HEADLINES

• Study: Help smokers quit whether they ask or not
• Cornwall: Illegal tobacco campaign success
• Study: Two-thirds of smokers try to quit in new year
• Ireland: Tobacco-related deaths decrease significantly
• Northern Ireland: In-your-face scan shows effects of smoking
• South Korea activists seek court ban on cigarette sales

• Study: Help smokers quit whether they ask or not

  A new study recommends that doctors should automatically offer smokers help with quitting, without waiting for signs that they are ready to give up.

  Looking at 13 past clinical trials, the researchers found that some smokers at least attempted to quit after getting simple advice from their doctor.

  But actual assistance in quitting -- either counselling on behaviour changes or nicotine replacement therapy -- worked better.

  Source: Reuters, 12 January 2012
  Link: http://reut.rs/xtL1Ge

• Cornwall: Illegal tobacco campaign success

  A campaign, run jointly by Smokefree Southwest and Cornwall Council's Trading Standards service, to raise awareness of illegal tobacco in Cornwall has been deemed a success.

  The campaign ran for six weeks and included gathering public support through events at Falmouth, St Austell and Truro, and uncovering information about illegal tobacco in Cornwall.

  Trading Standards said they will be acting on intelligence they received during the coming months.

  Source: BudePeople, 10 January 2012
  Link: http://bit.ly/xpPayJ

• Study: Two-thirds of smokers try to quit in new year

  New research suggests that two-thirds of smokers in the UK will try and give up in January, but half of them will fail within a week.

  According to the study, commissioned by Pfizer Limited in support of its Don't Go Cold Turkey disease awareness campaign, one in ten quit attempts will not last beyond 24 hours.

  Typically, smokers admit to having unsuccessfully attempted to quit three times before, with 51 per cent confident they can kick the habit in the next six months.

  Source: Netdoctor, 11 January 2012
  Link: http://bit.ly/xCCQ9I

• Ireland: Tobacco-related deaths decrease significantly

  The number of deaths attributed to tobacco has dropped from 5,700 per annum in 2000 to 5,173 in 2008.
  
  The researchers concluded that the data lent support for substantial investment in cost-effective, gender-specific prevention measures to reduce the mortality toll from tobacco.

  Source: Irish Medical Times, 09 January 2012
  Link: http://bit.ly/zeEhyv

• Northern Ireland: In-your-face scan shows effects of smoking

  Finola Guinnane - Miss Northern Ireland, had her photo taken and digitally altered using a new high-tech facial scanner on the Action Cancer Bus, which highlighted the damaging effects of smoking, overeating and sun exposure.
  
  This unique computer programme manipulates photographs to provide a stream of images of a person's face as it changes with age. The technology shows how our faces will look after decades of smoking and the results are dramatic.

  Source: Belfast Telegraph, 12 January 2012
  Link: http://bit.ly/A73JYw

• South Korea activists seek court ban on cigarette sales

  Anti-smoking activists in South Korea have gone to the constitutional court to try to shut down the country's cigarette industry.

  In a petition the activists urged the court to review the tobacco law which they say infringes people's rights to health and happiness.

  It was unclear when the court will make a ruling.

  Source: GMA News, 12 January 2012
  Link: http://bit.ly/wtAQu2