goal of 16%. In New York State, approximately 168,000 youth out of 1.6 million report having smoked in the past 30 days.[1]
Smoking is the leading known cause of preventable death and disease among women. Lung cancer surpasses breast cancer as the leading cause of cancer death in women and approximately 18% of New York women smoke. Women who smoke have an increased risk for ectopic pregnancy, cervical cancer and spontaneous abortion. In addition, smoking during pregnancy is associated with a variety of fetal risks, including low birth weight. Smoking while taking oral contraceptives also can increase the risks for blood clots and heart attacks. More initiatives are needed to prevent women from smoking and encourage those who do to quit.
ACOG District II continues to support efforts to encourage smoking cessation to improve women's health and to prevent young women from initiating smoking. For these reasons, ACOG District II strongly supports A.4863 which will help to keep New York's young women and men healthy and free of tobacco use.
May 1, 2011
The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, District II (ACOG) represents the board certified obstetrician-gynecologists in the state who deliver health care to New York's women. Our Albany office offers the New York State Legislature its resources as a scientific and educational organization dedicated to quality health care for women. If you have questions on this or any other state legislative proposal, please contact our office at 518-436-3461.