Smokeless tobacco products not a safe option

2010/10/13 par Laisser un commentaire

By virtualmedicalcentre.com

Smokeless tobacco products should not be used as an alternative to cigarettes or for smoking cessation due to the risk of addiction and return to smoking, according to an American Heart Association policy statement.

 

 

Smokeless tobacco products such as dry and moist snuff as well as chewing tobacco may also increase the risk of fatal heart attack, fatal stroke and certain cancers, according to the statement published online in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

“No tobacco product is safe to consume,” said Mariann Piano, PhD, lead writer of the statement and a professor in the Department of Biobehavioral Health Science at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

The statement also addresses a controversy over whether smokeless tobacco product use is a “safer” alternative to smoking. The idea that smokeless tobacco products are preferable to cigarettes is based in part on the Swedish experience where there was a significant decrease in smoking among Swedish men between 1976 and 2002 which corresponded to an increase in the use of smokeless tobacco.

However, the opposite was true in a recent United States study which found no reduction in smoking rates among people using smokeless tobacco products. For people trying to quit smoking, nicotine replacement therapy (nicotine gum or a nicotine-releasing patch placed on the skin) is a safer alternative compared to using smokeless tobacco products. Clinical studies have found no increased risk of heart attack or stroke with either type of nicotine replacement therapy.

As smoke-free air laws become common in the US, smokeless tobacco products have been marketed as a situational substitute (“pleasure for whenever”) for cigarette smoking when smoking is prohibited.

“Smokeless tobacco products are harmful and addictive – that does not translate to a better alternative,” Piano said.

Smokeless tobacco also is being used more by teenage boys, according to the statement. The US Food and Drug Administration issued a final regulation related to the Tobacco Control Act that became effective 22 June that prohibits the sale of tobacco products to anyone younger than 18 years.

“Scientists and policy makers need to assess the effect of ‘reduced risk’ messages related to smokeless tobacco use on public perception, especially among smokers who might be trying to quit,” said Piano.

 

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Experts Urge Further Research on Nicotine Reduction to Decrease Tobacco Addiction

2010/10/13 par Laisser un commentaire

By cancer.gov

Tobacco control experts are calling for additional research on reducing the nicotine content of cigarettes and other tobacco products. Nicotine reduction, they wrote in an article published online October 1 in Tobacco Control, has the potential to profoundly affect smoking rates in the United States, but many outstanding questions remain and will require a focused and collaborative research effort.

Momentum for examining nicotine reduction (a decrease in the amount of legally allowed nicotine per cigarette to levels that do not initiate or sustain addiction) grew with the passage of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (FSPTCA) in 2009. The Act gave the FDA regulatory authority over the manufacturing, marketing, and sale of tobacco products in the United States. This regulatory authority includes setting standards for the ingredients of tobacco products, including nicotine, the main substance responsible for tobacco’s addictive nature.

“Of all the measures that could be taken under the FSPTCA, reducing the addictiveness of cigarettes has the greatest potential to significantly reduce tobacco-related mortality,” said the article’s lead author, Dr. Dorothy Hatsukami, principal investigator of the NCI-funded Transdisciplinary Tobacco Use Research Center (TTURC) at the University of Minnesota.

“If you do that,” she continued, “you could prevent people who experiment with cigarette smoking from becoming dependent, and you would also facilitate cessation among those who are already dependent.”

Two meetings, held in 2007 and 2009 and sponsored by NCI’s Tobacco Harm Reduction Network and the University of Minnesota TTURC, brought together experts from diverse disciplines to review the scientific evidence on nicotine reduction and identify priorities for future research. Their recommendations appear in the October 1 paper. (See the box at the bottom of the page.)

“We wanted to bring people in the field together to identify research needs,” said Dr. Cathy Backinger, chief of NCI’s Tobacco Control Research Branch and a co-author of the paper. “Because it’s not clear yet what the best approach is to reducing nicotine in cigarettes, nor what effects doing so will have, we need a multidisciplinary group to answer the questions we identified.”

To date, research on nicotine reduction has provided some evidence to support the concept that it could reduce the addictiveness of cigarettes. Studies have shown that very-low-nicotine cigarettes can minimize withdrawal symptoms in smokers who switch to these cigarettes and that they also reduce the number of cigarettes smoked in the long term, as smoking ceases to provide the expected rewards.

In one study, 25 percent of participants quit smoking even though they had not enrolled in the study with the intent to quit. (The trial was intended to test the effects of cigarettes with progressively lower nicotine content on the exposure to carcinogens.) And recently published preliminary data from another clinical trial showed that 36 percent of participants given cigarettes containing 0.05 mg of nicotine as a smoking cessation aid remained abstinent 3 months after treatment, compared with 20 percent of participants using a 4 mg nicotine lozenge.

