New York City bans alcohol advertising on city property

Eighteen months after the Metropolitan Transportation Authority banned alcohol advertisements on New York City buses and in subway cars and stations, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced an Executive Order banning all alcohol advertising on City property.

Under the order, alcohol advertisements will be banned from City property, including bus shelters, newsstands, phone booths, Wi-Fi LinkNYC kiosks, and recycling kiosks. The order will take effect immediately, meaning any future contracts or contract renewals must exclude alcohol from the advertisements. Existing ads in these spaces will be allowed to remain until their contract terms end. In addition, venues currently permitted to sell alcohol, such as restaurants, stadiums, and concerts halls, are exempt from the ban.

“There’s no doubt that far too many New Yorkers struggle with serious substance misuse issues, among them excessive drinking,” said Mayor de Blasio. “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.”

High exposure to alcohol advertisements can lead to increased likelihood and quantity of alcohol consumption, particularly among youth. The earlier young people begin drinking, the greater their likelihood of developing alcohol use disorders in adulthood. Studies also find that young people who drink are also more vulnerable to the impact of advertisements than adults, with 15- to 20-year-olds most susceptible.

In 2016, there were over 110,000 alcohol-related emergency department visits in New York City. In the same year, nearly 2,000 New Yorkers died from alcohol-attributable causes, including liver disease, driving fatalities, and alcohol-related cancers, such as liver and esophageal cancers.