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  • E-Cigarettes 95% Safer? Not So Fast, Says Top Medical Journal

    E-Cigarettes 95% Safer? Not So Fast, Says Top Medical Journal

    The Lancet, one of the world’s oldest and best-known medical journals, has blasted a widely-publicized report that said e-cigarettes are 95% safer than regular, combustible tobacco.

    “Tobacco is the largest single cause of preventable deaths in England—e-cigarettes may have a part to play to curb tobacco use. But the reliance by PHE on work that the authors themselves accept is methodologically weak, and which is made all the more perilous by the declared conflicts of interest surrounding its funding, raises serious questions not only about the conclusions of the PHE report,” writes the Lancet editorial team.

    The report, from Public Health England, said that e-cigarettes can help smokers quit and are 95% less harmful than regular cigarettes.

    “Many people think the risks of e-cigarettes are the same as smoking tobacco and this report clarifies the truth of this. In a nutshell, best estimates show e-cigarettes are 95% less harmful to your health than normal cigarettes, and when supported by a smoking cessation service, help most smokers to quit tobacco altogether,” said the report.

    “Smokers who have tried other methods of quitting without success could be encouraged to try e-cigarettes (EC) to stop smoking and stop smoking services should support smokers using EC to quit by offering them behavioral support. Encouraging smokers who cannot or do not want to stop smoking to switch to EC could help reduce smoking related disease, death and health inequalities. There is no evidence that EC are undermining the long-term decline in cigarette smoking among adults and youth, and may in fact be contributing to it. Despite some experimentation with EC among never smokers, EC are attracting very few people who have never smoked into regular EC use,” it says.

    But The Lancet calls into question the report, saying the papers it is based upon are faulty at their core.

    “[N]either PHE nor McNeill and Hajek report the caveats that Nutt and colleagues themselves emphasised in their paper. First, there was a “lack of hard evidence for the harms of most products on most of the criteria”. Second, “there was no formal criterion for the recruitment of the experts”. In other words, the opinions of a small group of individuals with no prespecified expertise in tobacco control were based on an almost total absence of evidence of harm. It is on this extraordinarily flimsy foundation that PHE based the major conclusion and message of its report.”

    “The study led by Nutt was funded by Euroswiss Health and Lega Italiana Anti Fumo (LIAF). Riccardo Polosa, one of the authors of the Nutt paper, is the Chief Scientific Advisor to LIAF. In the paper, he reports serving as a consultant to Arbi Group Srl, an e-cigarette distributor. His research on e-cigarettes is currently supported by LIAF. Another author reports serving as a consultant to manufacturers of smoking cessation products. The editors of the journal added a note at the end of the paper warning readers about the “potential conflict of interest” associated with this work.”

    PHE has responded, standing by its findings.

    “We concluded that these new studies do not in fact demonstrate substantial new
    risks and that the previous estimate by an international expert panel (Nutt et al,
    2014) endorsed in an expert review (West et al, 2014) that e-cigarette use is
    around 95% safer than smoking, remains valid as the current best estimate based
    on the peer-reviewed literature,” says PHE.

    Image via Vaping360, Flickr Creative Commons

  • E-Cigarettes Are 95% Less Harmful Than Smoking, Says UK Report

    E-Cigarettes Are 95% Less Harmful Than Smoking, Says UK Report

    According to a UK health agency, electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are about 95% less harmful than smoking, according to its best estimate.

    “I want to see these products coming to the market as licensed medicines. This would provide assurance on the safety, quality and efficacy to consumers who want to use these products as quitting aids, especially in relation to the flavorings used, which is where we know least about any inhalation risks,” says the government’s chief medical officer, Sally Davies.

    The report, from Public Health England, is the first of its kind in the UK.

    “Many people think the risks of e-cigarettes are the same as smoking tobacco and this report clarifies the truth of this. In a nutshell, best estimates show e-cigarettes are 95% less harmful to your health than normal cigarettes, and when supported by a smoking cessation service, help most smokers to quit tobacco altogether,” says the report.

    The report suggests that smoking cessation services should recommend e-cigarettes as a tool to quit smoking, and that there is no evidence that e-cigarettes undermine the current decline in real cigarette smoking.

    “Smokers who have tried other methods of quitting without success could be encouraged to try e-cigarettes (EC) to stop smoking and stop smoking services should support smokers using EC to quit by offering them behavioral support. Encouraging smokers who cannot or do not want to stop smoking to switch to EC could help reduce smoking related disease, death and health inequalities. There is no evidence that EC are undermining the long-term decline in cigarette smoking among adults and youth, and may in fact be contributing to it. Despite some experimentation with EC among never smokers, EC are attracting very few people who have never smoked into regular EC use,” it says.

    According to The Guardian, those responsible for the report still feel that “there continues to be a lack of evidence on the long-term use of e-cigarettes” and “they should only be used as a means to help smokers quit.”

