In their push to get more New Yorkers to quit smoking, city health officials are looking to make an even bigger statement. NY1's Kafi Drexel filed the following report.
"In the same way they see the tobacco industry's imagery, we want them to see our imagery which is the real imagery. You smoke a cigarette you are not going to end up in on a mountaintop in the snow," said Assistant City Health Department Commissioner Sarah Perl.
Health officials say they've already been able to cut city smoking rates by nearly 30 percent through aggressive tactics from implementing the smoking ban in most public spaces to their hard-hitting anti-smoking ad campaigns.
The new signs would include information on how to quit, but they wouldn't be subtle. The smallest sign would be a foot and a half by a foot and a half in size, with the largest being three feet square.
At the Civic Deli, just a few blocks away from the Health Department, shop owners say placing something in front of their register that could be as large as three feet by three feet might be a bit much. It could block off their candy and energy bar displays. They say they are not worried other prominent warnings would be a danger to their business. In fact, they say it could be a good thing.
"First of all, cigarettes are bad, everybody knows. If the poster makes everybody quit smoking then it is a good idea," said Civic Deli manager Jae Chung.
Health officials say they are already preparing for a legal battle with the tobacco industry -- one they say they think they can win.
"The most relevant issue here is can the department require disclosure of factual information that will protect health? And that issue was raised in the calorie labeling rule and it was brought to the appellate court and the department won," said New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley.
Winning the court of public opinion may be another matter. Smokers are already mixed on whether the warning signs, no matter how graphic, will get them to quit.
"It's hard to stop. It would probably make me think, and probably think about quitting," said one city smoker.
"The message has been out there probably for the last 25 to 30 years. I haven't stopped yet, so why stop now?" said another city smoker.
A public hearing on the warning rule is scheduled for July 30th. The Board of Health is expected to vote on the measure in September.
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