ANTI-SMOKING LAW IS IN EFFECT: ANOTHER GOOD REASON TO QUIT
Smoking Cessation Clinic at NYSPI/Columbia Recruiting Minority Smokers
 

New York, NY (March 31, 2003) – It’s official. Smoking in most restaurants, bars and other workplaces in New York City is now a thing of the past. With fewer places to smoke, now is the time for would-be quitters to get treatment for their addiction.

An estimated 440,000 Americans die each year from smoking-related diseases, according to the American Lung Association. It’s no secret that the addiction is a difficult one to beat. Researchers at the New York State Psychiatric Institute (NYSPI) and Columbia University say that minority smokers have an even harder time quitting because tobacco is heavily marketed to their communities. Yet, very little research has been done on smoking in minorities.

Dr. Lirio Covey, Director of the Smoking Cessation Clinic at NYSPI, is actively recruiting more Hispanic, Asian and African-American smokers for her Minority and other Underserved Smokers Treatment Research (MUSTR) study.

“Although several effective treatments for smokers have been developed—such as the nicotine replacement products and Zyban—it is difficult to get data that would point to treatments that would reduce the prevalence of addiction to nicotine and tobacco in racial/ethnic minorities,” said Dr. Covey.
A 1998 CDC report found that among Black and White non-Hispanics over 18, 24% were smokers. Hispanic and Asian smokers numbered 18% and 15%, respectively.

Smokers, who participate in cessation research at the NYSPI and Columbia, will be offered the opportunity to obtain treatment with Zyban, the nicotine patch, and counseling to help them stop smoking and avoid relapse. To participate, call (212) 543-5905.

To schedule an interview with Dr. Lirio Covey and patients, please call the NY State Psychiatric Institute’s Public Information Office at (212) 543-5421.

Contact: Dacia Morris
(212) 543-5421
morrisd@pi.cpmc.columbia.edu
 

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