De Blasio bans alcohol ads on bus stops, New York City property

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) on Tuesday issued an executive order banning alcohol advertisements on city property. 

The order will go into effect immediately, meaning that future contracts or contract renewals have to exclude alcohol, according to a statement from de Blasio’s office. Existing advertisements can stay in place until their contracts expire. 

Bus shelters, newsstands, phone booths, Wi-Fi LinkNYC kiosks and recycling kiosks will be affected. Venues that are allowed to sell alcohol, including restaurants, stadiums, and concerts halls, are exempt.{mosads}

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

In 2016, almost 2,000 New Yorkers died from alcohol-attributable causes and there were 110,000 alcohol-related visits to the emergency department in the city, according to the statement. 

Herminia Palacio, the city’s deputy mayor for health and human services, said that alcohol advertising can influence how much people drink and at what age they begin drinking. 

“This Executive Order closes a loophole and reaffirms this administration’s commitment to advancing policies that promote health equity and build healthier communities,” she said in the statement.

Distilled Spirits Council Vice President Jay Hibbard criticized the decision in a statement. 

“The mayor’s decision to ban alcohol advertising is misguided and unsupported by the scientific research,” he said.