For some New Yorkers, walking outside to get a breath of fresh air is a must.
A new report from the city’s Health Department shows 44 percent of adult New Yorkers said they are exposed to secondhand cigarette smoke in their home from an outside source.
The numbers were especially high in some of the city’s poorest neighborhoods in the South Bronx, east and central Harlem and north and central Brooklyn, according to the new NYC Vital Signs report issued Monday. It examined data from 2016.
The report noted that 56 percent of Latino respondents said they smell secondhand smoke at home, the largest among all ethnic groups.
“There is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke, and these troubling data show that too many New Yorkers are being exposed to that danger — especially in communities of color,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett. “Exposure to secondhand smoke can put families at higher risk of stroke and other tobacco-related illnesses.”
Since the Smoke Free Air Act was passed in 2002, smoking has been banned in most public places in the city, including parks, beaches and restaurants.
Health officials urged New Yorkers who smoke to quit, and to keep their homes smoke-free, especially around children and pregnant women.
