Preparing to Re-Open After COVID-19?

Here’s an Important Step to Protect Your Staff and Customers Ryan Coffman, MPH, CHES, CTTS-M, Tobacco Policy and Control Program Manager, Philadelphia Department of Public Health                 The COVID-19 epidemic in the United States has and will continue change the way we gather in public places. Tobacco use […]

New Executive Order Promotes Healthy City Spaces

On December 18, 2019, Mayor Kenney signed a new Executive Order to provide healthy, clean, and safe spaces on city properties and at city-sponsored employee events by making them smoke and vape-free. This new Executive Order will provide clean air for the thousands of employees, visitors, and the public who regularly use city spaces. While […]

Keeping communities safe from flavored vapes



This is an excellent op-ed by Lincoln Mondy, on the devastating impact that menthol cigarettes have had on Black communities, and the connection to the current battle over flavored vaping products. In Philadelphia, we’re taking steps toward ensuring that no other young people become addicted to flavored nicotine products, by restricting the sale flavored e-cigarettes and […]

ATTN: E-cigarette and Vaping Product Use-Associated Lung Injury (EVALI)

CDC's Outbreak of Severe Lung Injury

Title Updated: October 25, 2019 Across the country, more than 1000 cases of severe vaping-associated lung disease and dozens of deaths have been reported.  The CDC has not yet identified the product or products responsible for this syndrome. We do know that the majority of people affected have been young and previously healthy. Vaping products […]

Smoke-Free Spaces Initiative: Summer 2019 Highlights

In an effort to help increase smoke-free spaces and protect Philadelphians from secondhand smoke exposure, PDPH provided free technical assistance on smoke-free policy development and implementation for partners in academia and subsidized multiunit housing.   Tobacco-Free Campus: Temple University, one of our key partners in smoke-free campus initiative, reached a major milestone, implementing a comprehensive […]

Pregnant and Smoking? PA Quitline can help!

The PA Quitline wants to help you quit smoking. Read the flyers below for more information. The first flyer outlines a special program just for pregnant women, where you can call the PA Quitline (1-800-QUIT-NOW) or visit PA.QuitLogix.org) and consult with coaches to create a plan that works for you, while earning rewards to buy […]

My Life, My Quit: Teens Can Text to Quit Vaping

My Life, My Quit campaign poster: What would you gain if you quit vaping?

  A free online multi-state quit vaping program My Life, My Quit launched in July 2019. teenagers can text or call a toll free number,1-855-891-9989, to connect with coaches for five sessions of personalized support. This program is combating the teen vaping epidemic. The increase in teens vaping is alarming, and health workers and organizations […]

Changes to the PA Quitline

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We at Smoke-Free Philly are pleased to inform you of the expanded services offered by the PA Free Quitline as of August 1, 2019! The PA Free Quitline is a free hotline (1-800-QUIT-NOW) to help you quit smoking. Any Pennsylvania resident can call to get free coaching and quit smoking medication – like nicotine replacement […]

Quitting is Hard, But it’s Worth It.

Women who smoke during pregnancy are more likely to deliver their babies early or with low birth weight, even if they are full term. Babies whose mothers smoke during pregnancy or who are exposed to secondhand smoke after birth are also more likely to die of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). The Philadelphia Department of […]

Smoke-Free Multi-Unit Housing: A Bottom Line Success Story

As the 2006 Surgeon General’s report described, there is no safe level of secondhand smoke, especially indoors where people spend up to 90% of their time.  Secondhand smoke contains harmful chemicals and increases the risk of heart disease in exposed non-smokers by 20-30%.  In multi-unit housing, secondhand smoke can travel through hallways, ventilation systems, fixtures […]