The number of smokers in New York City, a leader in anti-smoking measures and home to some of the country’s highest cigarette prices, rose for the third consecutive year to pass the one million mark, the New York Daily News said.

From a low of 14 per cent of the adult population in 2010, the smoking rate increased to 14.8 and 15.5 per cent in following years, and to 16.1 per cent in 2013, the newspaper said. The national smoking rate is 18 per cent
Anti-smoking measures including bans on smoking in bars, restaurants and parks have been copied around the world. Announcing the latest data, city Health Department officials blamed the rise on steep cuts in the municipal tobacco control budget and failure to target a “new breed” of smokers in their mid-20s to early 40s, the Daily News said.