Smoking a pack (or two) of cigarettes each day is obviously not good for your lungs. But for those who enjoy an occasional smoke, an obvious question is, “How many cigarettes can I smoke before I start to do some damage?” The sobering answer: Zero. That’s the conclusion of a new study from researchers at Weill Cornell Medical College and Cornell University in New York.

The researchers recruited 121 healthy volunteers to pee into a cup and submit to a bronchoscopy, a procedure that included removing cells from the lining of the part of the airway that would first come into contact with inhaled smoke.

Smoking status was determined based on levels of nicotine and cotinine (a chemical produced in the body as nicotine is metabolized) found in their urine. The 40 people with undetectable levels of nicotine and cotinine were classified as nonsmokers; those with low levels were considered occasional smokers or people exposed to secondhand smoke; and those with high levels were considered regular smokers.

By comparing the lung biopsies from regular smokers to those from nonsmokers, the researchers identified 372 genes whose expression was triggered by tobacco smoke. Then they checked to see what those genes were doing in the occasional smokers. It turned out that 128 of those genes (34%) had been activated — presumably by cigarettes — including 41 (11%) that were “significantly modified,” according to the study.

Next, the researchers checked to see how much nicotine and cotinine had to be in the urine before changes in the lung cell genes were noticeable. For nicotine, that level was a mere 1.8 nanograms per milliliter — too low to be picked up in tests. In other words, “there was no detectable level” of nicotine that was considered harmless, the researchers wrote. For cotinine, the threshold was 11 ng/ml, only slightly higher than the amount that the most sensitive tests can detect.

Digging further, the researchers found that the two groups of genes that responded most strongly in the occasional smokers were the same two groups that are most active in regular smokers. “These changes in gene expression are likely the earliest biologic abnormalities in the small airway epithelium that lead to clinically detectable lung disease,” they wrote.

Considering that so many people are exposed to secondhand smoke or partake in an occasional cigarette, the findings are significant, they concluded.

CHICOPEE, Mass. (Mass Appeal) – It’s an inevitable fact of life – your children will experience peer pressure at some point in their childhood. It’s is so important for them to know the negative consequences… that come with the decisions they choose to make. A warning for viewers – some of the pictures shown may be disturbing to some viewers.

Dr. Kelly Bouchard, member of Massachusetts Dental Society tells us more about this important topic.

Dangers of Oral Piercing

Fractured teeth
Sensitive teeth
Nerve damage
Infection (mouth has bateria)
Gum recession
Allergic reaction/choking hazard
Dangers of Chewing Tobacco

Oral cancer
Leads to teeth breaking down
Cavities on teeth
Addictive
Tips for quitting

Write a list of reasons
Pick a date to quit
Tell your family and friends
Find a hobby/activity to keep busy
Sugarless gum/candy, Nicotine gum

China (Reuters) – Chinese tobacco companies are targeting women and children as potential smokers as the market in men has peaked, health experts said on Thursday. Around 53 percent of Chinese men smoked, leading tobacco control activist Judith Mackay said, but only three percent of Chinese women. “Prevalence in men has peaked, but they are targeting women and children,” she said at the World Cancer Congress in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen. “That’s where we need to be extremely vigilant.”

As the world’s largest consumer and producer of tobacco with over 300 million smokers, health experts warned that tobacco firms in China were becoming more sophisticated in targeting their market.

“Girls in China are getting more independent and they have more money to spend,” Mackay said.

Calls late on Thursday to China’s National Tobacco Corp, the state-owned monopoly and the world’s largest tobacco producer, were not answered.

China’s 1.3 billion population carries an enormous cancer burden. With one in every three cigarettes in the world smoked in China, the nation had 2.82 million new cancer cases and 1.96 million cancer deaths in 2008.

Globally, there were 12.68 million new cancer cases and 7.6 million cancer deaths in 2008.

Despite the massive health costs, experts say state-owned Chinese tobacco firms are skirting tobacco laws with tactics such as printing health warnings in English, rather than Chinese, and using very fine print.

