| 220 Health - Smoking Resources |
| 1 in 10 smokers hides it from the doctor |
| About one in 10 smokers say they don't reveal to their doctors that they light up, according to a new survey. |
| January 6, 2012 |
| 7 Tools to Quit Smoking (Almost) Cold Turkey |
| Good call on deciding to stop smoking but, fair warning, the next few weeks are going to suck mad donkey balls. These seven smoking cessation devices will help make breaking the habit a bit more tolerable. |
| August 2, 2011 |
| 18 Months After ACCORD, FDA Says Fenofibrate May Not Lower MI or Stroke |
| Eighteen months after the ACCORD (Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes ) trial found no benefit for the addition of fenofibrate to simvastatin in patients with type 2 diabetes, the FDA has issued a safety communication. The FDA changed the label for Trilipix (fenofibric acid, Abbott) and is notifying healthcare professionals that the drug "may not lower a patient's risk of having a heart attack or stroke." The information about ACCORD has been added to the Important Limitations of Use and Warnings and Precautions sections of the label, as well as the patient Medication Guide. |
| November 9, 2011 |
| 22nd Century completes enrollment in X-22 Phase II-B smoking cessation study |
| 22nd Century Group, Inc., a company focused on smoking cessation and tobacco harm reduction products, announced today that enrollment of its X-22 Phase II-B clinical trial has been successfully completed; 234 smokers have been randomized in the double-blind, active-controlled, multi-center smoking cessation study. |
| September 27, 2011 |
| 22nd Century initiates enrollment in Phase II-B clinical trial of X-22 for smoking cessation |
| 22nd Century Group, Inc., a company focused on smoking cessation and tobacco harm reduction products, today announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, 22nd Century Limited, LLC, enrolled the first patients in its Phase II-B clinical trial for X-22, a prescription smoking cessation aid in development. |
| August 8, 2011 |
| 22nd Century submits IND to FDA for VLN cigarettes |
| 22nd Century Group, Inc., a company focused on smoking cessation and tobacco harm reduction, announced today that 22nd Century Limited, LLC submitted an Investigational New Drug Application (IND) to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration for X-22, a prescription smoking cessation aid in development. |
| June 22, 2011 |
| 80% of German pubs still allow smoking: study |
| More than four out of five pubs in Germany make use of legal loopholes or flout the rules to allow people to smoke, almost three years after a ban, a study by health campaigners showed on Tuesday. |
| May 3, 2011 |
| A |
| ACS's initiative can help smokers to kick their habit |
| Thousands of smokers will quit on Thursday, November 17th, with the American Cancer Society's Great American Smokeout. But many will be puffing away by Christmas and will need to quit several times before quitting for good. |
| November 8, 2011 |
| Addiction researcher optimistic about new, highly visual labels that show ill effects of smoking |
| By presenting the concrete reality of what will happen as a result of smoking, the new anti-smoking warnings that will show up on packs of cigarettes next year have a good chance of discouraging smoking, said Warren Bickel, professor at the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute. |
| June 27, 2011 |
| Addressing how cigarettes cause cardiovascular disease |
| Although cigarette smoking has long been linked to cardiovascular disease, scientists are still on the lookout for insights into how smoking causes this disease. A team of researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and the University of Utah has determined that cigarette smoking and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can both influence oxidative modifications on specific proteins in blood plasma. Specifically, smoking and COPD can affect the levels of 3-nitrotyrosine, a biomarker associated with many pathological conditions. The results of this study demonstrated that smoking was consistently associated with a decrease in protein nitrotyrosine levels compared with non-smokers but that the presence of COPD in smokers was associated with an increase in protein nitrotyrosine levels. |
| October 10, 2011 |
| Adolescents Less Likely to Start Smoking If They Feel Connected to Their Parents, Face Consequences for Lighting Up |
| Parents shouldn't let up when it comes to discouraging their kids from smoking. That's the message of a study presented on May 2, at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) annual meeting in Denver. |
| May 2, 2011 |
| Adults concerned about tobacco ads influence on youth |
| Do you see what your child sees? Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) scientists have analyzed the impact of tobacco advertising in stores. Researchers found that adults and young people believe that tobacco promotions influence youth to smoke. The findings were presented during a 'Kick Butts Day' tobacco-free celebration at Sweet Home High School in Amherst, NY. |
| March 24, 2011 |
| African-Americans more active users of smoking 'quitlines' |
| African-Americans are consistently more likely than white smokers to use telephone help lines to quit smoking, and are more responsive to mass media messages promoting the "quitline," finds a long-term California study. |
| April 29, 2011 |
| All the Disgusting Pictures the FDA Is Going to Put on Cigarette Boxes |
| In an effort to curb smoking, cigarette boxes will now come with these graphic images of holes in throats, lumpy tumorish lungs and more. They're supposed to act as a warning label on the dangers of smoking. Some work better than others. |
| June 22, 2011 |
| Anti-Smoking Policies for Adults Also Reduce Kids' Smoking |
| When governments use comprehensive, well-funded tobacco control programs to reduce adult smoking, they also reduce smoking among adolescents. This bonus effect is an important factor to consider as policymakers face pressure to reduce spending on anti-smoking programs. |
| June 21, 2011 |
| Are Menthol Cigarettes Riskier Than Non-Menthol? |
| Study Shows Menthol Cigarettes Are No More Likely to Lead to Lung Cancer Than Regular Cigarettes |
| March 23, 2011 |
| Australia proposes tough cigarette packaging rules |
| Tobacco companies in Australia will be forced to strip all logos from their cigarette packages and replace them with graphic images such as cancer-riddled mouths and sickly children under legislation unveiled Thursday - a move the government says will make Australia the world's toughest country on tobacco advertising. |
| April 7, 2011 |
| B |
| Babies Who Sleep With Smoker Parents Exhibit High Nicotine Levels |
| "Third-hand smoke" stuck to skin or clothing is responsible for the high nicotine levels seen in babies who share a bedroom with their smoker parents. This is the conclusion of a study carried out in Catalonia, which also shows that ventilating bedrooms is not effective in reducing the levels of toxins from passive smoking. |
| March 28, 2011 |
| Big Tobacco Knew Radioactive Particles in Cigarettes Posed Cancer Risk but Kept Quiet, Study Suggests |
| Tobacco companies knew that cigarette smoke contained radioactive alpha particles for more than four decades and developed "deep and intimate" knowledge of these particles' cancer-causing potential, but they deliberately kept their findings from the public, according to a new study by UCLA researchers. |
| September 28, 2011 |
| Big Tobacco led throat doctors to blow smoke |
| Tobacco companies conducted a carefully crafted, decades-long campaign to manipulate throat doctors into helping to calm concerns among an increasingly worried public that smoking might be bad for their health. |
| January 23, 2012 |
| Big Tobacco sues feds over graphic warnings on cigarette labels |
| Four of five largest firms allege new rules force them to put government anti-smoking advocacy more prominently on packs than own brands |
| August 17, 2011 |
| Big tobacco threatens to slash prices in Australia |
| The tobacco industry on Tuesday threatened to slash the price of cigarettes if Australia goes ahead with plans to introduce plain packaging, saying more people will end up smoking. |
| May 17, 2011 |
| Bill Gates in China push against secondhand smoke |
| Microsoft founder and philanthropist Bill Gates was in China on Saturday to raise awareness of the dangers of secondhand smoke in the country with the world's largest smoking population. |
| June 11, 2011 |
| Bill Gates working to fight secondhand smoking in China |
| Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates is on a mission in China. His objective has little to do with the company he founded, especially given that 90% of Windows copies in that country are pirated. Instead of piracy, his concerns are much more universal to the global population - the longevity of human life at risk due to smokers and people inhaling secondhand smoke. |
| June 13, 2011 |
| Blood pressure drug limits cigarette smoke-induced lung injury in mice |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is among the most common causes of death in the US. It is a smoking-related disease for which there are currently no disease-altering therapies. However, hope that one could be developed is now provided by the work of Enid Neptune and colleagues, in a mouse model of lung disease caused by exposure to cigarette smoke. |
| December 19, 2011 |
| Blood test could identify smokers at higher risk for heart disease |
| A simple blood test could someday quantify a smoker's lung toxicity and danger of heart disease, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have found. |
| October 25, 2011 |
| Brain chemical may explain why heavy smokers feel sad after quitting |
