City Health Commissioner Defends New Anti-Smoking Ads
To view our videos, you need to
enable JavaScript. Learn how.
install Adobe Flash 9 or above. Install now.
Then come back here and refresh the page.
New York City Health Commissioner Thomas Farley defended a series of new graphic anti-smoking ads Wednesday, saying they'll save lives.
The ads are part of the city's renewed effort to get smokers to quit.
Farley said the consequences of long-term smoking are far more shocking.
"I don't want to see anyone dying from lung cancer, emphysema or heart disease," Farley said. "That's what disturbing. But what these ads do is they warn people about the reality and then they help by referring them to where they can go, for help or for nicotine patches and gum that can help them to quit."
Residents can call 311 to learn more about the city's nicotine patch and gum giveaway, continuing now through September 20.