“The law mandates that the health warning should cover 30 percent of the face of the packaging in the front and the back,” said Professor Yang Gonghuan, deputy general director of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

“But in actuality the words are very small. It’s only a fine line.”

Some smokers may have grown tired of lighting 20 cigarettes with the same taste from a pack. For such consumers, KT&G has come up with a product that includes two groups of cigarettes with different flavors. KT&G, the country’s largest tobacco manufacturer, said Monday that the company will release the unique item, dubbed the Raison Pop 17+3, starting this Wednesday across the country at the price of 2,500 won a pack.

The product will include a total of 17 ordinary cigarettes and three convertible ones equipped with versatile filters, which offer multiple flavors.

When people click the filters of the three cigarettes, which have green filters, they will convert into menthol-flavored ones. If customers do not like the menthol flavor, they can smoke the three just like a regular cigarette.

KT&G expects that the branded packs will further boost the popularity of the Raison brand.

Raison, which debuted in 2002, is one of the top brands of KT&G. In particular, young smokers loved the brand, which was chosen as the top pick among university students three straight years through 2009.

The two-in-one cigarettes contain 6 milligrams of tar.

With their enticing cool and minty flavor, menthol cigarettes have emerged as one of the most controversial products made by the tobacco industry. Kids are particularly drawn to them, with nearly 45 percent of smokers aged 12 to 17 using menthol cigarettes, according to a 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Most black teenaged smokers — and 82.7 percent of black adult smokers — favor menthols, the same survey found.

“The manufacturers would have you believe there is not a scintilla of evidence that menthol is no more dangerous than other cigarettes to the individual smoker, but we do not agree,” said Ellen Vargyas, general counsel for the American Legacy Foundation, a smoking prevention and cessation organization in Washington, D.C., founded with funding from the landmark Master Settlement Agreement between the tobacco industry and state governments. “Over 80 percent of African-American smokers smoke menthol, and African-America smokers have the highest rates of lung cancer. We also know African-Americans with lung cancer are more likely to die from lung cancer.”

In addition, the popularity of menthols among younger, newer smokers suggests that maybe the minty taste does encourage people to start, perhaps by masking the harsh taste of regular cigarettes, she added.

“We know the younger you are and the newer the smoker you are, the more likely you are to smoke menthol,” said Vargyas. “There is a very strong correlation between being a teenaged smoker and menthol cigarettes.”

That’s no coincidence, say smoking opponents: The tobacco industry has long targeted youth and minorities for menthol cigarette marketing, even manipulating menthol content in different brands in an effort to recruit new smokers among youth, according to the National Cancer Institute and the Harvard School of Public Health.

The debate over how menthols should be regulated lit up again last month, during the second round of hearings held by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee.

The advisory committee was established by the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, signed into law by President Barack Obama in June 2009. The legislation gave the FDA unprecedented power to restrict the marketing of tobacco products.

While the law bans cigarette makers from adding candy or fruit-like flavors such as clove, cinnamon, vanilla, cocoa or strawberry to cigarettes, legislators hedged when it came to menthols, the most popular flavoring by far.

Although menthol was not banned from cigarettes, the law stressed that nothing prevented it from regulating menthol as well. In fact, the act required the FDA advisory committee to consider menthol cigarettes impact on public health — including its use among children and minorities– as its first order of business.

During the first round of hearings in March, the advisory committee sought answers about the addictiveness of menthol cigarettes, whether they are more harmful than regular cigarettes and whether the flavor encourages kids in particular to take up smoking.

Anti-smoking advocates say there is no evidence that menthols — which account for an estimated 33.9 percent of the U.S. cigarette market — are less deadly than any other cigarette. Research from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, in fact, suggests that they are more addictive, making it harder for smokers to quit, particularly blacks and Latinos.

During the hearings, tobacco industry representatives defended their products, saying menthols are no more harmful than other cigarettes and should not be singled out for a ban.

