New York, May 14, 2025 – Global Action to End Smoking is proud to announce a new grant to Northwell Health, New York State’s largest health care provider, to increase smoking cessation among populations with elevated smoking rates in Queens. This marks the first time that a patient center operated by a major health care provider will integrate tobacco harm reduction (THR) into its existing programs to address smoking and cardiovascular disease.
"We're thrilled to partner with Northwell Health, which is leading the way in delivering evidence-based, patient-centered care to people who smoke—including many who have not been helped by traditional cessation programs"
Tobacco harm reduction is a public health concept that recognizes a spectrum of risk among nicotine products. Smoking combustible cigarettes is the most dangerous way to consume nicotine, killing one out of two long-term users and nearly 500,000 people in the U.S. annually. Reduced-risk nicotine replacement therapies (NRT), such as patches or gum, have proven effective in helping people quit smoking.
Most smoking cessation programs limit reduced-harm products to nicotine replacement therapies alone. Unfortunately, these traditional approaches fail many people who smoke and want to quit.
“At Northwell, we believe in meeting people where they are—not where we think they should be. This grant allows us to build on our long-standing commitment to smoking cessation by expanding the tools we offer—especially for those who've tried to quit and felt dismissed or unsupported by the system."
With support from Global Action, trained cessation specialists will deliver an updated curriculum encompassing evidence-based strategies to quit smoking. These will include tobacco harm reduction, nicotine replacement therapy, behavioral modification, and relapse prevention. The program will also address co-occurring conditions and evaluate participant progress at one, three, six, nine, and 12 months.
“Tobacco products remain the leading preventable cause of morbidity and mortality, both in the U.S. and globally,” said Shari Jardine, MPH, MA, assistant vice president for Northwell’s Center for Global Health, who specializes in education, evaluation, and research programs. “Quitting smoking is extremely difficult, and programs like this serve as a bridge for communities—providing them with accurate information to help reduce their risk and, hopefully, quit.”
This initiative builds on growing evidence that broader cessation strategies, including harm reduction, are essential for reaching populations with disproportionately high smoking rates.
“Any time a person moves away from cigarettes, it is a win for public health,” said Cliff Douglas, president and CEO of Global Action to End Smoking. “We’re grateful to support Northwell as it leads the way in compassionate, forward-thinking care for adults who smoke.”
About Global Action to End Smoking
Global Action to End Smoking is an independent, U.S. nonprofit 501(c)(3) grantmaking organization whose mission is to accelerate science-based efforts worldwide to end the smoking epidemic. It is dedicated to ending combustible tobacco use, which remains the leading preventable cause of death globally. Historically, Global Action received funding through PMI Global Services. As of Sept. 2023, Global Action and PMI terminated their original pledge agreement, and Global Action formally adopted a policy not to seek or accept funding from companies that produce tobacco or non-medicinal nicotine products. Global Action has earned the 2024 Platinum Seal of Transparency from Candid, a leading global source of information about nonprofit organizations.