    Image via Vaping360, Flickr Creative Commons

  • Anne Hathaway Talks About Her “Disgusting” Smoking Habit

    Anne Hathaway recently revealed that she quit smoking for the second time. The 32-year-old actress admits that she became addicted to cigarettes after acting in the film Rachel Getting Married. She then took up smoking again last year while working on her upcoming film, but she managed to kick the habit a second time.

    “I’ve quit. I got hooked for a few years. I had a four-year break, and then actually when I was producing Song One, I started smoking again. It’s easy to romanticize it when you haven’t done it in a while, but it’s actually pretty disgusting,” Hathaway said.

    Hathaway, who went cold turkey to get over her nicotine addiction, also revealed that she has nothing against electronic cigarettes.

    “I don’t judge the vape. I know some people who used to be three-pack-a-day smokers, and I’d much prefer them having the vape. I don’t want to give them any excuse not to vape,” the Interstellar actress told The New York Times.

    And it seems smoking isn’t the only habit that Anne intends on quitting. When she was asked about her New Year’s resolutions, Hathaway said, “I have one, but I don’t want to mention it because it’s scaring me. And it has nothing to do with pregnancy. But it’s not because of a problem. It’s just because why not: I’m going to really prioritize my health this year and not drink, at least not in January. I want to take a month off.”

    Hathaway also opened up about her and James Franco’s often-criticized stint as Oscar hosts. When asked about what she thinks went wrong, Hathaway told The New York Times, “I think it’s so obvious that it doesn’t even need to be identified.” However, the Les Miserables actress has high hopes for Neil Patrick Harris who will be hosting the show this year. “He’ll be great. He’s a natural host,” the actress said.

  • Quit Smoking: Three Reasons You Should Stop

    Everyone knows that smoking is a gross and unhealthy habit, yet millions of people around the world still do it.

    While most people know that smoking can cause a number of health problems, there are many other reasons you should stop smoking as well. Here are three of them.

    Alzheimer’s Disease
    Did you know that people who smoke will suffer a rate of mental decline that is up to five times faster than that of a nonsmoker? Alzheimer’s disease is a scary and serious disease and smoking can make it worse. If you want to be mentally fit and healthy as you grow old, knock that smoking habit now, before it’s too late.

    Autoimmune Disease
    Smoking has been linked to a number of autoimmune disorders and diseases, including Lupus and arthritis. Lupus is a chronic inflammatory disease that causes pain and discomfort in the joints and throughout the body. A Harvard study recently found that people who smoke are more likely to develop Lupus and to experience more severe symptoms than non-smokers.

    Sexual Dysfunction
    If you want to perform well in the bedroom, you should stop smoking now. A study conducted in China shows that men who smoke are 60% more likely to suffer from impotence than men who do not smoke. Women who smoke can experience a decreased sex drive.

    If you really need a better reason to quit smoking than avoiding cancer, consider the three reasons above. Nothing good can come from smoking, so why are you still doing it?

  • Quit Smoking Today: 8 Reasons To Stop Immediately

    As we approach the new year, a number of Americans will make it a resolution to quit smoking for good.

    It won’t be easy; the nicotine in tobacco products is highly addictive.

    That’s is why it’s highly recommended to seek out medical help and various treatment options to guide you. It’s much better than deciding to go it alone and quit “cold turkey”.

    If you’re considering quitting or aren’t sure if you should quit, here are ten good reasons why it’s worth the effort.

    You’ll save a ton of money.

    Cigarettes are getting more and more expensive. Much of the reason for this is an effort to discourage people from smoking.

    Should a person choose to stop smoking, they will find they’ll spend hundreds (even thousands) of dollars less each year.

    Your health will improve immediately.

    When you quit smoking, your health starts to improve within minutes.

    Your heart rate and blood pressure are both said to drop within a half hour; within half a day, the carbon monoxide levels in your blood return to normal.

    Within a year, you’ll cut your risk of developing heart disease in half.

    You may actually start to look attractive again.

    Smoking is something that’s always portrayed as cool or sexy, but after years of battering your body with toxic fumes, you won’t appear to be either of these things.

    Smoking yellows the skin and teeth and makes you look a good decade (or two) older than you really are.

    It could save the life of your child.

    Smoking mothers of young infants can unknowingly increase the risk that their offspring could die of sudden infant death syndrome or SIDS.

    It’s said to occur when a child is allowed to share a bed with a parent who smokes.

    You won’t be breathing in as many germs.

    When you quit smoking, you will find that you inhale fewer bacteria.

    Ultimately it’s the constant inhalation of germs that scientists believe leads to the development various infections and chronic diseases.

    Your sex life could improve drastically.

    Constant smoking is blamed for decreased libido, especially in men.

    “Smoking has a direct, negative effect on the sexuality of a man on every level,” according to Panayiotis M. Zavos, Ph.D., the director of the Andrology Institute of America.

    He and his team of researchers found that smoking greatly interfered with a couple’s ability to conceive.

    Your bones won’t be as weak.

    A major reason to quit smoking it weakens bones. Women who smoke lose anywhere from two to three percent of bone density for every ten years that they smoke.