“We don’t think there is any evidence or even any suggestion that youth would choose not to smoke if menthol products weren’t available,” said Bill True, senior vice president of research and development for Lorillard Tobacco Co., the makers of Newport’s. “Kids don’t smoke because there are menthol cigarettes. Kids smoke for a variety of reasons which are probably quite complex.”

“Cigarettes do pose significant dangers to an individual’s health,” True added. “In dealing with regulating the product, we believe the FDA should be looking at those things that are the most significant.”

On that point, anti-smoking advocates agree. Cigarettes are by their very nature a deadly product, and legislation to sharply regulate their manufacture, sale and marketing can’t come a moment too soon, said Vargyas.

Mitch Zeller, vice president for policy and strategic communications at Pinney Associates in Washington, D.C. and the director of the FDA’s Office of Tobacco Programs during the Clinton Administration, noted that there were some limitations to the family smoking prevention laws reach. While the FDA has far more power over the industry than before, it cannot ban all cigarettes outright, nor can it force cigarette companies to reduce nicotine levels to zero, he said.

However, he said, the legislation requires tobacco companies to disclose comprehensive information about the contents and manufacturing process for tobacco products. The tobacco companies, he added, have been less than forthcoming with their data about the marketing and manufacture of menthols.

“The industry presentation on the issues that matter the most — those related to marketing that influences kids and any issue related to the initiation of smoking — was non-responsive,” Zeller said. “The advisory committee is in need of more information to do its job.”

The FDA advisory committee has nine members and includes physicians, scientists and public health experts; the tobacco industry is represented by three non-voting members. The committee has until March 2011 to report its menthol findings to the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services.

University Park, Pa. — Bans on alcohol and tobacco marketing are among the least effective tactics for combating underage drinking and smoking, according to a Penn State economist, who has studied the effects of advertising since 1985. “My conclusion is that the emphasis on advertising bans and similar regulations in the public health literature is misplaced,” said Jon Nelson, professor emeritus of economics.

“More effective policies need to be sought to deal with issues of youthful risk-taking associated with alcohol and tobacco.”
Among the deficiencies, Nelson reported that there were problems with how researchers selected people to participate in their studies and how they drew conclusions from the data they collected.
“The studies, in fact, are deficient in so many respects that the big question is whether there’s any influence of marketing at all, especially the mass media,” Nelson said.
Policy makers and advocacy groups use these studies to initiate and justify bans on alcohol and tobacco product advertising in order to lower the social costs associated with using these products and to promote youth health. According to Nelson, the American Medical Association and the World Health Organization are among the organizations that uncritically cite these studies in their advocacy of tobacco and alcohol advertising bans.
Nelson recommended several ways to improve studies on youth alcohol and tobacco behaviors. Researchers who explore advertising’s influence on youth drinking and smoking should better identify why variables, such as peer and parental influences, are included in the study and choose variables that more effectively measure the exposure of alcohol and tobacco marketing in youth behavior.
In a recent review of 20 youth drinking studies and 26 youth smoking studies published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Nelson found that only 33 percent of the results were statistically significant in linking marketing with youth drinking. He considered only 49 percent of the results significant on marketing and youth smoking behavior.
“These studies should be done against a well-defined scientific standard for an empirical investigation,” said Nelson. “There is really no such thing as a perfect study, but the object should be to get closer to those acceptable standards.”
Nelson identified longitudinal studies that measured the influence of a range of alcohol and tobacco marketing efforts including mass media, in-store displays, branded merchandise, movie portrayals and brand recognition. The participant in a longitudinal study is interviewed or surveyed over two or more years.
Nelson looked at these studies in two categories, youth drinking and youth smoking. Although these studies had common features, they were treated separately because they used slightly different models to explore advertising receptivity and exposure. Nelson then offered critical assessments of the studies in each category, paying particular attention to the consistency of empirical results among the studies.
The review reinforced findings in Nelson’s previous work. In 2001 and 2010 studies, he showed advertising bans in European countries did not reduce adult alcohol consumption. In 2003 and 2006 studies, he reported a similar finding for tobacco advertising bans.

