Smoking Rate Plummets In NYC

The greatest legacy of Michael Bloomberg's reign as NYC mayor may be the city's nose-diving number of adult smokers, a reduction widely credited to frequent cigarette tax increases, fewer places to smoke legally, and the city's unforgettably gruesome anti-smoking commercials. The total number of smokers has decreased by an estimated 500,000 since Bloomberg took office. Meanwhile, a pack of cigarettes currently sells for $13-$15 in Manhattan.