    You’re less likely to experience a highly preventable demise.

    We’re all going to die one day. It’s a morbid fact that many of us like to ignore, but it’s true.

    However, smoking is considered the number one cause of all preventable deaths.

    It ranked higher than obesity or excessive salt intake.

    When you quit smoking, you giving yourself a chance at a longer, healthier, and happier life.

  • Quit Smoking: Tips For Quitting During The Holidays

    It’s never easy to stop smoking, and if you are trying to quit during the holidays, you could face some additional challenges. Since many people smoke as a way to deal with stress or as a reaction to a stressful situation, the holidays can make a smoker want to smoke more than what he or she already does on a regular basis.

    Don’t think that you need to give up on your goal of quitting smoking just because of the holidays.

    Here are a few tips to help you quit in spite of the added stress and excitement of the holidays.

    Remember Your Reason For Quitting
    Everyone has a reason for wanting to quit smoking. For some people it’s their family members, for others it’s their own health. When you feel the desire to smoke during the holidays remember all the reasons you are trying to stop. Although your family members may be the reason you want to smoke, they could also be the reason you want to stop. Think about upcoming holidays and how much better they will be next year when you no longer feel the need to smoke.

    Find A Distraction
    The holidays could actually work in your favor when it comes to finding a distraction to help you quit smoking. Many people turn to food or hobbies when they are trying to quit, and there will be plenty of food around during the holidays. Make some cookies and nibble on one every time you feel the need to smoke. You can also wrap packages to pass the time or take your mind off smoking. Even if you have finished wrapping your own packages, offer to wrap someone else’s.

    Get A Prescription
    If you are serious about quitting and nervous about dealing with it during the holidays, ask your doctor for a prescription medication that can help. There are medications available to help smokers deal with their cravings and fight the mood swings and depression associated with withdraws.

    Don’t let the holidays stop you from quitting smoking. Use these tips to help you stick with your decision to quit.

  • Quit Smoking: Tips To Help You Stop For Good

    Smoking is a nasty habit that can cause yellow teeth, brittle nails and a variety of horrible health problems.

    Smoking has been linked to both cancer and heart disease and is so addicting that many people find it difficult to stop smoking no matter how hard they try.

    If you are ready to quit this bad habit and put those cigarettes down for good, try some of these tips that can help you quit.

    Find Support
    It can be impossible to stop smoking on your own without support. Let your friends and family members know that you plan to quit smoking and ask them for help. A kind word and some encouragement can go a long way. If you need more help, join a support group and find a sponsor. Anytime you feel like smoking, contact your sponsor and he or she will help talk you out of it.

    Set Goals
    Don’t just try to stop smoking cold turkey. Set some short term goals for yourself and follow through with them. Limit yourself to a lesser amount of cigarettes each week until you are down to smoking just a few a day. Then you can try stopping for good. This will help make your nicotine cravings less powerful and prevent you from giving up so easily.

    Consider Your Options
    There are numerous tools and treatments available to help you quit smoking. You may want to try nicotine gum or patches or think about counseling or even hypnotherapy. Many smokers have used these methods to help them stop smoking for good. You may have to try more than one before you see any results, but once you find what works for you, stick with it.

    It’s not easy to quit smoking but the benefits are well worth the trouble. After you quit, you will look and feel better and healthier.

  • Rheumatoid Arthritis: Are You Raising Your Personal Risk Level?

    Rheumatoid arthritis is no laughing matter.

    About 1.5 million Americans are believed to suffer from the condition, which causes pain, swelling, and stiffness of the joints. While the exact cause is not known, the immune system of the sufferer is said to attack the joint tissues.

    Of all Americans diagnosed, nearly three fourths of them are women.

    If you are a smoker, your habit is thought to exponentially increase your overall likelihood of developing the condition.

    Now a study out of Sweden shows that there’s something else that can make suffering from rheumatoid arthritis even more likely—To be a smoker who also enjoys a diet high in salt!

    The initial goal of the research was to determine if too much sodium can be an additional risk factor in the development of RA.

    They indeed found that this was the case…but only among smokers.

    In an email to Reuters Health, Björn Sundström said of the findings, “Although we could not confirm our original hypothesis, we were surprised by the large influence of sodium intake on smoking as a risk factor.”

    Sundström was already aware that smoking was a “strong risk factor” on its own. But he was not expecting was for salt to compound an existing and serious factor rather than exist as a stand alone concern.

    It turns out that “less than ideal food habits” play a larger role than expected in the health problems suffered by chronic smokers.

    Perhaps this shouldn’t be so surprising.

    Although there are proven negative health effects associated with smoking, excess sodium is also known to be damaging. This is true even if one has NEVER picked up a cigarette in their life!

    Perhaps the lesson here is that one can’t expect any good to come of a series of decisions that will ultimately cause negative health problems.

    Please watch your salt intake. Also don’t be afraid to ask for help if you’d like to quit smoking.

