Tag: Tobacco

Health

A Stronger Tobacco Control Policy Would Save Thousands of Lives in the Netherlands

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According to a new study.

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.

The study, published online September 26 in the journal Addiction, is an output of the European Commission funded project “Pricing Policies and Control of Tobacco in Europe” and uses the SimSmoke Tobacco Control Policy Simulation Model. Developer of the SimSmoke Model Dr David Levy, from the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation: “The implementation of MPOWER recommended policies could be expected to show similar or even larger effects in other countries which currently have weaker policies than the Netherlands.”

Just increasing taxes and using the funds for an educational campaign would probably work as well as any method.

But, if we can reduce smoking, we will have our friends and family with us for just that much longer.

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Food and Drug Administration

Cigarette Makers Go to Federal Court Over FDA Graphic Warning Ads

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The cigarette manufacturers certainly don’t want an ad like the one depicted on the face of its product.

Cigarette makers clashed with regulators in U.S. federal court over new graphic labels and advertising that use pictures of rotting teeth and diseased lungs to warn consumers about the risks of smoking.

The tobacco industry asked Judge Richard Leon on Wednesday for a temporary injunction to block the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s requirement for the labels, pending a final decision on whether the labels are constitutional.

The Obama administration argued, however, that the companies would not suffer irreparable harm without a preliminary injunction.

The labels are part of a 2009 law passed by Congress that requires color warnings on cigarette packages and on printed advertising, which already carry text warnings from the U.S. Surgeon General.

The industry says the new graphic warnings, due to go into effect by September 2012, force them to “engage in anti-smoking advocacy” on the government’s behalf.

“Never before has the government required the maker of a lawful product to tell consumers not to buy it,” said Noel Francisco, a lawyer arguing on behalf of R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.

“The government can tell people how to live,” said Floyd Abrams, a prominent First Amendment specialist also representing the tobacco industry. “But they can’t force people who sell tobacco to be their mouthpieces.”

The cigarette manufacturers have a good argument except their products cause death and why should the Food and Drug Administration be limited to text warning messages only. The government will win this lawsuit – eventually on appeal.

More than 221,000 Americans are expected to be diagnosed with lung cancer in 2011, according to the American Cancer Society. Tobacco is expected to kill nearly 6 million people worldwide in 2011, including 600,000 nonsmokers, the World Health Organization said in May.

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Health

CDC: Successful Anti-Smoking Efforts Resulting in Less Lung Cancer?

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Former smoker Debie Austin warns viewers about the dangers of smoking.

Yes, according to a new report.

New diagnoses of lung cancer fell from 2006 to 2008 among Americans of both sexes — the first time in decades that the incidence in women has declined, and probably because of successful anti-smoking efforts, the CDC reported.

Nationwide, the reductions in incidence amounted to 2.2% among women from 2006 to 2008 and 2.9% among men from 2005 to 2008, according to data from two CDC registries appearing Thursday in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Accompanying and probably explaining these trends were declines in smoking prevalence and increases in so-called quit ratios, seen in responses to the CDC’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey, the report indicated.

Quit ratios are the number of “former smokers” (those responding that they did not currently smoke but had previously smoked at least 100 cigarettes during their lifetimes) divided by the total of current and former smokers.

States with higher quit ratios — which the authors suggested were the result of media campaigns, tobacco tax hikes, and other anti-smoking programs — had greater decreases in new lung cancer diagnoses (r=-0.55 for men, -0.33 for women, both P<0.001).

During this period of time, some states also regulated where smoking could take place (due to second hand smoke). With smoking no longer being socially acceptable inside a residence or a restaurant, some of the glamor and more of the pain in the ass type of habit meme becomes more common place.

Graphic videos like the one above may have had some effect.

But, whatever, I will accept less lung cancer as a worthy societal goal.

Although the authors offered no systematic data to link these trends with state-level tobacco control efforts, they argued that these were likely responsible, at least in part.

They pointed to California as a state that has “invest[ed] more fully in these programs” and has also seen “decreases in youth and adult smoking prevalence, decreases in lung cancer, and significant healthcare savings.”

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Obesity

America’s Anti-Cigarette Campaign is Massively Failing

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Failing by a mile, according to a new study.

CDC incidence data released yesterday showed a big whiff in the government’s anti-tobacco campaign.

Although the number of daily smokers declined to 19.3 percent from 21 percent in 2005, this represented the slowest decline in 40 years. Going forward the CDC predicts a disappointing 200 basis point decline over the next ten years.

A rate near 18% will miss the Healthy 2020 target of 12% by a longshot.

Citi issued a report this morning calling the new data bullish for the industry, in which the bank prefers Lorillard and Reynolds American. Analyst Vivien Azer said the anti-tobacco campaign is running out of steam:

“The lack of progress we have seen in  educing smoking in the U.S. is nothing new, and is something the government saw coming. Recall, graphic warnings are set to be introduced in the U.S. in September 2012, and despite these efforts, the impact on smoking is expected to be minimal. While further tax hikes or increased restrictions should be expected, these take time to implement, such that we believe there is little near-term risk of accelerating cigarette industry volumes declines in the U.S.”

Yuk!

There needs to be a better education program, involving social media, rather than trying to scare smokers straight.

Obesity and smoking are two preventable downers for American’s heath.

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Health

College Campuses Tell Smokers to Get Lost

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Smoke-Free college campuses are a good thing.

This summer, a group of University of Kentucky students and staff has been patrolling campus grounds — scouting out any student, employee or visitor lighting a cigarette.

Unlike hall monitors who cite students for bad behavior, the Tobacco-free Take Action! volunteers approach smokers, respectfully ask them to dispose of the cigarette and provide information about quit-smoking resources available on campus.

The University of Kentucky is one of more than 500 college campuses across the country that have enacted 100% smoke-free or tobacco-free policies as of July 1. Although policy enforcement varies from school to school, most prohibit smoking on all campus grounds, including athletic stadiums, restaurants and parking lots.

An increasing number of colleges adopted smoke-free or tobacco-free policies in the past few years, according to American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation Project Manager Liz Williams. In the past year alone, 120 campuses were added to the smoke-free list.

Good for them and let’s lower the smoking rate even further – for better health.

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