| Heavy smokers may experience sadness after quitting because early withdrawal leads to an increase in the mood-related brain protein monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A), a new study by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) has shown. This finding, which was published in the Archives of General Psychiatry, may also explain why heavy smokers are at high risk for clinical depression. |
| August 2, 2011 |
| Brain imaging demonstrates that former smokers have greater willpower |
| A study, completed by researchers from Trinity College and the Research Institute for a Tobacco Free Society, Dublin, Ireland, compares former smokers to current smokers, and obtains insight into how to quit smoking might be discovered by studying the brains of those who have successfully managed to do so. |
| April 26, 2011 |
| Bulgaria's decades old anti-smoking pill could be a cheap and effective answer to smoking cessation |
| A pill from Bulgaria during the Soviet era shows promise for helping millions of smokers cheaply and safely kick the habit, the first big clinical trial of it shows. It is unclear whether it will ever reach the market in the U.S. or Western Europe though. |
| September 29, 2011 |
| C |
| Campus Smoking Ban Reduced Students' Smoking, Changed Attitudes |
| Smoking bans have become more common on university campuses, but do they work? Do they help reduce smoking in this newly independent age group? According to an Indiana University study, they do. |
| September 14, 2011 |
| CDC: More States Need to Go 'Smoke-Free' |
| Progress Seen in Reduction of Secondhand Smoke Exposure, but CDC Calls for Tougher Action |
| April 21, 2011 |
| China renews push to ban smoking starting May 1 |
| Chinese health authorities are renewing a push to ban smoking in indoor public places, adding more venues like hotels and restaurants as of May 1, though still excluding many workplaces. |
| March 24, 2011 |
| Cigarette ads have tobacco foes fuming |
| A green cigarette? New magazine ads touting cigarettes with "additive-free" organic tobacco use the term "eco-friendly," prompting anti-smoking activists to fume. |
| August 1, 2011 |
| Cigarette health warnings push smokers to quit: study |
| Warnings on cigarette packets about the dangers of tobacco push smokers to kick the habit, and graphic images depicting human suffering are the most effective, a study released Thursday shows. |
| May 26, 2011 |
| Cigarette smoke impairs ability to fight disease |
| University College Dublin researchers in the obesity immunology research group in the Education Research Centre, St Vincent's University Hospital led by Professor Donal O'Shea have demonstrated for the first time that cigarette smoke extract (CSE) has a specific effect on a minor subset of immune cells. They believe that this may contribute to the role of cigarette smoke in the development of cancer. |
| March 4, 2011 |
| Cigarette smokers at risk of compromised digestive function |
| Current, former smokers may face impaired pancreatic duct cell function, elevated colorectal cancer risk that persists longer for women |
| October 31, 2011 |
| Cigarette smoking and arsenic exposure: A deadly combination |
| Arsenic exposure and smoking each elevate the risk of disease. But when combined together, the danger of dying from cardiovascular disease is magnified, a new study finds. |
| May 6, 2011 |
| Cigarette packaging needs to change, study says |
| The messages that cigarette pack labels convey to smokers and nonsmokers have been evaluated by Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) researchers in three studies published in the June 2011 issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. The conclusion from these studies is that manufacturers have deceived consumers about the risks of their products for years and that remedial actions are needed so consumers can make informed decisions about the products that they purchase. |
| May 18, 2011 |
| Clean indoor air laws encourage bans on smoking at home |
| Second hand smoke exposure among nonsmokers has declined over time as clean indoor air laws have been adopted. However, there has been concern that such laws might encourage smokers to smoke more in their homes or other private venues. Children living in a home with an adult smoker are up to twice as likely to take up smoking themselves. Now, a study in the December issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine concludes that strong clean indoor air laws are associated with large increases in voluntary smokefree policies in the home, as well. |
| November 8, 2011 |
| Community Effort Brings Lasting Drop in Smoking, Delinquency, Drug Use |
| Delaying the age when kids try alcohol or smoking decreases the likelihood that they will become dependent later in life. Effective interventions exist, but community disagreements about which programs to try can stymie decisions. |
| October 03, 2011 |
| Contaminated cocaine may lead to public health epidemic |
| With up to 70 percent contaminated, doctors warn of potential public health epidemic |
| June 20, 2011 |
| D |
| Decrease in smoking reduces death rates within months |
| A study by the University of Liverpool has found that a decrease in smoking rapidly reduces mortality rates in individuals and entire populations within six months. |
| September 1, 2011 |
| Different Genes Influence Smoking Risk During Adolescence and Adulthood |
| There is growing evidence that the risk factors for addiction change throughout the lifespan. |
| March 31, 2011 |
| Discovery could help stem smoking-related diseases |
| Sufferers of smoking related lung diseases could have their debilitating symptoms reduced following the discovery of a potential new treatment. |
| January 12, 2012 |
| Doctors happily cite alcohol as cause of death, but not smoking, for fear of stigmatization |
| UK doctors are willing to cite alcohol as a cause of death on death certificates, but not smoking, for fear of stigmatising the deceased, shows research published online in the Journal of Clinical Pathology. |
| October 25, 2011 |
| Dutch government backtracks on anti-smoking |
| It's getting surprisingly easy to light up in the Netherlands these days - cigarettes, that is. |
| December 14, 2011 |
| E |
| E-Cigarettes Should Be Promoted, Not Banned |
| That's the news out of the UK today, that e-cigarettes should be promoted by the government rather than banned as in many places. |
| September 15, 2011 |
| Early smoking onset linked to higher risk of cannabis use |
| Young people who start smoking at an early age have a much higher risk of starting to use cannabis by the time they turn 17. Risk factors that increase the likelihood of starting to smoke include externalising problem behaviours such as impulsiveness. Smoking, in turn, is a significant risk factor for cannabis use. These results have been confirmed in a project researching smoking at an early age and externalising behaviour as predictors of drug use. The project has been funded by the Academy of Finland's Research Programme on Substance Use and Addictions. |
| March 23, 2011 |
| Effects of prenatal smoking on infant neurodevelopment may be worse than feared: study |
| In one of the largest studies of its kind to date, researchers have found that babies born to mothers who smoke while pregnant face substantial delays in early neurological development, and the effects may be stronger than researchers had previously thought. |
| August 22, 2011 |
| Enzyme Might Be Target for Treating Smoking, Alcoholism at Same Time |
| An enzyme that appears to play a role in controlling the brain's response to nicotine and alcohol in mice might be a promising target for a drug that simultaneously would treat nicotine addiction and alcohol abuse in people, according to a study by researchers at the Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center, affiliated with the University of California, San Francisco. |
| September 12, 2011 |
| Exercise Helps Women Fight Smoking Cravings, but Effect Is Short-Lived |
| For years researchers have found that exercise can curb nicotine cravings, but have struggled to show a practical benefit in trials. Newly published research suggests a reason: the effect is too ephemeral. The next step, funded by a 5-year grant, will be to see how frequently exercise might be needed to have a lasting therapeutic effect. |
| May 19, 2011 |
| F |
| Fake cigarettes increase success rate for quitting smoking |
| Nicotine-free plastic inhalers may increase a smoker's chance of quitting, according to new research published online in the European Respiratory Journal. |
| May 12, 2011 |
| FDA: studies do not tie Chantix to mental problems |
| Federal health officials said Monday that Pfizer's anti-smoking drug Chantix did not increase psychiatric problems like depression and suicidal thoughts in two studies, though the findings are not definitive. |
| October 24, 2011 |
| Fed's Antismoking Efforts Get Passing Grade |
| Federal efforts to reduce smoking in the United States are being applauded by the American Lung Association, but the group says most states are still doing far too little to help smokers quit and keep nonsmokers from starting. |
| January 20, 2011 |
| Fifty-One Trio E-Cigarette Lightning Review: All Smoke, No Substance |
| I love smoking cigarettes—the smell, the ritual of lighting, the first morning draw, all of it. So, would I replace my beloved nic-sticks with a Fifty-One Trio E-Cigarette if given the chance? Short answer: nope. |
| August 10, 2011 |
| Financial strain may induce alcohol use and smoking among older adults |
| The study, of more than 2,300 older Americans, found that some -- particularly men and people with less education -- were at risk of boosting their drinking if their finances took a hit. |
| November 9, 2011 |
| From bad teeth to a corpse: New cigarette labels revealed |
| First major change to packs in 25 years show graphic health effects of smoking |
| June 21, 2011 |
| G |
