Nadine Cafaro is reporting for The Legislative Gazette the New York State Academy of Family Physicians is calling for a ban of all tobacco and vaping products statewide because of the increased risk of COVID-19 in those who use tobacco. A study by the U.S. National Library of Medicine found a factor that influences the progression of COVID-19 is a person’s history of smoking. The study suggests that “patients who use tobacco are 14 times as likely to have COVID-19 progression.” The National Institute of Drug Abuse says this is because the coronavirus attacks the lungs, and those who vape or smoke tobacco are more susceptible to the virus becoming a serious threat. “Now more than ever, it is critical for the state and medical community to take actions to prevent our youth from ever using these highly addictive, deadly products and to help our patients to reduce their risks through FDA-approved cessation and telehealth during this pandemic,” said Barbara Keber, academy president. The group represents more than 6,000 family physicians and medical students in New York. Read the full story at LegislativeGazette [dot] com.