Michael Davoli opposes Intro 947 and supports children's meal standards
Michael Davoli of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network opposes Intro 947, saying it would undermine the Smoke-Free Air Act's attrition strategy and risk more tobacco saturation. He notes six tobacco bars but over 6,000 licensed tobacco retailers and says tobacco-related illness kills over 12,000 New Yorkers yearly; he also expresses support for the children's meal legislation.
Good morning, Chair Shulman, the Council.
My name is Michael DeVole from the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, ACS-CAN.
I'm here today to speak in opposition to Intro 0947.
While I want to acknowledge the financial difficulties of any business in New York City, this legislation would take us down a very slippery slope that could really contribute to an increasing saturation of tobacco here in New York City.
When the New York City Smoke-Free Air Act was first passed, which is a historic legislation, first bill of its kind in the entire nation, it's specifically aimed to reduce tobacco
bars, retailers, etc.
through attrition, by not eliminating, forcing anyone to close, by simply saying we're not going to add any more businesses to this market, a market that now has
six tobacco bars, but more than 6,000 licensed tobacco retailers in New York City.
By allowing tobacco bars to regain their licenses or transfer their license,
we are undermining the very nature of this Smoke-Free Air Act, and we are continuing to exacerbate the deadly impact that tobacco has in New York City.
Over 12,000 New York City residents will die every single year from tobacco-related illness.
And that is not something that we should just say because of businesses facing financial hardship, we should look the other way on.
So first and foremost, we cannot be opening up this sort of Pandora box and starting to chip away at that historic legislation.
If we do this now, it's only going to open the door for other businesses to come forth with any type of financial.
While the pandemic was a once-in-a-lifetime, we hope, situation, there are financial ups and downs in this city all the time.
So that's just anything.
That's it.
I'm just going to include it.
And I will be submitting written testimony.
I mean, you can summarize.
You don't have to stop right there, but you can summarize what you were going to say.
No, I was just going to.
Comment just also the other legislation, which I'm forgetting the bill number on the school, the school meals.
We do support that legislation.
In fact, it was in 2019 when that bill passed.
My third grade daughter sat next to me and actually testified on behalf of that bill.
So I'm excited to sort of express our support for that bill today.
Thank you.
Next.