Recent studies have indicated that New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s anti-smoking campaign may actually have had an effect on the city.

In 2010, 14% of adults said they were smoking, down from 22% in 2002. In other words, the number of cigarette smokers in New York has been reduced by 450,000. City health officials have also noted that the smoking rate amongst public high school students has dropped 9% over the past decade.

“A 7% smoking rate among kids- holy cow,” Russel Sciandra said to the New York Times. “Having this new generation coming up with much lower smoking rates than you’ve ever seen historically is what’s really pulling down the rate, and of course that promises great things for the future.”

In 2003, Mayor Bloomberg banned smoking in bars and restaurants, and in May of last year the ban was put on parks, beaches and pedestrian plazas as well.