| Gene Combination Increases Risk of Lung Cancer, Particularly in Light Smokers, Study Finds |
| Smokers with variations in two specific genes have a greater risk of smoking more cigarettes, becoming more dependent on nicotine and developing lung cancer, a new study from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) shows. |
| August 17, 2011 |
| Genetic Alteration May Represent Early Stage of Smoking-Induced Cardiovascular Damage |
| A new study uncovers a previously unrecognized link between tobacco smoking and a gene known to influence the cardiovascular system, possibly identifying an early stage of smoking-associated cardiovascular pathology. The research, published in the April issue of The American Journal of Human Genetics, may serve to guide future research strategies aimed at identifying and counteracting mechanisms of smoking-induced pathology. |
| March 31, 2011 |
| Global warming could alter the US premium wine industry in 30 years, says study |
| Higher temperatures could significantly impact California and other premium winegrowing regions of the United States in the next 30 years, according to a new study led by Stanford University climate scientists. |
| June 30, 2011 |
| H |
| Has Politics Trumped Truth? |
| Facts matter. People die from buried truths. Smoking increases the risk of lung cancer. Yet, as detailed in “The Emperor of All Maladies – The History of Cancer”, this truth was buried for years until British authorities revealed it by comparing the lung cancer rate of doctors who smoked with those who didn’t. |
| December 28, 2011 |
| Having Fewer Coronary Heart Disease Risk Factors Associated With Higher Risk of In-Hospital Death Following First Heart Attack |
| Patients without prior cardiovascular disease who were hospitalized following a first heart attack and who had a lower number of coronary heart disease risk factors such as smoking and high blood pressure had an associated greater risk of dying in the hospital. |
| November 16, 2011 |
| Health-care alliance for tobacco dependence treatment launches training in the Middle East |
| Global Bridges, a healthcare alliance for tobacco dependence treatment based at Mayo Clinic, and its regional partner, King Hussein Cancer Center (KHCC) in Amman, Jordan, announced today that they will start training health care providers in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMRO) on how to successfully treat tobacco users. |
| April 26, 2011 |
| Heart Attack Complications More Likely for Women Smokers |
| Study Shows Women Less Likely Than Men to Get Heart Treatments Like Aspirin After Leaving Hospital |
| October 07, 2011 |
| Heavy Smokers in U.S. Dwindling |
| Number of Pack-a-Day Smokers Down by About 16% Since 1965 |
| March 15, 2011 |
| Hercules Pharma granted rights to license 22nd Century's X-22 smoking cessation aid |
| 22nd Century Group, Inc., a company focused on smoking cessation and tobacco harm reduction products, announced today that the company licensed Hercules Pharmaceuticals LLC, its wholly-owned pharmaceutical subsidiary, exclusive worldwide rights to X-22. |
| October 31, 2011 |
| Helping Latinos quit smoking: Miriam Hospital studies offers new insight |
| Latinos looking to quit smoking are more successful when they have a significant other and partner support, say researchers from The Miriam Hospital's Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine. According to the study, published in the May/June issue of the American Journal of Health Promotion, this support can also buffer the demonstrated negative effect that depression can have on smoking cessation. |
| June 3, 2011 |
| Higher cigarette taxes don't deter all smokers |
| Raising taxes on cigarettes, a public health measure used by governments to encourage people to quit, doesn't motivate all smokers to stop the deadly habit. |
| July 13, 2011 |
| Hutchinson Center to conduct free online smoking-cessation study |
| Adult smokers nationwide who want to kick the habit have until Aug. 31 to see if they are eligible to enroll in WebQuit, a free, online smoking-cessation study being conducted by Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. |
| August 10, 2011 |
| I |
| Influencing craving for cigarettes by stimulating the brain |
| Targeted brain stimulation increases cigarette cravings, a new study in Biological Psychiatry has found, which may ultimately lead to new treatments that reverse these effects. Cues associated with cigarette smoking, such as watching someone else smoke, elicit craving and may provoke relapse when smokers are attempting to quit. There are many methods that smokers use in an attempt to reduce their craving for cigarettes, including efficacious pharmacologic treatments such as nicotine patches, and alternative approaches such as hypnosis and acupuncture. Scientists have long suspected that these diverse approaches might work through a common mechanism -- the reduction of activity in a brain circuit that is responsible for cigarette craving. |
| October 31, 2011 |
| Internet promotes and undermines smoking cessation |
| Analysis of internet search data shows, federal cigarette excise tax hike drove smokers to find ways to quit smoking, but more often shop online for tax-free or cheap cigarettes. |
| March 22, 2011 |
| J |
| Judge Says Putting Disgusting Warning Pictures on Cigarette Boxes Is a Violation of Free Speech |
| Those disgusting images of holey throats, lumpy lungs, broke ass teeth, etc. that the FDA was planning on plastering on cigarettes to curb smoking? Um, it doesn't look like it's going to happen. A federal judge just said those images were a violation of free speech. Wait what? |
| November 8, 2011 |
| Just Show Me: 3 apps for your Android phone that'll help you quit smoking |
| Kick the habit and get healthy with the help of your Android phone! |
| January 16, 2012 |
| L |
| Life After Cigarettes: Compared With Those Who Continue to Smoke, Quitters Are Both Happier and More Satisfied With Their Health |
| Life without cigarettes is not all doom and gloom. In fact, successful quitters are more satisfied with their lives and feel healthier, both one year and three years afterwards, than those who continue to smoke. |
| December 13, 2011 |
| Living With a Smoker Increases Absenteeism in School Children, U.S. Study Confirms |
| Children who live in households where they are exposed to tobacco smoke miss more days of school than do children living in smoke-free homes, a new nationwide study confirms. The report from investigators at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) -- which finds these children have higher rates of respiratory illnesses that can be caused by second-hand smoke and details the probable economic costs of their increased school absence -- has been released in the online edition of Pediatrics. |
| September 6, 2011 |
| Long-term, intimate partnerships can promote unhealthy habits |
| For better or for worse, in sickness and in health — there's a long line of research that associates marriage with reducing unhealthy habits such as smoking, and promoting better health habits such as regular checkups. However, new research is emerging that suggests married straight couples and cohabiting gay and lesbian couples in long-term intimate relationships may pick up each other's unhealthy habits as well. University of Cincinnati research into how those behaviors evolve will be presented Aug. 23 at the 106th annual meeting of the American Sociological Association in Las Vegas. |
| August 18, 2011 |
| Lung association criticizes state tobacco policies |
| The advocacy groups says states are not doing enough to stop smoking. |
| January 20, 2012 |
| Lung Tumors in Never-Smokers Show Greater Genomic Instability Than Those in Smokers |
| Lung adenocarcinomas in people who have never smoked show greater genome instability than those in smokers, supporting the theory that lung cancer in never smokers arises through different pathways, according to research presented at the 14th World Conference on Lung Cancer in Amsterdam, hosted by the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC). |
| July 5, 2011 |
| M |
| Male smokers less likely to need joint replacement surgery of hip or knee |
| Surprising results from a new study revealed that men who smoke had less risk of undergoing total joint replacement surgery than those who never smoked. Researchers also reported that men who were overweight, or who engaged in vigorous physical activity were more likely to need arthroplasty. Details of this study are now available in Arthritis & Rheumatism,a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR). |
| July 8, 2011 |
| Many keep smoking after cancer diagnosis |
| It took asthma, COPD, emphysema and finally, lung cancer to get Toni Manes, a retired cosmetologist, to try to quit smoking. |
| January 23, 2012 |
| Marijuana Smoking Not Linked to Chronic Breathing Problems |
| 20-Year-Long Study Finds No Decline in Lung Function for Occasional Pot Smokers |
| January 10, 2012 |
| Maryland lawmakers could ban smoking in cars with children |
| A bill to ban smoking in a car with a child, which has been stopped in committee four years running, may finally make it to the floor of the Maryland House of Delegates this year. |
| March 9, 2011 |
| Medical providers should continue to encourage traditional smoking cessation methods |
| While electronic cigarettes may be a long-term alternative to the real thing for some smokers, Penn State College of Medicine researchers suggest medical providers should continue to encourage more traditional smoking cessation methods. |
| September 15, 2011 |
| Menthol Cigarettes May Be Tougher to Quit |
| Study Shows Smoking-Cessation Efforts Are Less Successful for Smokers of Menthol Cigarettes |
| August 15, 2011 |
| Menthol cigarettes may leave black users up in smoke |