A major unanswered question remains: What is the threshold dose of nicotine associated with addiction? Complicating the question is the likelihood that this dose may be different for adults and for adolescents, whose developing brains may be more sensitive to the addictive effects of nicotine. “Men also may have a different threshold dose compared with women, and it might even differ between races,” explained Dr. Hatsukami. “Clearly we need additional research in this area.”

Researchers also need to determine whether chemicals other than nicotine produce some of the reinforcing addictive effects of tobacco. Chemicals found in tobacco, such as nornicotine, anabasine, and monoamine oxidase inhibitors, may mediate the reinforcing effects of nicotine or have effects of their own.

“Eventually, we may not just think about reducing nicotine levels; we may actually think about measuring and reducing the overall addictiveness of cigarettes,” said Dr. Hatsukami. “That would cover a number of constituents or any other chemicals that could be added to a tobacco product to make it addictive.

“One of the main points of this article was to make people aware that we need to be very strategic and comprehensive in this research, in order to either support or refute the concept of nicotine reduction,” she continued. “It’s a call for research and also a call to provide resources to look at this area because of the potentially profound effect it could have on public health.”

 

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Tobacco researcher speaks at Westminster

2010/10/06 par Laisser un commentaire

By columbiatribune.com

FULTON — He was supposed to find a way to make a healthier cigarette. Instead, Victor DeNoble discovered that nicotine, like other drugs, alters the brain — research that later would help lawmakers take on the tobacco industry.

DeNoble is a former Philip Morris employee. He shared his story with about 30 people at Westminster College in Fulton last night.

DeNoble went to work for Philip Morris as a researcher in 1980. Executives there had told him nicotine was causing 138,000 deaths a year from heart attacks and strokes, and his charge was to find a substitute to replace that harmful component of cigarettes without altering its addictive properties.

In a secret third-floor lab, he and a fellow researcher did that work but also studied nicotine’s effects on the brain. Studying the brains of a mouse, monkey and human — preserved organs DeNoble showed the audience last night — he discovered that nicotine changes the chemical makeup of the brain.

“It was a really good experiment,” he said. “Oh, by the way, it got me fired.”

Philip Morris executives were not impressed with that work but kept him on because he was finishing his heart research. In 1983, the company patented a way to make cigarettes less harmful for the heart. Philip Morris attorneys, though, advised against manufacturing it because doing so would be admitting traditional cigarettes are dangerous, DeNoble said.

Company executives fired DeNoble in 1984 but not without first reminding him he signed a contract legally requiring him to keep his work secret.

He was allowed to return to his lab to kill the research animals, and DeNoble used the opportunity to gather top-secret documents. In a rush, he even threw a desk drawer into a box he smuggled out a side door.

DeNoble then enlisted an attorney to help him get that evidence to Congress. Later he discovered the lawyer instead sold the box back to Philip Morris.

It would be 10 years before DeNoble had an opportunity to share what he knew. When he learned that seven tobacco executives were going to testify before Congress in 1994, his wife recalled that he still had the desk drawer from his office.

In it, they discovered a 35 mm slide of his lab, proof of his research.

He anonymously mailed the slide to the FBI but made sure his fingerprints were on it so they could find him. Within days, he was ordered by a federal judge to testify under oath about his work, allowing him to sidestep his contract.

DeNoble then testified before Congress, countering tobacco executives’ claims that nicotine was safe.

Since then, the industry has paid $700 billion in fines and can no longer advertise cigarettes in cartoons, on billboards or at sporting events.

Yesterday was the first time Michelle Vaughan, an assistant professor of psychology at Westminster, heard DeNoble’s story. She’s planning to teach a course on addiction next semester and said the presentation armed her with new information.

Vaughan said she was impressed with DeNoble’s courage.

“It’s fascinating, just the way he put everything on the line repeatedly,” she said.

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Flavoured smokes snuffed out in Canada

2010/06/30 par Laisser un commentaire

CBC

Source: http://www.cbc.ca/consumer/story/2010/06/29/canada-flavoured-smokes.html

A new law, set to come into effect in July, aims to snuff out the sale of flavoured smokes while reducing the temptation among kids to take their first puff.

The measure, part of Canada’s anti-tobacco law Bill C-32, forbids the country’s retailers from selling fruit- and candy-flavoured little cigars, cigarettes and rolling papers made of tobacco.