From live.psu.edu, August 18, 2010

Marlboro, Camel and Winston cigarettes will no longer be a welcome companion at various city parks as the Sault Ste. Marie City Commission unanimously approved a measure prohibiting their use at the request of Clara James and the Building A Healthier Community Coalition. And, for good measure, Beechnut, Grizzly, Skoal and Copenhagen and Redman — spit tobacco in all its forms — will be prohibited as well.

City Manager Spencer Nebel brought forth the recommendation after consulting with Parks and Recreation Director Dan Wyers following an earlier presentation by James and company requesting the new regulations.
Nebel and Wyers identified locations within the city’s park network primarily used by young people for the new regulation, with an eye toward allowing the use of tobacco in areas where adults would gather to engage in recreational activities.
The Pullar Community Building, Kaine’s Rink, Minneapolis Woods Recreation Area, Project Playground, and Kids’ Fishing Pond at Rotary Park will all be posted as “Tobacco-Free” under the plan. Portions of Sherman Park — identified as the beach and playground — will also fall under the tobacco-free designation as will ball fields at Malcolm Park designed for young participants.
The initial plan called for all of Malcolm Park to fall under the tobacco ban, but Commissioner Marilyn Burton expressed the belief that this was too broad.
“An awful lot of adults are going to be angry they can’t have a cigarette outside,” she said, adding that on a personal level she disliked cigarettes and cigarette butts.
Wyers said that it was possible to sift through the nine ball fields in the Malcolm Complex to identify those that cater to younger players, and the commission seemed to jump on that as a fair compromise.
Tobacco use will still be acceptable in Alford Park, Rotary Park (with the exception of the fishing pond), city-owned cemeteries, Seal Memorial and Weber Park. The boat launches, campgrounds and marinas will not have any new tobacco regulations applied.
City Attorney Steve Cannello explained the use of tobacco products would not result in any sort of criminal prosecution for violators nor would it even rise to the level of a civil infraction. Under the new regulations, tobacco users would only be asked to leave the park property if found in violation.

Anyone who has ever given up smoking will know how hard it is and will also know how much better they feel as a result. Yet, despite all the reasons for giving up, many don’t manage it and, for some, it is simply because they don’t want to quit smoking. There are many reasons for this, but some of the more common ones include the following:

Some people simply enjoy smoking. Picking up a cigarette makes them feel better about the world and, provided that they don’t blow smoke all over their friends and family, it isn’t doing anyone else any harm. For some, the social aspect is what they enjoy – the feeling of belonging to a group of people can be incredibly addictive. And some simply enjoy the taste of tobacco and the feeling that holding a cigarette in their fingers brings.

*Health risks are ignored

It’s almost impossible in this day and age to ignore the health risks that are linked with smoking. However, many people choose to ignore them, or to go ahead and smoke regardless because they think it is already too late. Still others are unconvinced of the health risks, thinking that they are over-exaggerated. Ultimately, a smoker has to be convinced of the risks and/or want to give up before a quitting plan can be put into action.

*Giving up is stressful

There is no doubt that giving up smoking is an incredibly stressful thing to do. Smoking is an addiction, so it is rarely possible to just throw away your cigarettes and never smoke them again. Cravings and the shakes are bound to be a result, and, for those whom smoking is used as a crutch to get them through life, they will suddenly be lacking something important. It may simply not be possible for a smoker to cope with the stress that not smoking brings.

*No-one enjoys being told what to do

Telling someone to give up anything is bound to offend. Imagine if you are a smoker and someone, be it friends, family, or every other advert, is constantly telling you to give it up. It may work for a few people, but many will go through a process of deep resentment at being told what to do. Eventually, they may reach the point where they decide to listen and try to give up, but that is something that they need to do in their time, without being constantly nagged. That is not to say that others should give up trying to change their way of thinking, but knowing when to cut some slack is important.