  • Quit Smoking To Eliminate “Third-Hand Smoke”

    In the ongoing campaign against smoking, the typical approach is to discourage individuals from smoking in one of two ways.

    The first option involves detailing how the habit affects the smoker’s body directly and the ways smoking may seriously harm or kill you.

    The second push to quit smoking generally involves passive smoking or second-hand smoke exposure and how dangerous it is to others. The fear of second-hand smoke is what largely led to smoking being banned from many indoor locations across the United States.

    Now a new concern is garnering increasing exposure: third-hand smoke.

    Unlike second-hand smoke which is often inhaled involuntarily, third-hand exposure is created when the smoke clings to walls and furniture, coating them with a substance that is believed to be highly toxic. Those most at risk of third hand smoke exposure are often very young children.

    Researchers find that certain chemicals in cigarette smoke linger in a room long after the last cigarette has been put out. These substances are said to react with indoor pollutants and create brand new and harmful compounds.

    Noxious residue or NNA is one residue created by this reaction. NNA is thought to coat all surfaces in the area. For smoking parents or relatives with young children around them, this means their toys are very likely covered with this residue.

    As toddlers and infants are very prone towards putting things into their mouths, there is concern this may mean NNA-coated toys and other objects. This means their own hands could be a risk factor due to the skin’s exposure to NNA-coated floors, walls, and other surfaces.

    Dr. Bo Hang of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory found that the substance sticks to human DNA. This has the potential to lead to the development of cancerous tumors.

    Even though smoking has been pushed out of many public places, not much can be done to protect toddlers from third-hand exposure that typically occurs in the homes of smokers.

    According to Hang, third smoke exposure is especially difficult to eliminate, but not impossible. Furniture would need to be replaced, carpets removed, and walls repainted. Vacuuming, washing clothes and bedding, and keeping curtains clean can also help.

    Hang hopes he and his team of researchers can eventually detect which persons have been exposed to third-hand smoke.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Quit Smoking: Secondhand Smoke Damages Childrens’ Arteries

    We all know that smoking is dangerous and can lead to a number of health problems including cancer. Secondhand smoke can be even worse and can harm those who do not smoke themselves but are around smokers. A recent study shows that secondhand smoke can be even more dangerous than originally thought.

    Seana Gall, a researcher in cardiovascular epidemiology who led the study at the University of Tasmania, “Exposure to passive smoke in childhood causes direct and irreversible damage to the structure of the arteries.”

    The study was conducted on 2,401 people in Finland 1,375 people in Australia. Researchers asked each person about their parents’ smoking history. The study followed the participants from the time they were children into adulthood. Once the participants were grown, the scientists used ultrasound to measure the thickness of their artery walls.

    The results showed that carotid IMT in adulthood was 0.015 millimeters thicker in those exposed to both parents smoking than in those whose parents did not smoke.

    They also showed that children who grew up in homes where their parents smoked, were also much more likely to smoke themselves, become overweight as adults, and have heart problems.

    The study shows that reducing a child’s exposure to smoke is a top priority.

    “Legislation can reduce passive smoke exposure, with restriction of smoking in public places reducing hospitalizations for cardiovascular and respiratory disease,” said the researchers, adding that banning smoking in cars with children in them would also have a significant positive effect.

    Do you think smoking should be banned in cars with children and what others way can secondhand smoke be prevented?

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • L.A. E-Cigarette Ban Approved By City Council

    The L.A. City Council unanimously voted in favor of banning the use of e-cigarettes in zones where smoking tobaccos is prohibited.

    The policy was first discussed by the council last December in order to change the city code to include e-cigarettes in the category of “smoking.” This means that “vaping,” as e-cigarette users call it, will be banned from areas such as public spaces, work environments, and restaurants.

    Councilman Mitch O’Farrell was the one who introduced the ordinance, and he was supported by councilmen Bernard Parks, Paul Koretz, and City Attorney Mike Feuer. O’Farrell had concerns about young people being surrounded by the vapor from e-cigarettes.

    Vapers, of course, were against the policy saying that water vapor is harmless and that those who are trying to quit smoking heavily rely on it to cope with their urges. In the New York Times, Columbia University professors in public health stated that banning e-cigarettes would be counterproductive, as it helps in reducing tobacco-related illnesses and deaths.

    The ban exempts vaping lounges and stores that sell e-cigarettes. Another version of the ordinance that excludes bars and clubs from the ban was defeated with a vote of six against eight.

    According to the L.A. City Clerk’s office, there is a maximum of 41 days before the policy takes effect, if the ordinance is posted on the corkboards in the City Hall. However, if the new ordinance is published in a newspaper, the time before it takes effect will be lessened to 31 days.

    Mayor Eric Garcetti is given 10 days to sign the ordinance, but he is currently in Mexico. Herb Wesson, the council president, has been acting mayor and may immediately sign the new policy. The City Clerk’s office says that the new policy can be in effect as early as the middle of April.

    Are E-Cigarettes Safe?