The law takes effect across the country on July 5, however, Ontario pushed up its date to July 1. Retailers, who were given nine months to remove the products from their shelves, could be fined if caught selling the goods.

The bill, introduced in Parliament a year ago, is aimed at reducing the smoking rate of school-aged children. A 2008-09 school year survey suggests that 40 per cent of students in grades 10 to 12 had tried smoking cigarillos.

“There is simply no justification for tobacco products to be flavoured with candy, ice cream and fruit flavours,” Rob Cunningham, a Canadian Cancer Society spokesman, said in a press release.

“The risk is that these flavoured products can be a starter product for kids who would never otherwise start smoking. This bill is going to protect our kids from starting smoking and encourage more adults to quit.”

Some manufacturers are trying to skirt the new law by enlarging the size of cigarillos and altering the labelling on the packages. Canada Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq slammed the big tobacco companies for trying to buck the new rules.

“Not only does this action go against the intent of the legislation; it endangers the health of Canada’s children. We will deal with this issue and will continue working to ensure that Canada’s children are protected from the dangers of tobacco,” the minister said in a release.

Bill C-32, which was passed last year, also banned all tobacco advertising in Canadian newspapers and magazines.

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/consumer/story/2010/06/29/canada-flavoured-smokes.html#ixzz0sMvQsYvz

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FDA comes down hard on tobacco: Issues new rules for advertisements

2010/06/23 par Laisser un commentaire

Tech Jackal

Source: http://www.techjackal.net/other/2010/06/23/fda-comes-down-hard-on-tobacco-issues-new-rules-for-advertisements/

On Tuesday new Food and Drug Administration rules for cigarette advertisements took effect in the U.S. The new regulations effect the health warning labels on cigarettes, the use of misleading terms such as “light, “low,” and “mild” and will also put in place tougher sales restrictions to prevent access for youth.

The battle against tobacco and its health effects has been a long one. The FDA first attempted to assert control over tobacco sales in 1996, but the Supreme Court ruled that Congressional approval was needed. In 2009 both the House and Senate passed legislation that would regulate the manufacturing, marketing, and sale of tobacco products. President Barack Obama signed the bill into law on June 22, 2009.

The provisions in the Tobacco Control Act became effective Tuesday and give the FDA the power to regulate tobacco products in the interest of protecting public health. The new mandate also gives the FDA power to reduce tobacco use by children. The new stricter guidelines for the tobacco industry will be initiated over an extended period, but several key rules took effect Tuesday such as:

- Larger and stronger health warning labels must appear on products manufactured after June 22, 2010
- The tobacco industry is prohibited from using the terms “light,” “low,” or “mild” on labels
- No one under 18 may purchase cigarettes. Several states have this law, but it is now a Federal law
- Branded sponsorships of athletic or cultural events are prohibited

The new FDA regulations are not only aimed at preventing misleading advertising from tobacco companies, but are looking to prevent youth from taking up smoking. While youth smoking is on the decline, the number of youth who currently smoke or will begin smoking is still startlingly high.

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Free Screening for Head and Neck Cancer

2010/04/17 par Laisser un commentaire

From Komu.com

The free cancer screenings were a part of national Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Week. The screenings were a part of a walk-in clinic, so appointments were not necessary.

The National Cancer Institute estimates that 50,000 Americans have some form of head or neck cancer. Ear, nose and throat doctor at the Ellis Fischel Cancer Center Jeff Jorgensen said 85% of of head and neck cancers are related to tobacco use.

“The bottom line is we are trying to get people to stop smoking. And stop using any tobacco products for that matter,” Jorgensen said.

Norman Larson was one of the 150 people who attended the screening.  He was a smoker during his young adult life, but was not concerned that he had cancer. He came to the screening because he was in Columbia visiting his mother.

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Regina woman accused of giving her baby tobacco and heart medication

2010/04/17 par Laisser un commentaire

From Calgary Herald

Rebecca Dawn Wyatt, a 20-year-old Regina woman, has been charged with attempting to endanger the life of her baby by giving the child tobacco and Ramipril, a medication used to treat heart failure and hypertension.

Wyatt appeared in custody at Regina Provincial Court on Friday morning to face charges of administering a noxious substance and aggravated assault.

The petite blonde buried her face in her hands as Judge Murray Hinds read the charges aloud in court.

“I understand you’re upset, Rebecca, but do you understand what I said?” Hinds asked.

Wyatt nodded yes.

The offences are alleged to have occurred between March 25 and April 15.

Regina Police Service spokeswoman Lara Guzik-Rostad said police began investigating after receiving a call on April 1 about “a young child with unusual medical conditions.”

Wyatt was arrested on Thursday.

