New Jersey to Ban Smoking in All Its Parks and Beaches

In case Chris Christie, the Governor of New Jersey, signs new anti-smoking bill into a law, the state would become first in the USA who banned smoking cigars, cigarettes and other tobacco products in all public beaches and parks. Both houses of the New Jersey legislature showed their support for the initiative and approved the

Study Found Connection Between Mother’s Smoking and Kid’s Obesity

A new study found that children of females who smoke cigarettes during their pregnancy and are overweight, are more likely to become obese as toddlers, and remain obese in their teenage. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, during the past years in the USA the rates of obesity have significantly increased among

Quitting Smokeless Tobacco May Boost Survival After Heart Attack

A new study suggests that heart attack patients who stop using snus -- a specific type of moist chewing tobacco that is popular in Sweden -- could greatly reduce their risk of dying within a couple years. The findings don't directly prove that stopping the use of this type of smokeless tobacco actually affects cardiac health, and ethical constraints may prevent researchers from ever understanding the full value of quitting. There are other caveats, and it's not clear that quitting the main kinds of smokeless tobacco used in the United States would have the same potential effect.

Still, the study "indicates that quitting snus use after a heart attack might be as equally beneficial as quitting smoking after a heart attack," said study author Dr. Gabriel Arefalk, a cardiologist at Uppsala University Hospital in Uppsala, Sweden.

The health risks of smokeless tobacco have been in the news over the past week because of the death of baseball legend Tony Gwynn at the age of 54. Gwynn blamed his initial salivary gland cancer on a long history of chewing tobacco, although doctors say there's no definitive link between that kind of tobacco and that type of cancer. It's clear, however, that smokeless tobacco poses major risks to health and causes other kinds of cancer.

Smokeless tobacco comes in a variety of forms, including traditional chewing tobacco (which may come in loose leaves or "plugs") and snuff (finely cut or powdered tobacco), according to the U.S. National Cancer Institute. The new study examines snus (rhymes with "moose"), a kind of moist snuff that doesn't need to be spit out because users typically swallow the tobacco juices.

"Snus is very different from American chewing tobacco such as Red Man or American moist snuff such as Skoal or Copenhagen," explained Dr. John Spangler, a professor of family and community medicine and psychiatry and behavioral medicine at Wake Forest School of Medicine. "Snus is pasteurized by steam, while American smokeless tobacco is cured in a heated environment over time. Curing generates more cancer-causing agents, so some tobacco experts argue that snus is safer and want tobacco companies to be able to market snus as safer."

Snus is especially popular in Sweden, where 20 percent of adult men and 3 percent of adult women use it. The researchers tracked almost 2,500 snus users, mostly men, who were younger than 75 and had heart attacks between 2005 and 2009. Only about one-fourth -- 675 -- quit using snus, while the rest continued.

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Indonesia Refuses to Sign Convention on Tobacco Control

The Government in Indonesia took a decision not to sign Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) in order to protect the countrys tobacco industry. According to Faiz Ahmad, the chief of beverage and tobacco industries at the industry ministry, the decision is very effective because it will work due to existence of the agency which

“Be Marlboro” Campaign Aimed at Youth?

Recently BBC released a new documentary movie called ” The Seduction of Smoking” , in which it says that Philip Morris International created a marketing campaign for its Marlboro cigarettes to target young people. The talk is about “Be Marlboro” ad campaign which is proved to be aimed particularly at youth. The Campaign for Tobacco-Free

End all smoking in casinos

Casino company executives and industry experts recently met to discuss issues such as rapid expansion and competition in the regional gaming market at the 18th annual East Coast Gaming Congress, held in Atlantic City. Unfortunately, one item left off the agenda was a public-health issue of great importance: the thousands of workers and patrons being exposed to secondhand smoke inside Pennsylvania and New Jersey casinos. The time has come to move toward smoke-free casinos to create a healthier environment for employees and patrons.

Workplace exposure to secondhand smoke at places like casinos remains a top preventable cause of rising health-care costs, chronic disease, and premature death. In January, the U.S. surgeon general issued a report adding stroke to a long list of health effects caused by exposure to secondhand smoke. Exposure for as little as 30 minutes causes immediate effects on blood and blood vessels that raise the risk of a heart attack. In 2006, the surgeon general reported that there is no known safe level of exposure, and the only known way to fully protect health is to have 100 percent smoke-free indoor air.

A recent journal article by a senior scientist with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that casino workers employed where indoor smoking is permitted have a significantly higher risk of heart disease, heart attacks, and lung cancer - even when smoking is limited to certain casino areas or when high-tech ventilation is employed. With about 50,000 employees working at Atlantic City casinos and those across Pennsylvania, this is a significant workplace safety issue. If the dangerous health impacts of exposure are not compelling reason enough for casinos to be smokefree, casino companies and state decision makers should consider the disadvantages of allowing secondhand smoke in Pennsylvania and New Jersey casinos when it comes to their regional gaming competition. Most casino patrons do not smoke, just as 82 percent of the U.S. population does not.

Casino expansion is heating up as nearby states compete for the same pool of patrons. A recent Econsult report to the legislature, "The Current Condition and Future Viability of Casino Gaming in Pennsylvania," suggests that while the state's casinos have made gains "cannibalizing" patrons from New Jersey, Delaware, and West Virginia, they are open to this same risk of losing patrons to Ohio, Maryland, and New York, which all have smoke-free casinos.

