FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 9, 2006 MAYOR BLOOMBERG, HEALTH
COMMISSIONER FRIEDEN AND SCHOOLS CHANCELLOR KLEIN ANNOUNCE A 36%
DECREASE IN SMOKING AMONG HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS SINCE 2001 New
Data Shows Increase in Cigarette Tax Correlates with Significant
Decrease in Underage Smokers Decrease Shows 29,000 Fewer High
Schools Students 'Lighting Up' Since 2001; Since 1997, Teenage
Smoking Has Declined by More Than 50% Mayor Michael R.
Bloomberg, joined by Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas R. Frieden
and Schools Chancellor Joel I. Klein, today announced
significant declines in smoking among high school students in
New York City public schools. The findings - a result of a joint
survey conducted by the City's Department of Health and Mental
Hygiene (DOHMH) and the Department of Education (DOE) - show
smoking among high school teenagers has declined 36% (from 18%
to 11%) since 2001 and 52% (from 23% to 11%) since 1997. The
decrease in teenage smokers correlates with a decline in adult
smokers and is attributed to both an