| NOVEMBER 15 , 2008 | VOLUME 2, NUMBER 6 |
| In and Around RI |
News: Tobacco Industry Underhanded Tactic Foiled by RI’s Anti-Tobacco Advocates
| Regulating Tobacco: Around the Nation and the World |
October 2008-Professor Gregory Connolly discusses the strategic marketing of moist snuff tobacco products, particularly to youth, and how tobacco companies adjust the levels of free nicotine content in their smokeless tobacco products.
‘Liquid Smoking’ Skirts Smoking Ban
Smokers who can't light up at bars may be able to get their nicotine fix by drinking a new beverage dubbed 'Liquid Smoking’.
Smokefree Campuses on the Rise
October 23, 2008: A recent report in USA Today claims that there are 140 smoke-free campuses in the country.
Proposed Cigar Ban in Boston ignites protests
October 9, 2008: A proposal to ban cigar bars in Boston raises some hackles.
Tobacco Habit Thrives in Recession
August 17, 2008: A recent article from the UK suggests that the global recession is ideal breeding ground for smoking addiction.
UK Smokers to See Stark Picture Warnings on Tobacco Packets Beginning Oct. 1
Beginning Oct. 1 2008, the UK's 10 million smokers will begin seeing graphic picture warnings on all tobacco products as the UK becomes the first country in the EU to introduce such graphic warnings. The warnings illustrate the devastating effects that tobacco can have on health. The new warnings, which include pictures of rotting teeth and lungs, throat cancer, and a 'flaccid cigarette', will replace the written warnings currently featured on packs, which were introduced in January 2003.
Written warnings have been a huge success, according to new figures released recently release by the UK Department of Health. Since their introduction five years ago, more than 90,000 smokers have been motivated by the warnings to call the NHS Smoking Helpline. The visual wake-up calls are expected to be even more effective than written warnings. Research suggests that warnings should be changed periodically to maintain effectiveness, and smokers are more likely to remember the damage they are doing to their health if they have seen a picture.
(From the October newsletter of the North American Quitline Consortium).
| Research Highlights |
|
Nicotine Gum for Pregnant Smokers: A Randomized Controlled Trial Oncken C, Dornelas E, Greene J, Sankey H, Glasmann A, Feinn R, Kranzler HR. Obstetrics & Gynecology 2008; 112:859-867. Pregnant women who were daily smokers were randomized into two groups: the treatment group received six weeks of behavioral counseling with 2-mg nicotine gum followed by a six-week taper period. The control group received the same counseling and taper period, but received a placebo gum. Women who did not quit smoking were instructed to reduce the number of cigarettes smoked by using the gum instead of smoking. While cessation rates were not significantly different between treatment and control groups, use of gum significantly reduced the number of cigarettes smoked per day and cotinine concentration. Birth weights were significantly greater with nicotine gum compared with placebo. Gestational age was also greater with nicotine-replacement therapy than with placebo. Both birth weight and gestational age are key variables in predicting neonatal well being. (From the October newsletter of the North American Quitline Consortium) |
| Resources | |
A new set of updated fact sheets are now available from Tobacco Free Kids. See the following:
- Tobacco's Toll in the USA. http://www.tobaccofreekids.org/research/factsheets/pdf/0072.pdf.
- State tobacco's toll sheets on our website. Data can be accessed at the state pull-down menu on TFK's website: http://www.tobaccofreekids.org/. Our website only includes a subset of the state-specific data available.
- Long-form state tobacco's toll sheets, which are not available on the website (but include more data than the website versions and are sent out upon request).
- State-specific fact sheets, which include:
- Tobacco's Toll in [State]
- Savings in a state from each one percentage point decline in smoking rates;
- Medicaid savings from smoking reductions;
- Cost savings and health benefits from adequate, sustained state tobacco prevention program investments (which we assume will reduce state smoking rates by one percentage point per year for five years).
- Key State Tobacco-Related Data & Rankings, http://www.tobaccofreekids.org/research/factsheets/pdf/0176.pdf
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| Rhode Island Department of Health • Tobacco Control Program• 3 Capitol Hill, Room 409 • Providence RI 02908 Voice: 401-222-3293 • Fax: 401-222-4415 • TTY: 711 A Rhode Island Government E-newsletter • © 2007 |
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