    Image via YouTube

  • Quitting Smoking Linked to Improved Mental Health

    The benefits of not smoking are well-known and heavily publicized in the U.S. In addition to all of the physical health improvements, though, a new study has now shown that quitting smoking may actually lead to improved mental health.

    The study, published in the journal Psychological Medicine, has linked quitting smoking or even just cutting back on cigarettes with improved mental health in patients with psychiatric issues. Subjects who quit or reduced their habit were found to have a lower risk for mood disorders or problems related to drugs and alcohol.

    “Clinicians tend to treat the depression, alcohol dependence or drug problem first and allow patients to ‘self-medicate’ with cigarettes if necessary,” said Patricia Cavazos-Rehg, lead author of the study and a psychiatry professor at the Washington University School of Medicine. “The assumption is that psychiatric problems are more challenging to treat and that quitting smoking may interfere with treatment.”

    Though the correlation between quitting smoking an mental health improvements were clear, the study was not able to determine whether quitting improved the mental health of patients or whether improved mental health was more likely to lead to smoking cessation. Either way, the study’s authors believe that doctors should be more proactive in encouraging their patients to quit smoking, regardless of other psychiatric issues.

    “We really need to spread the word and encourage doctors and patients to tackle these problems,” said Cavazos-Rehg. “When a patient is ready to focus on other mental health issues, it may be an ideal time to address smoking cessation, too.”

  • FDA Reveals New Anti-Smoking Campaign For Teens

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today revealed a new anti-smoking ad campaign targeted at teens. The ads will be geared toward preventing teens aged 12 to 17 from ever smoking cigarettes. The agency estimates that 10 million teens in that age range have smoked a cigarette or would be open to doing so.

    The campaign is titled “The Real Cost” and uses what the FDA is calling a “comprehensive multimedia approach.” The campaign will use print ads, radio ads, online ads, and TV ads in conjunction with facts about smoking to discourage teens from picking up the habit.

    “The FDA has collaborated with some of the brightest and most creative minds to develop a multimedia initiative designed to make the target audience acutely aware of the risk from every cigarette by highlighting consequences that young people are really concerned about,” said Mitchell Zeller, director of the Center for Tobacco Products at the FDA.

    The new campaign will be evaluated over time by the FDA to measure its effectiveness. Some of the early ads will zero-in on menthol cigarettes, mentioning that they pose the same health risks as normal cigarettes. Future “The Real Cost” ads will highlight smoking risks for specific demographics such as “multicultural” teens, rural teens and LGBT teens.

    The centerpiece of the campaign is a series of 30-second “The Real Cost” TV ads. While some of the ads are purposefully disturbing about the health consequences of smoking, others highlight the control that addiction has over smokers’ lives using a bully metaphor:

  • Quit Smoking- What Works For You?

    Quit Smoking- What Works For You?

    Trying to quit smoking can be a big challenge. Many people try and try again, but just have no luck. The problem is often the method that people use to try to quit. There are numerous tools, tricks and tips that can be used to help you quit smoking, but you may have to try a few out before you find the right one. Here are a few to consider.

    E-Cigarettes
    E-cigarettes are one of the more popular methods that smokers use to quit. These electronic cigarettes allow smokers to feel like they are smoking, without actually inhaling tobacco. Many people have been able to use them to stop smoking successfully, but experts warn that although the electronic cigarettes may help with nicotine cravings, they don’t help with the habit of smoking.

    Gum And Patches
    Nicotine gum and patches are an old school way to stop smoking. The gum and patches contain small doses of nicotine. Smokers can chew gum whenever they get a craving or wear a nicotine patch that releases nicotine into the body throughout the day. This can help smokers wean off of cigarettes, but many become addicted to the gum or patches instead.

    Cold Turkey Quitting
    While quitting cold turkey may be the hardest way to stop smoking, it is also the most effective. When smokers decide to quit cold turkey, it is important that they stay away from other smokers and anything that reminds them of smoking. Many are able to distract themselves from smoking with hobbies or tasks. More people quit smoking successfully using the cold turkey method than any other method.

    If you haven’t had any success with one method, try another until you find what works. These three examples are just a few of the many ways you can get help with your smoking addiction. There are also prescription pills, therapy, and even acupuncture. Stick with whatever works best for you and good luck!

    Image via Wikimedia Commons.

  • Quit Smoking: Cold Turkey Better Than E-Cig?

    Quitting smoking is hard, always has been and always will be. No matter how much additional tax is levied on each pack or how many videos go up on youtube to discourage smoking, there will be people who struggle to kick the habit.

    Right now, these e-cigarettes are all the rage, with signs going up in liquor stores and convienience stores, as well as bars. Some have opened bars themed around the e-cigarette. But, is it the best way to quit, a safer alternative, or simply another set of problems?

    According to the New York Times, it could be the third. In case you’re unfamiliar with the e-cigarette, it looks like a normal cigarette, but instead of emitting the nicotine as a nasty smoke, it heats it up and emits it as a clear vapor.