| An overwhelming 80 percent of African-American smokers prefer the crisp taste of menthol cigarettes like Newports and Kools, an FDA advisory committee reported on Friday. This is not news to the black community -- nor is it a mental leap to realize that banning these tasty carcinogens would help more blacks break the destructive smoking habit. So it's incomprehensible that the FDA will make no plans to tackle the insidiously addictive menthol cigarette, even though the FDA's own Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee stated: "Taking menthol cigarettes off the market would benefit public health" (USA Today). Banning these super-seductive cancer sticks should be of primary concern to the FDA, if this agency possesses any concern for the black community. And yet: |
| March 21, 2011 |
| Menthol's soothing effects may lead to addiction and illness in young smokers |
| A research team from Yale and the University of Connecticut has found that the cooling effect of menthol may actually cause people to smoke more and become addicted to cigarettes because it reduces the protective respiratory response to irritants in cigarette smoke. The biggest danger, they argue, is to young smokers, because they disproportionately prefer menthol cigarettes and are therefore likely to become addicted more quickly. The study appears online in the Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB). |
| September 13, 2011 |
| Meta-analysis Finds Increased CV Risk Associated With Varenicline (Chantix) |
| The anti-smoking drug varenicline (Chantix, Pfizer) is associated with an increased risk of serious adverse cardiovascular events, according to a new meta-analysis published in CMAJ. |
| July 4, 2011 |
| Moderate levels of secondhand smoke deliver nicotine to the brain |
| Exposure to secondhand smoke, such as a person can get by riding in an enclosed car while someone else smokes, has a direct, measurable impact on the brain—and the effect is similar to what happens in the brain of the person doing the smoking. In fact, exposure to this secondhand smoke evokes cravings among smokers, according to a study funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health. |
| May 2, 2011 |
| Molecular imaging shows chronic marijuana smoking affects brain chemistry |
| Definitive proof of an adverse effect of chronic marijuana use revealed at SNM's 58th Annual Meeting could lead to potential drug treatments and aid other research involved in cannabinoid receptors, a neurotransmission system receiving a lot of attention. Scientists used molecular imaging to visualize changes in the brains of heavy marijuana smokers versus non-smokers and found that abuse of the drug led to a decreased number of cannabinoid CB1 receptors, which are involved in not just pleasure, appetite and pain tolerance but a host of other psychological and physiological functions of the body. |
| June 6, 2011 |
| More action to fight tobacco use needed worldwide, WHO report says |
| Laws that require graphic health warnings on tobacco packaging affect more than one billion people in 19 countries, but more needs to be done to cut smoking rates worldwide, the WHO said Thursday in its third report on the global tobacco epidemic, Reuters reports. |
| July 8, 2011 |
| More Smoke Water Pipes: Family Habits Significant |
| The number of people smoking water pipes is rising dramatically throughout the world. A large proportion of new users are young, and many believe -- contrary to facts -- that water pipe smoking is less dangerous than cigarettes. Research into why people start smoking water pipes is under way at Uppsala University. |
| April 7, 2011 |
| More smokers in England turn to NHS to quit, data shows |
| The number of smokers turning to the NHS for help to kick the habit has trebled in the last decade, data shows. |
| August 16, 2011 |
| More than 3 million Americans quit smoking every year |
| The United States is winning the war against smoking. More than 3 million Americans quit smoking every year and fewer are adopting the unhealthy and expensive habit. |
| November 9, 2011 |
| Most States Get an F for Tobacco Prevention |
| Most states are doing an “abysmal” job in actions to protect children from cigarette smoking, and some are cutting funds for tobacco cessation programs because of stagnant economic conditions that are reducing revenues, the American Lung Association says in a new report. |
| January 19, 2012 |
| Mu opioid receptors in the brain linked to smoking relapse |
| Nearly everyone who has tried to quit smoking says it's incredibly difficult, and the struggle is due in part to genetic factors. Now, a new study from the Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania sheds light on how one specific genetic risk for smoking relapse may work: Some of the difficulties may be due to how many receptors, called "mu opioid" receptors, a smoker has in his or her brain. The results, published online this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, may lead to the development of new treatments that target these receptors and help smokers increase their chances of success when they try to quit. |
| May 17, 2011 |
| N |
| NCI launches smoking cessation support for teens |
| A new effort to help teens quit smoking will use one of today's teen's most constant companions -- the mobile phone. Developed by smoking cessation experts, SmokefreeTXT is a free text message cessation service that provides 24/7 encouragement, advice, and tips to teens trying to quit smoking. |
| December 5, 2011 |
| New 'dissolvable tobacco' products may increase risk of mouth disease |
| The first study to analyze the complex ingredients in the new genre of dissolvable tobacco products has concluded that these pop-into-the-mouth replacements for cigarettes in places where smoking is banned have the potential to cause mouth diseases and other problems. |
| March 16, 2011 |
| New effort to prevent 1M heart attacks and strokes |
| Health officials are trying to prevent 1 million heart attacks and strokes in the next five years. |
| September 13, 2011 |
| New imaging techniques prove valuable tools to assess stroke risk |
| Vanderbilt radiologists are rolling out powerful new imaging techniques that provide clearer pictures of the delicate ebb and flow of blood through brain tissue in patients at risk for stroke. |
| January 23, 2012 |
| New measures could improve quality of care at stroke centers |
| The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association has proposed metrics that healthcare professionals can use to monitor the diagnosis and treatment of patients at stroke centers to help improve the quality of care stroke patients receive. The recommendations are published in a scientific statement in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association. |
| January 12, 2011 |
| New Penumbra 3D device may effectively treat stroke |
| European evaluation data on Separator 3D, a next-generation clot engagement device that works in conjunction with aspiration at the site of the lesion causing an acute ischemic stroke to remove the clot and restore blood flow to affected brain tissue. |
| January 23, 2012 |
| New Polymers to Capture Nicotine Molecules |
| A new polymer to capture nicotine molecules and analogue structures has been designed and fabricated by researchers from the Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences (IPC PAS) and the Department of Chemistry, Wichita State University, USA. |
| August 8, 2011 |
| New research: Lung cancer rates have doubled for women over 60 since mid 1970s |
| Lung cancer rates have doubled for women over 60 since the mid 1970s according to new Cancer Research UK figures released today (Monday) ahead of No Smoking Day this Wednesday. |
| March 7, 2011 |
| New targeted drug helps smokers stub it out |
| Researchers working in a research project within the Academy of Finland's Research Programme on Substance Use and Addictions have been developing a targeted drug that could aid in smoking reduction therapy. The new drug slows down the metabolism of nicotine, which would help smokers to cut down their smoking. |
| March 17, 2011 |
| New UTHealth trial aimed at helping pregnant women stop smoking |
| A clinical trial to test the safety and efficacy of a medication that could help pregnant women stop smoking has begun enrollment at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth). |
| May 4, 2011 |
| New York's outdoor smoking ban: Will the world follow? |
| New York is introducing an outdoor smoking ban. But could the UK and other countries follow suit, asks Tom de Castella. |
| May 23, 2011 |
| Nicadex Device May Become Part of Formal Smoking Cessation Therapy |
| Electronic cigarettes have become a big business as many smokers have opted to choose them over the traditional variety. Lack of actual smoke and tar is a major positive, but being able to "smoke" them even where smoking is not allowed may lead to a greater overall intake of nicotine. Nevertheless, many people bought e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation tool that takes away some of the habit forming qualities of real cigarettes while keeping the ever-addictive nicotine. |
| January 26, 2012 |
| Nicotine replacement therapies may not be effective in helping people quit smoking, study says |
| Nicotine replacement therapies (NRTs) designed to help people stop smoking, specifically nicotine patches and nicotine gum, do not appear to be effective in helping smokers quit long-term, even when combined with smoking cessation counseling, according to a new study by researchers at Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) and the University of Massachusetts Boston. |
| January 9, 2012 |
| Nicotine-Free 'Fake' Cigarettes May Help Smokers Quit |
| Study Shows Plastic Inhalers May Be a Useful Quit-Smoking Tool |
| May 13, 2011 |
| Northwest Hospital wins Silver Plus Performance Achievement Award for stroke care |
