Friday, February 23, 2007

Healthy New York City

Recently, the New York City Board of Health passed an amendment to the city health code to slowly phase out artifical trans fats in all food items served at restaurants by July 1, 2008.

Prior to that, the other major public health initiative undertaken by the city was the smoking ban, which took effect on April 1, 2003. The ban covered all workplaces including bars, restaurants, cafes, pool halls and offices. In addition, the city and state imposed an additional $1 tax on every pack of cigarettes, making New York among the nation's most expensive places to smoke.

This photo of a small convenience store is advertising cigarette sales at $6.60 per pack. The prices at other stores are closer to $7.

So how much is a pack of cigarettes in your city?

15 comments:

Sally said...

I'm not exactly sure, not buying smokes - but more than that. About $11 or $12 a pack of 25, I think.

Jilly said...

I don't know either but I do know that smoking is now banned in French restaurants and bars. This follows pretty hot on the heels of the Italians banning smoking in public places. Many French are still reeling from this but it's nice to go into a bar and not get smoked out - on the other hand, it doesn't seem like France anymore. Sales of gum and patches to help smokers quit has hit an all-time high.

Jilly x

alice said...

Dear Jilly, smoking will be banned in French cafés and restaurants only next year...Cigarettes are now forbidden at work and in public areas like stations, schools, subway...A first step, French people need time to not rebel! And no idea about the price of cigarettes, i don't smoke...

Jilly said...

Oh Alice, my error! And you know, I knew that, cos someone corrected me the other day when I spoke about it happening now. That's right they have a year to get used to the idea and hopefully to quit smoking. Well in Italy you can't smoke in a bar - they have those covered areas outside, don't they?

Thanks for correcting me. I don't smoke so I guess I should take a bit more notice.

Jilly

Jilly said...

You know, the weird thing is, my local bar where I take coffee, is far less smoky than it used to be. Perhaps people are indeed trying to stop smoking one year early. If so, good for them!

Jilly xxx

alice said...

Jilly, I didn't want to correct an error, i was just trying to joke about many French people who-how i can say...-often shuffle about restraint, holy individual liberties, but my English is not subtile enough, excuse me if i have been too direct. And thank you, Ming, for your space to chat!

Ming the Merciless said...

I don't smoke either. But my work involves public health issues.

sally - $12/pack!!That IS expensive!!

jilly & alice - I enjoyed your lively discussions. NYC residents complained about the smoking ban too when it was first instituted. Many cafes and bars were saying they would lose 50% of their customers but that turned out to be untrue. Businesses are doing just as well.

Irredento Urbanita said...

I have always liked New York. I could tell you the price of cigarrettes in Trujillo and Barcelona. In Trujillo is about $ 1.50 and in Barcelona it's about 4 euros (5.50 dollars).

Oya said...

That is good. I don't smoke either. I like the idea that cafes and restaurants will be not smoky. In Istanbul, we have a long way to get there . It is all free to smoke. They have some areas for non,smokers that's all...

isa said...

Hey, did you notice all of us here are non-smokers? That's a positive sign...

Anonymous said...

Not anymore Isabella! ;)

Cigarettes are about $3.50-$3.75 here in Atlanta. I buy them by the carton (10 packs) so I pay $2.75 per pack.

www.DeltaMovies.com said...

$3.25 a pack here in La.

B.

Unknown said...

hmm i have no idea how much it cost in singapore either!

singapore has special boxes for smokers now, even for outdoor, they are only allowed to smoke in the tiny corners. LOL...

JVOX said...

i dont smoke, so i have no pricing clues

Nikon said...

They average about $6.00 here in Rhode Island.
I quit 3 & a half years ago.
Everybody says the bars are less smoky - why don't they ban alcohol? Is it healthier than a cigarette?