*Family members and friends smoke

Many smokers smoke because they have been influenced by their environment – their friends and family smoke. This can make it even harder to give up, because there is no fun in quitting when everyone around you is carrying on. Occasionally smokers can mass quit together, but more often than not, one person will return to the smoking fold, and then another, until eventually everyone is back to normal. Eventually, everyone will come to the conclusion that it is easier not to quit.

*One addiction will be replaced by another

Smoking is an addiction and, if the smoker is to give up, they often need to find another addiction to take its place. This could be eating, which leads to weight gain, or drinking, which can lead to multiple health problems. Some smokers simply see smoking as one addiction that they can handle – at least there is no weight gain or alcohol issues. This may not be true, but many smokers can convince themselves that smoking is the lesser evil and that therefore they do not want to give up.

If you are a friend or family member to someone who smokes heavily and you are trying to persuade them to give up, consider the above factors. It may help you understand why they don’t want to quit.

From: helium.com, August 17, 2010

Patients who use tobacco and enter North Carolina private hospitals will soon get more than medical assistance. They’ll also get advice on how to quit and — if they ask for it — a follow-up inquiry a month after being discharged. The program is being overseen by the foundation of the N.C. Hospital Association and N.C. Prevention Partners and paid for through a two-year, $500,000 grant from The Duke Endowment.

Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center is serving as a lead health-care facility on the effort, said Dr. Melva Fager Okun, the senior health program manager at N.C. Prevention Partners.

In January, Wake Forest Baptist became the first hospital in North Carolina to achieve statewide “gold star” status for its tobacco-cessation programs.

Okun said that patients can turn down the tobacco-cessation services.

“Everyone should be given the chance to participate and know that when they want to quit, we are there to help them,” Okun said. “It was my dream that we would get to this stage. I fully believe we will lead the nation in this vital health initiative.”

The recommendation for offering tobacco-cessation products and services to patients comes from The Joint Commission, which is the nation’s oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body for health care.

The commission currently advocates that tobacco-cessation efforts be offered for only a small set of patients, primarily related to myocardial infarction, heart failure and pneumonia.

Kenneth Powers, a spokesman for the commission, said that the group is conducting a pilot program on measuring tobacco and alcohol use as a core data-measuring requirement for hospitals. Hospitals must provide four core data sets from a choice of 10.

“We are developing performance measures for health-care organizations, not expectations for patients,” Powers said. “It is not anticipated that the tobacco and alcohol measures will be mandatory.”

Robert Parker, a vice president of special operations and community health for Wake Forest Baptist, said that the system would comply with the commission’s recommendations. Parker also serves as a board member for N.C. Prevention Partners.

Although Okun said that the focus of the initiative will be admitted patients, Parker said he expects the measures would be applicable to operations outside the hospital.

The initiative follows up on a similar effort aimed at hospital employees.

N.C. Prevention Partners led the effort toward all acute-care hospitals in North Carolina becoming 100 percent tobacco-free — the only state in the nation at that level.

However, a trip around the main campus of Wake Forest Baptist showed that it remains unlikely that the policy — put in place in July 2007 — will gain 100 percent compliance from employees, visitors and patients.

Smokers have braved scorching and blustery weather for a smoke, primarily in public areas along the sidewalk, a covered city-bus stop or nearby retail outlets.

Forsyth Medical Center, which also has a tobacco-free policy, appears to have fewer smoking issues among employees, visitors and patients because people there have to walk further to get off campus compared with Baptist.

“If N.C. Prevention Partners truly desired to prevent tobacco diseases, it would inform smokers that cold turkey is the best way to quit, and that just 5 percent of nicotine patch/gum/lozenge users have quit smoking,” said Bill Godshall, the executive director of SmokeFree Pennsylvania. The organization advocates and lobbies for smoke-free air policies, reducing tobacco marketing to youths, addiction treatment and other measures.

“Switching to or substituting any smoke-free tobacco/nicotine product can significantly reduce a smoker’s health risks,” Godshall said.

From: journalnow.com, August 17, 2010