    The e-cigarette was invented in 2003 by a chinese scientist, but has only recently caught on in the US as a means to help smokers resist cigarettes, which they need to do, as we all know, for health reasons. Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, remarked,

    “Even 50 years after the first surgeon general’s report on smoking and health, we’re still finding out new ways that tobacco kills and maims people. It’s astonishing how bad it is.”

    However, there are a few kinks in the e-cigarette that are worth looking into before you go out and buy one of the 200 brands that are on the market right now.

    For example, Dr. Frieden said that these e-cigarettes admittedly “have the potential to help some people quit,” but, the method could possibly backfire “if it gets kids to start smoking, gets smokers who would have quit to continue to smoke, gets ex-smokers to go back to smoking, or re-glamorizes smoking.”

    Also, he adds that e-cigarettes produce 30 known carcinogens, and the long-term effects just haven’t been studied. Therefore, it’s probably safer just to go “cold turkey” when trying to kick the habit. You would be in good company.

    There was a Gallup Poll last year in the US which found that only 8 percent of ex-smokers attributed their success to patches, gum or prescribed drugs, while 48 percent attributed their success to quitting ‘cold turkey’ and 8 percent to willpower and commitment.

    Something to think about.

    Image via wikimedia commons

  • New York City’s Smoking Ban to Include e-cigarettes

    Since 2002, New York City has banned smoking in bars, restaurants, places of employment, government buildings, parks, and other public places. Now, over a decade after that law was enacted, the NYC Council has decided to add e-cigarettes to the ban.

    In a 43-8 vote the city approved the measure to ban electronic cigarettes from all public buildings – and a handful of parks. Mayor Bloomberg is expected to sign the legislation. E-cigarettes, which use vapor to deliver nicotine to their users, have been growing in popularity over the past couple of years – not only with adults but also among teens. There are various styles of e-cigs, but the most common sees a user heat up a nicotine-laced liquid (many with fun flavors) and inhale the resulting vapor. The fact that it’s vapor, not smoke, has led advertisers to push the “vape anywhere!” pitch.

    Their popularity was outpacing the regulation and legislation – at least until now. The FDA is looking to regulate the devices like tobacco products, and the CDC says “what comes out of e-cigarettes is less toxic [than a real cigarette], but it’s more toxic than breathing clean air.”

    The American Lung Association takes a “it might be harmful, but more research is need” stance:

    “Also unknown is what the potential harm may be to people exposed to secondhand emissions from e-cigarettes. Two initial studies have found formaldehyde, benzene and tobacco-specific nitrosamines (a carcinogen) coming from those secondhand emissions. While there is a great deal more to learn about these products, it is clear that there is much to be concerned about, especially in the absence of FDA oversight,” says the organization.

    Here’s what the legislation says:

    Electronic cigarette devices have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for smoking cessation and are currently unregulated by the FDA. Most devices contain nicotine, a highly addictive substance. Although the long-term effects of electronic cigarette devices require further study, the FDA has found that some devices contain toxins and carcinogens and has expressed concerns about their safety. Use of electronic cigarette devices, particularly in places where smoking is prohibited, may interfere with smokers’ attempts to quit by making it easier for them to maintain their nicotine addiction. Children and youth who experiment with electronic cigarettes may become addicted to nicotine and ultimately switch to smoking cigarettes.

    The use of electronic cigarette devices may be visually similar to the smoking of cigarettes, and has already been observed in locations where smoking is prohibited, creating concern and confusion that threatens to interfere with enforcement of the Smoke-Free Air Act. The use of electronic cigarette devices in places where smoking is prohibited may increase the social acceptability and appeal of smoking, particularly for youth, potentially undermining the enormous progress that has been made over the years in discouraging smoking.

    The Council therefore finds that prohibiting the use of electronic cigarette devices in public places and places of employment will protect the health of the citizens of New York City, facilitate enforcement of the Smoke-Free Air Act, and protect youth from observing behaviors that could encourage them to smoke.

    So it appears the council’s objection to e-cigarette use has three major points – 1) we don’t know enough about e-cigarettes and their potential health hazards, 2) it could make smoking look cool and influence kids, and 3) people could be confused by e-cigarettes and think that users are smoking real cigs.

    The Wall Street Journal says that other major cites could follow NYC’s lead – with both Los Angeles and Chicago eyeing public e-cig bans as early as January of next year.

    Image via Michael Dorausch, Flickr

  • Smoking, Drug Use Doubles Stillbirth Risks

    Smoking, Drug Use Doubles Stillbirth Risks

    Its been known for years now that pregnant women smoking and imbibing other harmful substances can put their fetus risk. A new study today shows just how serious that risk can be.

    The study, published in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology, shows that smoking and illegal drug use more than doubles the risk of a stillbirth. This applies not just to tobacco smoke, but to marijuana as well.

    “Smoking is a known risk factor for stillbirth, but this analysis gives us a much clearer picture of the risks than before,” said Dr. Uma Reddy, senior author of the study and a researcher at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). “Additionally, results from the latest findings also showed that likely exposure to secondhand smoke can elevate the risk of stillbirth.

