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ASH Daily News for 29 October 2007

Philip Morris establishes new research centre to offset falling cigarette sales

With waning cigarette sales due to concerns about health, smoking bans and price increases, Philip Morris USA is staking its future in a new research centre meant to develop products to reduce the risk of tobacco use.

The centre, which is currently occupied by 100 employees, will be home to 500 scientists, engineers and support staff by the end of the year.

Dinyar Devitre, chief financial officer for its parent company, Altria Group Inc, said the centre will give the company "a much brighter future" through improvements of current products and the development of new tobacco products. He said it also would give the nation's largest manufacturer "a leg up in the smokeless category," like snuff.

Rick Solana, the company's research and technology senior vice president will oversee the staff at the new centre. He said, "there's already plenty of pressure to deliver something to the market."

To offset declining cigarette sales, Philip Morris also has charged its way into the smokeless tobacco segment on the wings of its Marlboro brand. The company is testing a spitless tobacco product called Marlboro Snus and a moist smokeless tobacco product under the Marlboro brand.

Philip Morris is also adding more Marlboro branded products to its lineup, including Marlboro Smooth cigarettes and Marlboro Virginia Blend cigarettes, using only Virginia grown bright tobacco.

The move comes ahead of Altria's scheduled spinoff of Philip Morris International and the relocation of its headquarters from New York to Richmond.

Source: Business Week, 28 October 2007
Link: http://tinyurl.com/39ejl7

Smoking raises psoriasis risk

A new study suggests that smokers have a higher risk of developing psoriasis.

US researchers found that heavier smokers have a greater risk of the skin condition and this only falls back to normal 20 years after quitting.

The study of 79,000 nurses published in the American Journal of Medicine also found that people with psoriasis who smoke suffered more serverely from the disease.

It is thought that toxins in cigarette smoke may affect parts of the immune system associated with psoriasis.

Psoriasis, which occurs when the skin replaces itself too quickly, affects more than one million people in the UK.

Previous research has reported links between smoking and psoriasis but was unable to look at whether smoking occurred before the onset of the condition.

The researchers reported 887 cases of psoriasis in nurses who took part in the 14 year study.

Compared with women who never smoked, the risk of psoriasis was 37 per cent higher among past smokers and 78 per cent higher among current smokers.

The more people had smoked over the years, the higher their risk and it took a couple of decades after stopping smoking before the risk fell back to that of non-smokers.

The team also found that exposure to passive smoke during pregnancy or childhood was associated with an increased risk of psoriasis.

The study leader, Dr Hyon Choi, said the findings provided a clear incentive for those with psoriasis to stop smoking as well as those at risk of the condition.

"Beyond the potential effect on psoriasis, smoking cessation would lead to a better overall clinical outcome in psoriasis patients, who often suffer co-morbidities related to smoking," he said.

Stopping smoking may decrease the level of smoke induced inflammation in the body by lowering levels of circulating immune cells, he added.

Gladys Edwards added,  "We have always recommended that people with psoriasis should aim to cease smoking for their general health and to help improve their psoriasis."

"This study suggests that there is a stronger link between smoking and the risk of developing psoriasis and this clearly merits further research."

Source: BBC News, 29 October 2007
Link: http://tinyurl.com/yvydqy

Pub denies flouting smoking ban

A Herefordshire landlord has denied defying the smoking ban in his pub.

Tony Blows, landlord of the Dog Inn at Ewyas Harold, faces three charges under the Health Act 2006.

Herefordshire Council alleges that he flouted the ban, which came into effect in England on July 1, by smoking in the pub himself, and failing to prevent others from doing so.

He did not attend a hearing at Hereford Magistrates Court, but his solicitor, Matt Lewis, entered a not guilty plea on his behalf.

The case was adjourned to January 21 2008, when it will be heard by the district judge at Hereford Magistrates Court.

Source: Buxton Advertiser, 27 October 2007
Link: http://tinyurl.com/33f659

USA: Research shows teenagers start smoking to lose weight

Although smoking rates in teenagers has been down for years, researchers have found that girls are starting to smoke in the hope of losing weight.

According to a recent study by the American Journal of Health Promotion teenage girls dieting during the two-year study were almost twice as likely to take up smoking than those not dieting.

Conversely, the study found that teenage boys turned to cigarettes after attempting and failing at dieting.

Janan Less, community health consultant for the Scott County Health Department, said she thinks the increase in teenage girls smoking is linked to high obesity rates and girls looking to tobacco to lose weight.

The theory is that smoking distracts people from eating and helps curb appetites.

Ms. Less said, "I think there's a social norm change with tobacco and it's not socially acceptable now with all the information and knowledge we have."

Although there are many successful efforts to curb teenage smoking, young people certainly have not kicked the habit completely. 

R.J. Reynolds' newest cigarette has been criticised by many politicians for marketing their products towards teenage girls and women. Camel No. 9, claims to be "light and luscious, and the pink and black sleek packaging is designed to appeal to female smokers.

The company says the new take on cigarettes is designed to boost the number of female smokers loyal to the Camel brand. Representatives said the brand is known as a male brand, with only 30 percent of Camel smokers being women.

But many politicians and others across the country are up in arms about Camel No. 9 advertising in many major women's magazines; including Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Vogue and many others. Members of Congress have been writing to these publishers requesting they remove the advertisements which they claim are unquestionably targeted at teenage girls.

Source: Quad-cities Online, 28 October 2007
Link: http://tinyurl.com/3afqxj