| To receive this recognition, hospitals must comply for 12 months or longer with quality measures identified in the associations' Get With The Guidelines Stroke program, which shares information designed to lower the number of deaths and to improve the lives of stroke patients. |
| June 24, 2011 |
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| Obese girls more than twice as likely to be addicted to smoking |
| Obese teenage girls are more than twice as likely as other girls to develop high-level nicotine addiction as young adults, according to a new study. Nearly 20 percent of American adolescents currently are obese, the authors note. |
| June 21, 2011 |
| Obesity is a killer in nonsmoking women |
| Obesity is an important contributor to premature death in women who have never smoked, especially among women in low income groups, finds research published in the British Medical Journal today. |
| June 29, 2011 |
| Ontario's doctors commend government announcement on contraband cigarettes |
| Ontario's doctors commend today's announcement by the provincial government which cracks down on contraband cigarettes and enhances support for people who want to quit smoking. |
| April 22, 2011 |
| Ontario's doctors urge people to quit smoking on 'World No Tobacco Day' |
| Today is World No Tobacco Day and Ontario's doctors are taking the opportunity to remind people about the dangers of smoking and are urging smokers to talk to their doctor about how they can quit for good. |
| June 1, 2011 |
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| 'Predatory' marketing pattern geared to lure young African Americans into becoming smokers |
| Tobacco companies increased the advertising and lowered the sale price of menthol cigarettes in stores near California high schools with larger populations of African-American students, according to a new study from the Stanford School of Medicine. |
| June 24, 2011 |
| Patients with rheumatoid arthritis two times more likely to have concurrent COPD |
| Patients with rheumatoid arthritis are two times more likely to have concurrent chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) than healthy controls -- an association which was sustained even when variables such as age, gender, smoking and obesity were controlled for, according to a study presented today at the EULAR 2011 Annual Congress. |
| May 26, 2011 |
| Philippines pushes tobacco - for fish farming |
| The Philippines has launched a new campaign promoting tobacco -- not for smoking but for fish farming, a government tobacco agency official said Thursday. |
| January 19, 2012 |
| Plain cigarette packets could help stop people taking up smoking |
| Plain cigarette packaging could help prevent people taking up the habit but would have little effect on those who already smoke on a daily basis, according to new research from the UK Centre for Tobacco Studies (UKCTCS), which has bases at the Universities of Bristol and Bath. |
| April 7, 2011 |
| Plain packaging removes cigarettes' appeal |
| Removing branding and wrapping cigarettes in plain packaging helps remove the appeal of smoking according to new a Cancer Research UK-funded study published in Tobacco Control. |
| September 9, 2011 |
| Plain packets will remove the appeal of smoking for young women, says UWS researcher |
| As the world's first tobacco plain packaging legislation is passed through Parliament today, a researcher from the University of Western Sydney says removing the brands from cigarettes is an important step towards deglamorising smoking for young women. |
| November 10, 2011 |
| Poker machine revenues hurt by smoking bans, financial crisis |
| Total smoking bans in pubs and clubs and the global financial crisis are among the factors that have impacted on how much South Australians have spent on poker machines in recent years. |
| April 15, 2011 |
| Poorer countries, those spending less on health care have more strokes, deaths |
| Poorer countries and those that spend proportionately less money on health care have more stroke and stroke deaths than wealthier nations and those that allocate more to health care, according to new research in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association. |
| October 27, 2011 |
| Poorest smokers face toughest odds for kicking the habit |
| Quitting smoking is never easy. However, when you're poor and uneducated, kicking the habit for good is doubly hard, according to a new study by a tobacco dependence researcher at The City College of New York. |
| January 20, 2012 |
| Popular Smoking Cessation Drug Associated With 72 Percent Increased Risk of Serious CV Events, Study Finds |
| Smoking cigarettes is a dangerous habit that many are struggling to break, but for the smokers who choose to use one of the most popular smoking cessation drugs on the market, new warnings about the risk of serious cardiovascular events are on their way. |
| July 4, 2011 |
| Potential new protein target for pulmonary hypertension |
| A protein critical to development appears to have a grave impact on lungs exposed to smoking and air pollution, researchers report. |
| October 18, 2011 |
| Precancer markers identified in airway epithelium cells of healthy smokers |
| Smoking may be associated with the development of molecular features of cancer in the large airway epithelium. In the small airway epithelium, molecular cancerization is associated with development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, according to recent data. |
| January 11, 2012 |
| Preteens surrounded by smokers get hooked on nicotine |
| Exposure to secondhand smoke can create symptoms of nicotine dependence in non-smoking preteens, according to a new study from Concordia University and the University of Montreal. |
| June 13, 2011 |
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| Quitlines help smokers quit regardless of recruitment method |
| Proactive telephone counseling helps smokers quit regardless of how they are recruited to a telephone quitline, according to a study published online June 10th in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. |
| June 11, 2011 |
| Quitting Smoking Enhances Personality Change |
| University of Missouri researchers have found evidence that shows those who quit smoking show improvements in their overall personality. |
| September 12, 2011 |
| Quitting smoking will not lead to weight gain |
| You might think that you will gain weight if you quit smoking. But it's not that simple. A master's thesis from NHV shows that smoking doesn't help you get thinner. |
| July 4, 2011 |
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| Refusal skills help minority youths combat smoking, study finds |
| Youths identified as American Indian or Alaska Native (AI/AN) have the greatest lifetime smoking rate of all racial groups, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. Nearly half of the 1.2 million AI/AN youths in the U.S. smoke cigarettes. A University of Missouri study found that public health strategies to combat smoking should teach refusal skills to help youths combat smoking influences, including family members and peers. |
| April 6, 2011 |
| Regular text messaging could help smokers quit |
| A group of researchers who describe kicking a habit as "a war that consists of a series of momentary self-control skirmishes" have found a link between texting and controlling cravings among a group of 27 heavy smokers in Los Angeles who participated in two related studies. |
| March 8, 2011 |
| Research explores link between asthma and smoking |
| New research out of the University of Cincinnati suggests that being diagnosed with asthma is significantly associated with a greater risk for a lifetime history of daily smoking and nicotine dependence. |
| March 30, 2011 |
| Research reveals when and why students smoke in effort to help them quit |
| In an article published in the journal Substance Use & Misuse, the researchers showed that partying, drinking and work prompted college students to recall their smoking experience, and that smoking occurred most often at the start of the semester and on weekends. |
| November 16, 2011 |
| Research shows graphic images get smokers' attention |
| They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but its worth might just be measurable in terms of lives, according to research by a University of South Carolina public health professor. |
| December 21, 2011 |
| Researchers find smoking is strongly associated with squamous cell carcinoma among women |
| Women who have non-melanoma skin cancers are more likely to have smoked cigarettes compared to women without skin cancer. |
| December 8, 2011 |
| Researchers find smoking may increase risk for lung disease |
| A team of researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) have found that approximately one out of every twelve adult smokers have abnormal lung densities present on chest computed tomography (CT) images suggestive of interstitial lung disease which is associated with substantial reductions in lung volumes. In addition, despite being positively associated with smoking, these lung densities were inversely not associated with emphysema. This research is published online on March 10th in the New England Journal of Medicine. |
| March 9, 2011 |
| Researchers review cessation studies and call for change in policy |
| Smoking is a major public health issue and quitting is the single most important thing smokers can do to improve their health. In the 2012 edition of the prestigious Annual Review of Public Health, researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have reviewed the landscape of smoking cessation over the past 20 years. |
| January 19, 2012 |
| Researchers use novel methods to identify how cigarette smoke affects smokers |
| Smoke from cigarettes can affect nearly every organ in the body by promoting cell damage and causing inflammation, but no one has understood which smoker is or is not susceptible to disease development. |
| April 6, 2011 |