    “With the legalization of marijuana in some states, it is especially important for pregnant women and health care providers to be aware that cannabis use can increase stillbirth risk.”

    The study found that tobacco use by pregnant women increases the risk of stillbirth anywhere from 1.8 to 2.8 times, depending on how heavy the smoking is. Twenty percent of the women in the study tested positive for nicotine late in their pregnancies – double the ten percent of women who did not experience stillbirth and tested positive for nicotine.

    Second hand tobacco smoke exposure meant a 2.1 ties greater risk of stillbirth, and Marijuana use correlated to 2.3 times greater risk of stillbirth. Women who had used marijuana, stimulants, or prescription painkillers were found to have a 2.1 times greater risk of stillbirth.

    The study looked at women who had experienced stillbirth at hospitals across the U.S. Stillbirth in the study was defined as when a a fetus dies at or after 20 weeks of pregnancy. Researchers tested blood samples and the umbilical cords of these women, looking for the chemical byproducts of nicotine and other drugs.

  • E-Cigarettes Have High Rate of Usage in Teen Market

    The results of an e-cigarette study at UC San Francisco were recently released. In the study, conducted by postdoctoral fellow Sungkyu Lee, researchers focused on the data obtained in a national Web-based survey of 75,643 adolescents in Korea. The survey data comes from the Korea Youth Risk Behavior research completed in 2011 by the Korea Centers for Disease Control.

    In the study, Lee found that the usage of electronic cigarettes by adolescents in grades 7-12 has rapidly risen since the device was first introduced in 2008 – at that time, less than 1% of adolescents had tried the e-cigarette. By the study in 2011, more than 9% of the students studied had used, or regularly use, electronic cigarettes.

    Electronic cigarettes, dubbed “e-cigarettes,” are nicotine-releasing devices that are powered by batteries. While non-nicotine cartridges are available, most users of the device use cartridges that contain nicotine. They release other chemicals, as well, when the user inhales the nicotine vapor.

    Since first hitting the market, the electronic devices have been hailed as being many times healthier than conventional cigarettes, although many doctors and experts debate that. The e-cigarettes have gained popularity, as well from Hollywood stars’ use of them.

    In 2010, Katherine Heigl discussed her use of the device on Late Night with David Letterman. Heigl was a conventional cigarette smoker for many years, and decided to quit after adopting her daughter. However, all of the methods she tried were fruitless – until she found the e-cigarette. She does admit, though, that she is addicted to the electronic version of cigarettes now.

    Lee’s study was the first to analyze electronic cigarette usage in adolescents, and he now works for the National Evidence-Based Healthcare Collaborating Agency in Korea.

    The Korean study also indicated that 4 out of 5 adolescent users of the battery-powered cigarettes were also smokers of regular cigarettes.

    Other interesting conclusions from the study show that the majority of adolescent e-cigarette users were either trying to quit smoking conventional cigarettes, or habitually smoke both conventional and e-cigarettes. It also showed that the use of electronic cigarettes in adolescents greatly increase the odds that the student will end up being a conventional smoker.

    In the U.S., the federally-run Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducted their own study, and reported that most adolescents who had tried the e-cigarette had also smoked regular cigarettes. As of 2012, more than 1.78 million teens and adolecents had tried smoking an electronic cigarette.

    A professor of medicine and director of the Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education at UCSF, Stanton A. Glantz, PhD, said, “We are witnessing the beginning of a new phase of the nicotine epidemic and a new route to nicotine addiction for kids,” according to Science Daily.

    The entire study can be found in the current issue of the Journal of Adolescent Health.

    Main image courtesy gloriaricardi via Wikimedia Commons.

  • NYC Tobacco Law: Minimum Age Raised to 21

    NYC Tobacco Law: Minimum Age Raised to 21

    Young smokers living in New York City are going to have to leave city limits to purchase a pack of cigarettes thanks to the new law Mayor Michael Bloomberg just signed. The law, which goes into effect in May 2014, not only prohibits people under 21 from buying tobacco products in the city, but will also raise the price of a single pack of cigarettes to a minimum of $10.50. This law reportedly makes NYC the only city in America that prohibits tobacco sales to young adults.

    For anyone who is worried about how this law will impact small business owners, Bloomberg says the focus should be more on health. “People always try to put things like selling cigarettes in the context of jobs and whether or not it helps or hurts stores,” Bloomberg said at the bill signing ceremony. “I think that is just so outrageously misplaced. This is an issue of whether we’re going to kill people. This century a billion people will die from smoking around the world. And we don’t want any of the people to die to be New Yorkers.”

    The law will affect around 27,000 smokers between ages 18 and 20. Bloomberg is hopeful that this law will, at a minimum, reduce these young smokers’ habits and that it will curb smoking in young people who aren’t yet old enough to purchase cigarettes and other tobacco products. These young smokers aren’t completely out of luck though–they can still possess tobacco products under the new law, but they will have to travel outside of city limits to make their purchases.

