Mayor Bloomberg will roll out first-in-the-nation legislation aimed at pushing cigarettes out of sight in New York City stores.
The mayor announced today his proposed “Tobacco Product Display Restriction” bill, which would require all stores to keep cigarettes hidden from plain view.
The smokes could only been seen at purchase and during re-stocking, under Bloomberg’s plan that he’ll submit to the City Council on Wednesday.
“New York City has dramatically lowered our smoking rate, but even one new smoker is one too many – especially when it’s a young person,” Bloomberg said.
“Young people are targets of marketing and the availability of cigarettes and this legislation will help prevent another generation from the ill health and shorter life expectancy that comes with smoking.”
The bill would also require small cigars, known as cigarillos, that cost less than $3 to be sold in packs of four or 20.
This latest public health proposal comes less than a week since Bloomberg’s ban on sugary drinks of more than 16 ounces was shot down in court.
Mayor Bloomberg and Councilwoman Maria del Carmen Arroyo (D-Bronx), chairwoman of the Health Committee, plan to formally introduce the bill to the council on Wednesday.
“We know that smoking is dangerous, deadly, addictive and without a single benefit,” said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Linda Gibbs.
“As public health leaders we owe it to adults and young people alike to do everything we can to prevent New Yorkers from starting to smoke, and helping those who want to quit.”
Mayor Bloomberg appears to have his ducks in a row, having lined up strong council support even before making the formal proposal.
“Thousands of New Yorkers die each year of tobacco-related causes,” said Councilman Stephen Levin. “If we can keep just one young person from smoking then that is a step in the right direction. I fully support these efforts that prevent smoking and promote good health.”
City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, frontrunner in the Democratic Party race for this year’s mayoral election, said she’s “very open” to backing Bloomberg’s proposal.
“We are very looking forward to looking at the legislation when it comes to us. It’s something that the mayor’s requested we have hearings on, which we will do. So very open to looking at that – very much so,” she said.
“We need to get the final version of the bill but very open to it. Very, very open to it.”
Dr. Tom Farley, the health commissioner, said city lawyers are confident the proposed law would pass muster.
“Our lawyers have looked at this. The Law Department has looked at this,” he said.
“They feel the city does have the authority to prohibit the display of the cigarette packs themselves as well as to prohibit the redeeming of coupons. People can still put out the coupons. But stores can’t redeem those coupons.”
Additional reporting by Sally Goldenberg and David K. Li