| Risk of Bladder Cancer from Smoking Greater Than Previously Reported, New Analysis Indicates |
| An analysis of data that includes nearly 500,000 individuals indicates that the risk of bladder cancer among smokers is higher than reported from previous population data, and that the risk for women smokers is comparable with that of men, according to a study in the August 17 issue of JAMA. |
| August 16, 2011 |
| Russia aiming to cut number of smokers by 15% by 2050 |
| Russia is aiming to cut the number of smokers in the country by up to 15 percent by 2050, "huge ambitions considering 40 percent of Russians light up," VOA News reports. |
| July 27, 2011 |
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| S. Korea activists seek court ban on cigarette sales |
| South Korean anti-smoking activists have gone to the constitutional court to try to shut down the country's cigarette industry. |
| January 12, 2012 |
| Save $3,300 per year by not smoking |
| The United States is winning the war against smoking. More than 3 million Americans quit smoking every year and fewer are adopting the unhealthy and expensive habit. |
| November 9, 2011 |
| Scalia's pro-tobacco order tossed by high court |
| Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia exercised a rarely used power last fall to let Philip Morris USA and three other big tobacco companies delay making multimillion-dollar payments for a program to help people quit smoking. |
| June 30, 2011 |
| Scientists find distinct links between smoking during pregnancy and long-term harm for the child |
| Scientists now understand more about why being exposed to nicotine while you were a fetus will increase your risk of developing cardiovascular disease as an adult. "We have found distinct links between cigarette smoking or even using nicotine patches or gum and the long-term harm for the child," says Dr. DaLiao Xiao, a scientist who works at the Loma Linda University School of Medicine in California. |
| July 21, 2011 |
| Second-hand smoke exposure during childhood associated with aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease |
| Need another reason to keep your New Year's resolution to stop smoking? A first-of-its-kind study found adults with aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease were more than three times as likely to have been exposed to second-hand smoke during childhood as those without the condition. |
| December 19, 2011 |
| Secondhand Smoke Derails Quit-Smoking Efforts |
| Study Shows Secondhand Smoke Can Increase Cravings for Nicotine |
| May 2, 2011 |
| Secondhand Smoke May Boost Risk of Learning Problems, ADHD |
| Children exposed to secondhand smoke in the home are more likely than children in smoke-free homes to develop behavior and learning problems, according to new research. These include learning disabilities, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and behavior and conduct disorders. |
| July 11, 2011 |
| Seeing others smoke encourages young people to smoke more |
| Young people who smoke each day light up more cigarettes if they see other young smokers. Anti-smoking campaigns wrongly ignore this implicit effect. |
| January 9, 2012 |
| Selecta commences SEL-068 Phase 1 clinical trial for smoking cessation and relapse prevention |
| Selecta Biosciences, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company developing a new class of synthetic vaccines and immunotherapies, today announced that it has initiated a Phase 1 clinical trial to assess the safety, tolerability and pharmacodynamic profile of SEL-068, a nicotine vaccine candidate for smoking cessation and relapse prevention. |
| November 21, 2011 |
| Selecta Biosciences Initiates Phase 1 Clinical Study of Nanoparticle Nicotine Vaccine |
| Selecta Biosciences, Inc., today announced that it has initiated a Phase 1 clinical trial to assess the safety, tolerability and pharmacodynamic profile of SEL-068, a nicotine vaccine candidate for smoking cessation and relapse prevention. |
| November 23, 2011 |
| Self-identified social smokers less likely to try to quit |
| Self-identified social smokers are less likely to try to quit and to avoid smoking for more than a month, according to a national study in the American Journal of Public Health conducted by professors at the University of California, Merced, and UC San Francisco. |
| June 14, 2011 |
| Setting a good example? Smoking amongst key occupational groups |
| A new study published by researchers from University of Otago, Wellington has found that smoking rates have declined rapidly amongst many occupational groups over the last 25 years. |
| January 18, 2012 |
| Simple blood test detects early emphysema in smokers before symptoms appear |
| During a regular annual physical exam, blood is usually drawn to check the health of a person's heart, kidneys and liver. Now, researchers at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center say a blood test that detects the early development of emphysema -- well before symptoms occur -- may someday also be offered. |
| March 11, 2011 |
| Simple Fitness Test Could Predict Long-Term Risk for Heart Attack, Stroke in Middle-Aged People |
| If you're middle-aged, the answer could provide a strong predictor of your risk of heart attack or stroke over the next decade or more. |
| May 18, 2011 |
| Smoke free legislation linked to drop in second-hand smoke exposure among adults |
| Levels of second-hand smoke exposure among non-smoking adults fell by almost 30 per cent after smoke free legislation was introduced in England in 2007, researchers in the Department for Health have found. |
| December 14, 2011 |
| Smoke-exposed children with flu more likely to need ICU care |
| Children who are exposed to secondhand smoke are more likely to need intensive care and intubation when hospitalized with influenza, according to new research by the University of Rochester Medical Center presented today at the Pediatric Academic Society meeting in Denver. The children also had longer hospital stays. |
| May 2, 2011 |
| Smokers 'salivate' to cigarettes: The physiological reactions to associated images |
| It is commonly known that, much like Pavlov's dogs salivating in response to hearing the bell they associate with dinner time, smokers feel cravings and have physiological reactions to pictures they associate with smoking. New research published in BioMed Central's open access journal BMC Neuroscience has shown that a smoker's cravings can also be trained to non-smoking related stimuli. |
| January 11, 2012 |
| Smokers believe 'silver', 'gold' and 'slim' cigarettes are less harmful |
| Despite current prohibitions on the words 'light' and 'mild', smokers in Western countries continue falsely to believe that some cigarette brands may be less harmful than others. In fact, all conventional brands of cigarette present the same level of risk to smokers, including 'mild' and 'low-tar' brands. |
| April 12, 2011 |
| Smokers can get a virtual look at their dirty lungs |
| Marketing and design company SapientNitro unveiled an app today that allows smokers to see exactly what cigarettes are doing to their lungs. |
| July 21, 2011 |
| Smokers more likely to report problems with persistent musculoskeletal pain |
| Researchers from the University of Kentucky School of Public Health surveyed more than 6000 women participating in the Kentucky Women's Health Registry, which regularly polls women on health-related issues to better understand the state's disease burden. The study was intended to assess the association of smoking with the presence of different types of chronic musculoskeletal pain. |
| August 24, 2011 |
| Smokers not very receptive to shocking images |
| A team of researchers led by the University of Bonn found clear changes in how emotions are processed in smokers. After an abstinence period of 12 hours, the brain's fear center was mostly out of commission in addicts. The researchers assume that a campaign using images of smokers' lungs as deterrents on cigarette packs — as both the US and EU are currently planning — will hardly have an effect on this group. |
| July 12, 2011 |
| Smokers who regularly lifted weights more likely to quit smoking |
| Resistance training, or weight lifting, can do more than just build muscle: it may also help smokers kick the habit, say researchers from The Miriam Hospital's Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine. |
| August 9, 2011 |
| Smokers with comorbid conditions need help from their doctor to quit |
| Smokers who also have alcohol, drug and mental disorders would benefit greatly from smoking cession counseling from their primary care physicians and would be five times more successful at kicking the habit, a study by researchers at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center has found. |
| August 23, 2011 |
| Smoking a single cigarette may have immediate effect on young adults |
| It is well known that smoking leads to a reduction in levels of fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), which is a marker for airway inflammation. |
| October 24, 2011 |
| Smoking abstinence found more effective with residential treatment |
| In the March issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, researchers report that residential treatment for tobacco dependence among heavy smokers greatly improves the odds of abstinence at six months compared with standard outpatient treatment. The study reports that 52 percent of the patients were still not smoking six months after residential treatment, compared with 26 percent in the outpatient treatment setting. |
| March 8, 2011 |
| Smoking After Menopause May Increase Sex Hormone Levels: Elevated Sex Hormone Levels Associated With Chronic Disease Risk |
| A recent study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM) found that postmenopausal women who smoke have higher androgen and estrogen levels than non-smoking women, with sex hormone levels being highest in heavy smokers. |