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Residents Want to be Protected from Secondhand Smoke

Tuolumne County Public Health Department along with Calaveras Public Health Services revealed the results of a new survey which demonstrated that the majority of residents in multi-housing units do support the reduction of exposure to secondhand smoke. 59% of Tuolumne County and 64% of Calaveras County residents favored smoking bans in outdoor common areas of

Ireland Leads EU on Plain Packaging of Cigarettes

The Irish government approved draft laws which make tobacco companies use plain packs on tobacco products sold in the country. This is a great and important step towards the improvment of public health, which will improve country’s reputation as a global leader in tobacco control. If the law will be adopted, it will prohibit use

Secondhand Smoke and Pregnancy

Every time, a pregnant woman is exposed to smoking, her foetus is precariously exposed to meet with intra-uterine deaths, say experts. The pulmonologists testify that in a state like Kerala where the prevalence rate of smoking is high, such premature deaths will definitely be a recurring phenomenon.

“Around 1.5 lakh people die of passive smoking in the country. Hence, it will not be wrong to presume that intra-uterine deaths are happening in the state which has topped the country with high prevalence smoking rate than the national average,” said Dr Babu John Mathew, consultant general physician, Medical Trust Hospital.

Intra-uterine deaths usually happen when the mother is an excessive smoker. “But here, the scenario is different. Here, the prevalence of smoking in women is not as high as it is in other parts of the country. But if the child’s father is an active smoker, it is beyond doubt that the mother will be highly exposed to smoking,” he pointed out.

Dr Praveen Valsalan, secretary, Cochin Thoracic Society, pointed out that, when the world scenario is taken into account, almost half of the children regularly breathe air polluted by tobacco smoke in public places. “Over 40 per cent of children have at least one smoking parent and active smoking causes more than 6,00,000 premature deaths a year.

The scenario will not be much different in the state which is known for smoking. The curse of our state is that an in-depth study has not been initiated here so far,” he said. The medical literature states that intra-uterine foetal demise can happen due to smoking, said Dr Sheila Scaria, a gynaecologist based in Kochi . “Though we cannot identify such incidents easily, the chances of premature deaths in babies are high due to both active and passive smoking. The scenario will not be different in any part of the world which is exposed to smoking,” she said.

Asked if such deaths have been reported in any parts of the state, they said: “It is not easy to identify such deaths which is a major hurdle. No research or studies have been undertaken in this regard so far. Besides, it is a long-winding procedure. If any such death happens, the whole family history will have to be traced,” said Dr Babu John. He added that while most of the smokers are honest about smoking in Western countries, Keralites try to cover it up when it comes to initiating any study in this regard.

New Jersey to Increase Age to Buy Cigarettes

State committee in New Jersey proposed to increase to 21 legal age to buy tobacco products and e-cigarettes. If the proposal will be approved, the law will make New Jersey the first state in the USA who requires this age to buy cigarettes. Back in 2006 the state increased minimum age to buy cigarettes, cigars

Tax Increase Will Not Reduce Tobacco Use

British American Tobacco Zimbabwe asked governments in Southern Africa to pay attention to the consequences of high taxes on tobacco products which were increased in order to reduce tobacco use among population. On May 31 the world celebrated No Tobacco Day and with this regard BAT Zimbabwe released a statement which says that the company

BAT Dislikes Increasing Tobacco Taxes

On World No Tobacco Day, British American Tobacco (BAT) called on governments across Southern Africa to carefully consider the unintended consequences of increased taxes on tobacco products with the intention of reducing tobacco consumption.

BAT, the maker of Dunhill cigarettes, says it does not believe that an increase in taxes on tobacco products will result in decreased  consumption, instead smokers may continue to look for cheaper,often illicit products. What’s more is that the call for increased taxation on tobacco products is being made from within a context of already high tobacco taxes across Southern Africa, and an economic environment in which the disposable income of consumers remains stretched.

“Often, with an increase in taxes on tobacco products, a knee-jerk reaction by consumers under severe economic pressure is to unwittingly purchase cheaper cigarette brands in order to save money. Regrettably, these brands are often illicit brands that have a severe economic and social impact

We have observed a dramatic increase in the incidence of illicit trade in countries with higher excise rates on tobacco products, many of which are struggling to curb the problem despite concerted efforts from law enforcement authorities. Some research indicates that up to 660 billion cigarettes a year are illegal – smuggled, counterfeit or tax-evaded in other ways. That’s up to 12 percent of world consumption. Closer to home, illicit cigarettes are already widely available throughout both formal and informal retail channels across Southern Africa. In some countries, such as South Africa, the illicit cigarette incidence is nearly three times the global average, which is alarming,” read a statement from BAT.

BAT therefore urged governments seeking to reduce tobacco usage to broaden the scope of their considerations beyond increases in tax. “Public health objectives cannot be the sole aspect of consideration when determining fiscal policy. The unintended consequences as a result of increases in tax on tobacco products may, in fact, jeopardise the achievement of these public health objectives,” said BAT.

The WHO itself estimates that there are currently one billion smokers across the globe and that by 2050 this number could increase to 2.2 billion. Said BAT: “Given this estimation, we believe that it is going to be important for regulators to separate the issues around the sale of a legal, regulated but risky product and the unintended consequences that may arise from bad policy decisions. While we acknowledge the risks associated with smoking, we believe in a sensible approach to tobacco taxation that takes into account all the potential unintended consequences such as the illicit trade in tobacco products.”

Durango Celebrating Smoke-Free Public Areas

On Saturday, May 31, the entire world celebrated No Tobacco Day. With that ocassion in Durango city, Colorado, local health activists organized a party. No Tobacco Day is celebrated to encourage smokers to refuse from their cheap cigarettes at least for 24 hours. Recently Durango City Council adopted an anti-smoking ordinance which prohibits smoking cigarettes