    While a lot of people are happy with the new law since it could possibly decrease tobacco addiction in young people, some people believe this is yet another move by Bloomberg to turn NYC into a nanny state. Would you like to see a similar tobacco law go into place in your city? Respond below.

    Aside from signing a law to restrict tobacco sales, Bloomberg also signed a law banning trans fats from restaurants in NYC. The FDA decided earlier this month to follow in Bloomberg’s steps by banning trans fats. Bloomberg also tried to limit soda consumption by banning the sale of sodas larger than 16 ounces, but that was eventually declared unconstitutional.

    [Image via YouTube]

  • E-Cigarette, Hookah Use Growing Among Teens

    The U.S. Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today released a report showing that the popularity of so-called “emerging tobacco products” is rising among middle and high school students. The CDC considers emerging tobacco products to include hookahs, little cigars, and e-cigarettes (though they are not technically tobacco products).

    The report shows that 5.4% of high schoolers used a hookah during 2012, an increase from the 4.1% who admitted to using a hookah in 2011. 2.8% of high schoolers said they used an e-cigarette in 2012, upfrom just 1.5% in 2011. Middle school students are also being affected, with 1.1% saying they used an e-cigarette in 2012, nearly double the 0.6% who said the same in 2011.

    The CDC issued concerns about rising teen use of tobacco products, though it did not specifically address the rise in e-cigarette use. E-cigarettes use a nicotine solution that is heated and then inhaled as a vapor, rather than burned tobacco.

    “This report raises a red flag about newer tobacco products,” said Dr. Tom Frieden, director of the CDC. “Cigars and hookah tobacco are smoked tobacco – addictive and deadly. We need effective action to protect our kids from addiction to nicotine.”

    The CDC believes the rise in emerging tobacco product use among teens could be related to a recent increase in marketing for those products, which is not currently regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It also stated that increased use of e-cigarettes could be due to the perception of the products as safe alternatives to traditional cigarettes.

    The CDC is recommending that emerging tobacco products be regulated in the same ways more traditional tobacco products currently are.

    “A large portion of kids who use tobacco are smoking products other than cigarettes, including cigars and hookahs, which are similarly dangerous,” said Dr. Tim McAfee, director of the Office on Smoking and Health at the CDC. “As we close in on the 50th anniversary of the first Surgeon General’s report on the dangers of smoking, we need to apply the same strategies that work to prevent and reduce cigarette use among our youth to these new and emerging products.”

  • New York City to Raise Smoking Age From 18 to 21

    Among its 8.3 million residents, 14 per cent of New York City smokes – the average price of a pack costs $11.90, which rakes in about $1.8 billion in tax receipts a year.

    Last Wednesday night, the New York City Council voted almost unanimously on the “Tobacco 21” bill, which raises the tobacco-purchasing age from 18 to 21; that goes for electronic cigarettes too. The council also approved a second bill called “Sensible Tobacco Enforcement” which will forbid discounts on tobacco products and steps up enforcements on vendors who attempt illegal tobacco sales.

    Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who is an advocate for anti-smoking laws, has 30 days to sign the bills. Once he does, the laws will take effect 180 days after they’re enacted, according to the council’s news release.

    Bloomberg said in a statement that, “We know that tobacco dependence can begin very soon after a young person first tries smoking, so it’s critical that we stop young people from smoking before they ever start.”

    “This will literally save many, many lives,” said City Councilman James Gennaro, the bill’s sponsor, a man whose parents died from tobacco-related illnesses. “I’ve lived with it, I’ve seen it… but I feel good today.”

    One New York City smoker agreed with the law, saying that smoking is a choice reserved for the mature: “I think you should be 21. I think when you’re 18, you just got out of high school. You don’ really know life yet.”

    While bureaucrats and others praised the bills, some younger New Yorkers, tobacco spokesmen, and business owners weren’t having it.

    “You’re an adult; you should be able to buy a pack of cigarettes,” one New Yorker told CNN affiliate NY1. “I mean, you can think for yourself.”

    “I think it’s ridiculous,” another New Yorker said, “Let us be, let us live.”

    “New York City already has the highest cigarette tax rate and the highest cigarette smuggling rate in the country,” said Bryan D. Hatchell, a spokesman for R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company.

    “Those go hand in hand and this new law will only make the problem worse.”

    With funding backed by tobacco-manufactures, a coalition of small shop owners expressed their disdain for the “Sensible Tobacco Enforcement” bill, noting potential losses in revenue.

    “I’m going to lose a lot of business,” deli owner Wadah Arbuya told CBS New York. “Maybe I’m going to get hurt big time. Half my sales of cigarettes is between 18 and 21.”

    James Calvin, president of the New York Association of Convenience Stores, said that as a result of the bills, thousands of retail jobs would be lost because the laws would now just lower tobacco sales, but purchases of coffee or lottery tickets. Calvin predicted that the law would not reduce smoking as it does not outlaw under-age smokers to possess tobacco products.

    (Image via WikiCommons)