| August 31, 2011 |
| Smoking ban on Stony Stratford streets |
| A Buckinghamshire town is considering banning smoking from its streets. Stony Stratford town councilor Paul Bartlett is spearheading a campaign which would forbid residents from smoking on the streets. |
| July 1, 2011 |
| Smoking ban reduces emergency room admissions |
| Workplace smoking bans are gaining ground globally, and one study has shown that they may have significant health effects. The study, conducted by researchers in Dublin, found that emergency room admissions due to respiratory illness dropped significantly in Ireland after the implementation of a workplace smoking ban, compared to admissions that took place before the ban went into effect. |
| May 17, 2011 |
| Smoking Bans Do Not Reduce Heart Attacks |
| There's been much crowing in recent years, as the smoking bans roll out across the country (indeed, across countries), about how heart attack rates are falling as a result. These claims are accompanied by the statistics from one area or another and of course a significant drop in heart attacks just as the smoking ban becomes active in that area. |
| August 8, 2011 |
| Smoking Cannabis Increases Risk of Depression in the Case of Genetic Vulnerability, Study Finds |
| Young people who are genetically vulnerable to depression should be extra careful about using cannabis: smoking cannabis leads to an increased risk of developing depressive symptoms. This has emerged from research carried out by Roy Otten at the Behavioural Science Institute of Radboud University Nijmegen that is published in the online version of the scientific journal Addiction Biology. Two-thirds of the population have the gene variant that makes one sensitive to depression. |
| October 10, 2011 |
| Smoking Causes Stroke to Occur, Study Suggests |
| Not only are smokers twice as likely to have strokes, they are almost a decade younger than non-smokers when they have them, according to a study presented October 3 at the Canadian Stroke Congress. |
| October 03, 2011 |
| Smoking cigarettes is worse for women's hearts than men's: study |
| Rates of smoking have been reducing in men but increasing in young women in some countries, and now a new review of earlier studies has shown that smoking cigarettes poses a larger risk factor for heart disease in women than in men. |
| August 12, 2011 |
| Smoking Cigarettes Simulates Cystic Fibrosis |
| If you smoke cigarettes, you have more in common with someone who has cystic fibrosis than you think. A new research report appearing online in the FASEB Journal shows that smoking cigarettes affects the lungs in a way that is very similar to cystic fibrosis, a life threatening disease affecting the lungs and other organs. |
| October 12, 2011 |
| Smoking could lead to 40 million excess tuberculosis deaths by 2050 |
| Between 2010 and 2050, smoking could be responsible for 40 million excess deaths from tuberculosis (TB), according to research published in the British Medical Journal today. |
| October 05, 2011 |
| Smoking during pregnancy lowers levels of 'good' HDL cholesterol in children |
| Researchers in Australia have discovered that mothers who smoke during pregnancy are causing developmental changes to their unborn babies that lead to them having lower levels of the type of cholesterol that is known to protect against heart disease in later life — high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. |
| June 22, 2011 |
| Smoking habits are transmitted from mother to daughter and father to son |
| A European research group has studied how smoking habits are transmitted within the home. The results show that, in homes where both parents are present, there is a significant degree of inter-generational transmission of smoking habits between parents and children, particularly between individuals of the same gender. |
| January 28, 2011 |
| Smoking in combination with immunosuppression poses greater risk for transplant-related carcinoma |
| Spanish researchers have found that liver transplant recipients who quit smoking have a lower incidence of smoking-related malignancies (SRM) than patients who keep smoking. In fact, SRMs were identified in 13.5% of deceased patients and smoking was associated with a higher risk of malignancy in this study. Full findings are published in the April issue of Liver Transplantation, a journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases. |
| March 29, 2011 |
| Smoking increases woman's risk for peripheral artery disease 10-fold |
| A prospective study of initially healthy women aged 45 and over found that smoking is a potent risk factor for symptomatic peripheral artery disease, or PAD. PAD is a serious, often debilitating disorder, caused by narrowing of the arteries in the lower extremities. Symptoms of PAD include pain in the legs with normal activity and a feeling of tiredness in the leg muscles. |
| June 7, 2011 |
| Smoking joints not so bad for your lungs, after all |
| Score another victory for the tokers in the audience. A study into the long-term effects of marijuana smoking on lung function has shown that it's not nearly as bad as many have assumed. Despite having many of the same constituents as tobacco smoke, the long-term effects of marijuana smoking on breathing is poorly understood, which this study has at least partly rectified. |
| January 12, 2012 |
| Smoking Linked to Chronic Pain in Women |
| Kentucky women who smoke heavily may experience more chronic musculoskeletal pain, suggests a new study led by University of Kentucky researchers. |
| September 28, 2011 |
| Smoking linked to early menopause in women |
| A new study published in the journal Menopause adds one more reason for women to avoid or give up the smoking habit. The study results show that women who light up are more likely to start menopause a year earlier than non-smokers and are also at a higher risk of bone and heart diseases. |
| October 18, 2011 |
| Smoking primes the brain for cocaine addiction: Study |
| According to the latest research smoking tobacco may increase the chances of someone abusing cocaine later in life by priming the brain to be more receptive to the Class A drug. |
| November 7, 2011 |
| Smoking's up-side: Nicotine protects the brain from Parkinson's disease |
| If you've ever wondered if smoking offered society any benefit, a new research report published in The FASEB Journaloffers a surprising answer. Nicotine protects us from Parkinson's disease, and the discovery of how nicotine does this may lead to entirely new types of treatments for the disease. |
| August 1, 2011 |
| Socioeconomic class and smoking linked to premature menopause |
| Women from the lowest social class are almost three times as likely to have premature ovarian failure as those from the highest social class, a researcher told the annual conference of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology Wednesday. |
| July 5, 2011 |
| Social Sensors Built Into E-Cigarettes Let Smokers Find Each Other In Public |
| Thanks to smoking bans in most states, cigarette smokers are relegated to taking their habits outside, where they can easily meet and mingle with others who share their addiction. But what about the e-cigarette smoker, who gets to puff inside bars, looking smug? Now a special sensor in their pricey habit-forming gadgets can help them meet other smokers, too. |
| May 11, 2011 |
| Some Smokers Successfully Switch to Electronic Cigarettes |
| While electronic cigarettes may be a long-term alternative to the real thing for some smokers, Penn State College of Medicine researchers suggest medical providers should continue to encourage more traditional smoking cessation methods. |
| September 14, 2011 |
| State film subsidy programs undermine longstanding tobacco control efforts |
| State governments, including California as well as others in Canada and the United Kingdom, pour hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars into major motion pictures that depict smoking -- leading to thousands of new teen smokers every year, a University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) researcher has found. |
| August 24, 2011 |
| Statewide program helps mental health consumers quit tobacco, improve wellness |
| Individuals living with severe and persistent mental illness are among the people most likely to smoke, with tobacco-related diseases a main cause of death for people living with severe and persistent mental illness. Yet, few services exist to help those wanting to quit smoking through the mental health system. |
| September 23, 2011 |
| Statins may increase risk of interstitial lung abnormalities in smokers |
| Use of statins may influence susceptibility to or the progression of interstitial lung disease (ILD) in smokers, according to a new study. |
| January 6, 2012 |
| Stopping Smoking Boosts Everyday Memory |
| Giving up smoking isn't just good for your health, it's also good for your memory, according to research from Northumbria University. Research published in this month's online edition of Drug and Alcohol Dependence reveals that stopping smoking can restore everyday memory to virtually the same level as non-smokers. |
| September 20, 2011 |
| Stopping smoking shortly before surgery is not associated with increased postoperative complications |
| A meta-analysis of nine previous studies found that quitting smoking shortly before surgery was not associated with an increased risk of postoperative complications, according to a report published online today that will appear in the July 11 print issue of Archives of Internal Medicine. |
| March 14, 2011 |
| Stroke survivors regain vision with new light therapy |
| May is National Stroke Awareness month, and Boca Raton, Fla.-based NovaVision is using the occasion to trumpet a successful new therapy for partial vision loss due to stroke. |
| May 18, 2011 |
