Alcohol ads will now be banned on City property, including at Wi-fi LinkNYC kiosks citywide. Image Credit: Epicgenius/Wikimedia Commons
The ban was created to protect the health of New Yorkers. On April 30, 2019, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced an Executive Order that immediately banned all alcohol advertising on City property, including bus shelters, newsstands, phone booths, recycling kiosks and Wi-Fi LinkNYC kiosks. The administration sought the ban to protect New Yorkers from exposure to alcohol advertisements which can lead to an increased likelihood and quantity of alcohol consumption.
According to the administration, there were over 110,000 alcohol-related emergency room visits in New York City in 2016. The following year, nearly one in five New Yorkers reported incidents of binge drinking at least once in the past month. Studies have found that alcohol advertisements are especially dangerous to younger people.
Last month, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene started a media campaign to promote safer drinking strategies. The Health Department has also published lower-risk drinking guidelines and data for alcohol-related injuries and is working to educate health care professionals about screening and counseling patients for alcohol use.
Due to the Executive Order, future advertising contract or contract renewals must now exclude alcohol from the advertisements. Current advertisements in place will be allowed until those contract terms end. Venues like restaurants, stadiums, and concert halls that are currently permitted to sell alcohol are exempt from the ban.
Mayor Bill de Blasio stated, “There’s no doubt that far too many New Yorkers struggle with serious substance misuse issues, among them excessive drinking. This order banning alcohol ads from City property reaffirms our commitment to health equity and our stand to protect the well-being of all New Yorkers.”
First Lady Chirlane McCray stated, “Too many people in our city struggle with excessive drinking, and irresponsible advertisements for alcohol make the problem worse – especially when they target communities of color.”
Health Commissioner Dr. Oxiris Barbot stated, “In New York City, we see far too many deaths related to alcohol. We know exposure to alcohol advertising can lead to drinking more alcohol, more often – behavior that can be harmful and even fatal. Today’s ban of alcohol ads on City property will help protect communities from the burden of harmful alcohol advertising.”
By: Veronica Rose (Veronica is the CityLaw Fellow and a New York Law School Graduate, Class of 2018.)