HEADLINES

• Scotland: Raigmore Hospital's no smoking ban ignored
• Tower Hamlets: NHS helps hundreds kick smoking habit
• Plain cigarette pack row takes centre stage in Australian election
• USA: Using Multiple Tobacco Products Ups Hazards

• Scotland: Raigmore Hospital's no smoking ban ignored

  Patients and visitors are ignoring no smoking rules at the biggest hospital in the Highlands.

  Concerns have been raised by Raigmore Hospital management about policing the ban at the site in Inverness.

  NHS Highland banned smoking at all its sites in 2008, but said implementing the restriction was challenging.

  The health board said allowances were made in some circumstances, such as relatives who were distressed about a loved one.

  Chief operating officer Elaine Mead said there were discussions about the sensitivity of the ban in some cases, but she added that "the spirit of the policy" was not being adhered to.

  She said: "We will be providing advice to staff about directing patients appropriately and plan to continue to challenge individuals smoking on site, out with the exceptional circumstances.

  "We will also be able to provide smoking cessation advice and guidance.

  "Patients and staff tell us repeatedly that they no longer wish to have to walk through a smoky atmosphere to enter the hospital, or accept cigarette ends at our doorways.

  "They also find it disturbing to see patients in night wear smoking at entrances to the hospital."

  Ms Mead said as a health provider NHS Highland believed it was important to set an example.

  Earlier this week, a decision on whether to ban smoking from all of NHS Grampian's premises by 2012 was delayed amid concerns over enforcing the measures.

  The board deferred the decision for six months after agreeing more discussion was needed with staff, patients, the public and other health authorities.

  Proposals included disciplinary procedures for staff and the possible withdrawal of care from patients.

  But some members expressed reservations that a total ban was unenforceable.

  Source: BBC News - 07 August 2010
  Link: http://bit.ly/c7MmWa

• Tower Hamlets: NHS helps hundreds kick smoking habit

  More people have been helped to quit smoking in Tower Hamlets than anywhere else in London.

  More than 2,700 people kicked the habit over the past year, with support from health trust NHS Tower Hamlets.

  Tower Hamlets has one of the highest smoking rates in the country, with an estimated 70,000 people – 37 per cent of the adult population – addicted to the habit compared to 27 per cent in England.

  Jill Goddard, senior lead officer for tobacco control at NHS Tower Hamlets, said: “Tower Hamlets has very high rates of smoking and tobacco use, which has a detrimental impact upon the health of our community.

  “We have a large network of people committed to helping local people stop, so we are absolutely thrilled to be in the top spot.”

  The Tobacco Control Alliance was set up in 2007 by the health trust and the council to tackle the problem by confronting tobacco usage among residents.

  It has adopted three long-term approaches to tackling tobacco issues, including prevention, support for those looking to stop and action to promote smoke-free environments more widely.

  Successes include the Smokefree Business Awards, shisha awareness campaigns and smoking cessation services within workplaces.

  Ian Basnett, joint director of public health, NHS Tower Hamlets and Tower Hamlets Council, said: “Being number one for smoking cessation rates across London is truly a nod to all of the alliance’s hard work.”

  Lead councillor for adults, health and wellbeing Rachael Saunders said: “I hope residents who smoke will take advantage of the support and help on offer through the council and NHS so they can enjoy a much healthier life by stubbing it out once and for all.”

  Source: Tower Hamlets Council - 02 August 2010
  Link: http://bit.ly/aVRPW8

• Plain cigarette pack row takes centre stage in Australian election

  Australia's plans to ban branded cigarette packs have taken a central role in the country's general election campaign after an alliance of small shopkeepers launched an advertising campaign against the move.

  The Alliance of Australian Retailers (AAR), which represents both newsagents and service station owners, has today (5 August) placed a series of ads in the Australian press to contest the plans.

  The campaign, which is being funded by the major tobacco producers, argues that the ban on all branding on cigarette packs would hurt small businesses and lead to job losses.

  It comes as Australians plan to go to the polls in a general election on 21 August. While the ads are, according to reports, critical of the ruling Labor party, the opposition Liberal Party’s leader Tony Abbott has told the Australian press that he would consider going ahead with the plain-pack plans if he wins the election.

  Australia’s former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced the proposed ban, which would come into force in July 2012, back in April.

  Sheryle Moon, who set up the AAR just two weeks ago, has denied that the campaign is politically motivated.

  She told ABC News: "Plain packaging is not a proven policy," she said. "There's no credible evidence that this policy will stop people smoking, that it will stop kids, young people, taking up cigarette smoking. It will just make it more difficult for retailers to do their business."

  Source: Packaging News - 05 August 2010
  Link: http://bit.ly/atWd6V

• USA: Using Multiple Tobacco Products Ups Hazards

  People who smoke cigarettes and also use other forms of tobacco have higher levels of nicotine addiction, find it more difficult to quit using tobacco, and are at greatly increased risk for tobacco-related health problems such as cancer, heart disease and stroke, warns a new government study.

  Researchers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention analyzed data from 13 states included in the 2008 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and found that young adults aged 18 to 24 (5.7 percent), single people (4.8 percent) and men (4.4 percent) are most likely to use cigarettes in combination with other forms of tobacco such as cigars; pipes; bidis, a South Asian leaf-wrapped cigarette; and kreteks, cigarettes made with tobacco, cloves and other flavors.

  The study appears in this week's issue of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, published by the CDC.

  It also found that one in four adults in the 13 states uses at least one form of tobacco. Use of any tobacco product ranged from 18.4 percent in New Jersey to 35 percent in West Virginia.

  Among the other findings:

  • Rates of use of multiple tobacco products ranged from 1 percent in New Jersey to 3.7 percent in West Virginia.
  • Use of any tobacco was higher among whites (26.2 percent) and blacks (24.4 percent) than among Hispanics (19.7 percent).
  • Married people (21.2 percent) were less likely to use any type of tobacco than those who were widowed/divorced (29.1 percent), single (30.3 percent), or members of an unmarried couple (36.3 percent).
  • People with less than a high school education were more likely to use any type of tobacco than those with some college education or more -- 33.1 percent vs. 20.5 percent.

  "Every day, smoking kills more than 1,000 people and is the leading preventable cause of death. The more types of tobacco products people use, the greater their risk for many diseases caused by tobacco, such as cancer and heart disease," CDC Director Dr. Thomas R. Frieden said in an agency news release.

  Source: Healthfinder - 05 August 2010
  Link: http://bit.ly/b3fXGN