| Stronger Tobacco Control Policy in the Netherlands Would Save Thousands of Lives |
| A new study shows that 145,000 deaths could be averted in the next 30 years in the Netherlands by implementing stronger tobacco control policies. This set of policies, as recommended by the MPOWER report of the World Health Organisation, consists of increasing tobacco taxes to 70% of the retail price, bans on smoking in workplaces and public places, a complete marketing ban, well-funded tobacco control campaigns, graphic health warnings, youth access laws, and comprehensive cessation treatment. |
| September 26, 2011 |
| Studies on smoking cessation in ethnic minorities |
| Telephone counseling services (also known as quitlines) are an effective intervention for Chinese-, Korean-, and Vietnamese-speaking smokers living in the U.S., and should be incorporated into current smoking cessation services. |
| January 25, 2012 |
| Studios can reduce and even eliminate smoking in youth-rated movies |
| The amount of smoking in top-grossing, youth-rated movies has dropped significantly in the past five years, with far larger declines by studios that have published policies to reduce smoking in youth-rated films (those rated G, PG or PG-13), according to a new study published today by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. |
| July 15, 2011 |
| Study finds quitting smoking enhances personality change |
| University of Missouri researchers have found evidence that shows those who quit smoking show improvements in their overall personality. |
| September 12, 2011 |
| Study of smoking twins points to growing influence of genetic factors |
| A new study of twins led by the University of Colorado Boulder shows that today's smokers are more strongly influenced by genetic factors than in the past and that the influence makes it more difficult for them to quit. |
| November 16, 2011 |
| Study shows how secondhand smoke may increase vulnerability to nicotine addiction |
| Exposure to secondhand smoke, such as a person can get by riding in an enclosed car while someone else smokes, has a direct, measurable impact on the brain-and the effect is similar to what happens in the brain of the person doing the smoking. In fact, exposure to this secondhand smoke evokes cravings among smokers, according to a study funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health. |
| May 3, 2011 |
| Study suggests common process for both pleasurable and anxiety-reducing effects of nicotine |
| Removing a protein from cells located in the brain's reward center blocks the anxiety-reducing and rewarding effects of nicotine, according to a new animal study in the July 27 issue of The Journal of Neuroscience. The findings may help researchers better understand how nicotine affects the brain. |
| July 27, 2011 |
| Study: Chantix May Be Linked to Heart Risk |
| Researchers Say Taking the Quit-Smoking Drug May Raise the Risk of Heart Attack |
| July 4, 2011 |
| Surgery for children motivates smoking parents to try to quit |
| A study published in the July issue of Anesthesiology has found that parents who smoke are more likely to attempt to quit during the time of their child's surgery - but that they are not more likely to succeed. According to the study, these facts suggest that physicians could play an important role in assisting smokers with kicking the habit during this time. |
| June 23, 2011 |
| Survey: Most Smokers Want to Quit |
| But Study Shows Only 1/3 of Smokers Use Counseling or Medication to Help Them Quit |
| November 11, 2011 |
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| Taking vitamin pills may undermine motivation to reduce smoking |
| A new study has found that smokers who take multivitamins offset their healthy behaviour by smoking more cigarettes. This is an example of what psychologists call the licensing effect, which occurs when people make a virtuous choice that permits them to make a poor choice later on, such as when someone 'earns' a weekend binge by avoiding alcohol all week. In this case, smokers take multivitamins, a healthy choice that they believe reduces the risk of cancer and allows them to smoke more. In fact, there is no evidence that multivitamins protect against cancer. |
| August 2, 2011 |
| These apps will help you stop smoking |
| To say my cravings for cigarettes were obsessive the last time I tried quitting smoking would be a monumental understatement. I couldn't keep my mind on anything other than if, when and where I could get my hands on some. I desperately wanted even one little, soft and comforting white cancer stick. My extreme irritability was evidence of the difficulty of kicking my 10-year habit — even though I knew it was ruining my health and very likely would someday kill me. |
| August 17, 2011 |
| Tobacco Company Misrepresented Danger from Cigarettes, Study Suggests |
| A new UCSF analysis of tobacco industry documents shows that Philip Morris USA manipulated data on the effects of additives in cigarettes, including menthol, obscuring actual toxicity levels and increasing the risk of heart, cancer and other diseases for smokers. |
| January 6, 2012 |
| Tobacco displays increase the odds of teens becoming smokers |
| Young people who find tobacco displays in shops attractive and who easily recall seeing the displays have a greater chance of becoming a smoker according to a new Cancer Research UK funded research study published in Nicotine and Tobacco Research today. |
| September 13, 2011 |
| Tobacco industry dying? Not so fast, says Stanford expert |
| The cigarette industry is not dying. It continues to reap unimaginable profits. It's still winning lawsuits. And cigarettes still kill millions every year. |
| December 13, 2011 |
| Tobacco promotion banned in Queensland stores |
| Queensland stores are directed to refrain from openly displaying cigarettes and other tobacco products. Under laws introduced on Thursday, all retail advertising and promotion of tobacco and other smoking-related products will be banned. |
| June 17, 2011 |
| U |
| U.S. cancer death rates drop, new report says |
| In a new report from the American Cancer Society, researchers indicate that cancer death rates in the United States fell 1.8 percent in men and 1.6 percent in women each year between 2004 and 2008, but those gains weren't as pronounced in young adults. |
| January 6, 2012 |
| U.S. entities announce global smoke-free workplace challenge |
| "The Mayo Clinic, Johnson & Johnson and others are joining forces to try to snuff out smoking in the workplace throughout the world," the Wall Street Journal's "Health Blog" writes, adding, "Their global smoke-free worksite challenge, announced today at the Clinton Global Initiative in New York, calls on employers to ban smoking at offices and facilities worldwide." The blog notes, "Smoky offices seem like a thing of the past in much of the U.S. ... But globally, only about 11 percent of people are protected by comprehensive national smoke-free laws, the WHO says." |
| September 23, 2011 |
| US top court upholds $270 million award to smokers |
| The US Supreme Court rejected an appeal request made by American tobacco companies on Monday in a class-action lawsuit that awarded 500,000 smokers a total of $270 million in damages. |
| June 27, 2011 |
| V |
| Vessel-Damaging Activation of the 'Intracellular Waste Disposal' Mechanism Found in Smokers |
| A research term headed by David Bernhard from the University Department of Surgery at the Medical University of Vienna has found out that substances found in cigarette smoke lead to blood vessels' endothelial cells constantly digesting themselves. This permanent damage to the interior surface of the blood vessels leads, amongst others, to calcification of the arteries, as the recently published study confirms. |
| July 26, 2011 |
| Voluntary conversation decreases marijuana use among teenagers |
| Marijuana is the most prevalent illicit drug used by teenagers and adults around the world. Nearly a third of high school students in the United States report smoking it, and most high schoolers say they have access to the drug. |
| June 27, 2011 |
| W |
| What factors motivate smokers to quit? |
| This week people across the country will vow to give up something for Lent, and those items could include sweets, chocolate or cigarettes. |
| March 9, 2011 |
| What's the Best Way to Quit Smoking? |
| Our expert gives tips on ending the cigarette habit for good. |
| October 07, 2011 |
| WHO chief accuses 'big tobacco' of dirty tricks |
| The World Health Organization's chief on Monday urged governments to unite against "big tobacco", as she accused the industry of dirty tricks, bullying and immorality in its quest to keep people smoking. |
| October 10, 2011 |
| Why Smokers Gain Weight When Quitting |
| Study Provides Clues on Nicotine's Role in Reducing Appetite |
| June 10, 2011 |
| Y |
| Younger anxious adults tend to immediately avoid anti-smoking videos |
| Younger adults who generally feel anxious tend to immediately avoid anti-smoking videos that describe how cigarettes can lead to death, disease and harm to others, before considering the message, according to a new University of Georgia study. |
| November 10, 2011 |
| Your Brain On Nicotine: Nicotine Receptors Affect Social Behavior |
| If you think nicotine receptors are only important to smokers trying to kick the tobacco habit, think again. New research published in the FASEB Journal suggests that these receptors also play an important role in social interaction and the ability to choose between competing motivations. Specifically, scientists from France show that the nicotinic receptors in the prefrontal cortex are essential for social interaction in mice and that this area of the brain is necessary for adapted and balanced social interactions to occur. This new knowledge could one day lead to novel treatments for ADHD, schizophrenia, and depression, among other illnesses. |
| June 30, 2011 |