The Crown initially opposed Wyatt’s release from custody on Friday morning, but later consented to her release on a number of conditions, including that she live with her mother, abide by a 10 p.m. curfew, and abstain from using drugs and alcohol or going into bars.

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Tobacco will remain a public health threat!

2010/03/14 par Laisser un commentaire

By The Jakarta Post

Siti Supari, now a member of the Presidential Advisory Council, said the government should exercise extreme caution because the tobacco business was the livelihood of a great number of farmers and workers.

The former health minister claimed those farmers and workers should be the main consideration.
That is outrageous. Our main concern should without doubt, be public health, surpassing the case of the farmers and tobacco workers.

We are surprised that such a controversial statement came from Siti Fadilah, who only left her health minister post in October 2009.

She also said that restricting the tobacco business and consumption was a foreign idea, which might not be fully appropriate in the local context.

This may be a serious insult to Muhammadiyah and the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) who proclaimed that cigarette smoking should be considered haram.

Indonesian people reject control, especially from foreigners.  Siti Fdilah must have noticed to her
dismay that all tobacco companies are required to state in their own electronic and print media that “smoking causes cancer, heart disease” and other serious conditions.

Treating lung patients with cancer, asthma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema and other debilitating diseases, I know by daily personal experience that almost invariably, the culprit is tobacco.

Smoking, including passive smo-king, causes immense suffering, not only for the patients, but also for the families around them.

Lots of money is spent on smo-king and eventually, for containing the diseases that result from smo-king.

Siti Fadilah, the tobacco industries and the government share a common erroneous mindset that anti-tobacco campaigns are a serious threat to the industry, and that because of that, many people will loose their livelihood.

This is not only deceptive, but also a totally incorrect perception, for the simple reason that there is no authority whatsoever that can stop addicted smokers.

Many millions of them will keep on smoking and maintaining the livelihood of farmers for many years still to come!

Cigarettes contain nicotine, an addictive substance, just like opium, heroine or cocaine. This fact is opposed by addicted people, and particularly by those who love tobacco money so dearly.

Siti Fadilah needs to remember, that as long as people are addicted, they will keep on smoking, and will keep the industry alive as well.

The new Health Minister Endang Rahayu Sedyaningsih, has an entirely different approach. She is optimistic the government will be able to enforce a regulation completely banning all cigarette advertisements in electronic and print media, despite strong opposition from tobacco industries and farmers. We wish her success!

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Windsor men face tobacco charges

2010/03/14 par Laisser un commentaire

By The Windsor Star

The suspects were stopped by OPP officers in the westbound lanes of Highway 401 in Lakeshore about 1:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Police say they discovered more than 22 cases of illegal tobacco, a quantity of Canadian currency and a 1999 Ford Windstar minivan, which was turned over to the Windsor RCMP.

Charged are Robert Dali, 28, Al Shadood, 50, and Rivon Dali, 25, all of Windsor.

They have been released from custody with a court appearance set for April 26 in Windsor.

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Senate Passes PACT Act

2010/03/14 par Laisser un commentaire

BY: CSNews.com

The bill — which passed the House in May — is authored by Sen. Herb Kohl of Wisconsin and co-sponsored by a bipartisan group of 20 senators. The House version, penned by Rep. Anthony Weiner of New York, passed by a vote of 397-11. But because the House and Senate version are different, the House will need vote to accept the Senate version, which if passed, the bill would go to President Barack Obama’s desk.

The passage out of the Senate is a “major win” for c-store retailers, according to NACS Senior Vice President of Government Relations Lyle Beckwith.

“NACS has been working for over 10 years to pass legislation to regulate Internet and mail-order tobacco sales,” Beckwith said in a statement. “Last night’s vote brings us closer to achieving our goal than we have ever been. We will continue to pressure the House to take the final step necessary for passage and enactment.”
The Coalition to Stop Contraband Tobacco, a group of individuals, associations, businesses and other organizations supporting the PACT Act, also applauded the effort.

“Passage of the PACT Act is a huge victory for American taxpayers, American small business owners and America’s youth,” coalition spokesperson, Scott Ramminger, who is also AWMA president and CEO, said in a statement. “We applaud the Senate for its action today and thank Sen. Kohl for his leadership in ensuring that contraband tobacco sales are eliminated.”

The PACT Act would help combat online sales of untaxed cigarettes and help prevent youth access to tobacco by banning shipping of cigarettes through the U.S. Postal Service. It also closes gaps in current federal laws regulating “remote” or “delivery” sales of cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products.

With unanimous support the Senate Judiciary Committee approved the PACT Act in Nov. 2009.

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