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ASH News and Events Bulletin - 01-15 July 2010

HEADLINES

EVENTS

  • Most smokers now support ban

    At least half of smokers support the current smoking ban according to a poll published on the third anniversary of England’s smokefree public places law.

    The poll, conducted by YouGov for ASH suggests that support for the law has doubled since it was introduced in 2007. Overall 81% of all adults believe the smokefree legislation is good for their health, with 91% of never-smokers believing this to be the case and 50% of daily smokers (40% of daily smokers disagree).

    There is also substantial support among smokers for further restrictions on smoking:

    •61% of smokers support a ban on smoking in cars with children (in the general population, 77% support a ban)
    •49% of smokers support a ban on smoking in children’s play areas (in the general population, 73% support a ban)
    •21% of smokers support further restrictions on smoking at the entrances and exits of public buildings
    (in the general population, 67% support further restrictions)
     

    Research recently published in the BMJ showed that in the 12 months following the implementation of the smoking ban, there was a 'small but significant' 2.4% drop in the number of heart attacks in England resulting in 12,000 fewer admissions to hospital saving the NHS £8.4 million.
     

    Source: Male Health, 30 June 2010
    Link: http://bit.ly/bxozbA

  • Don't forget tobacco

    The following is an extract from an editorial on tobacco control in the US, much of which can be applied to other countries.

    “… There is, however, strong evidence regarding ways of reducing tobacco use. Four policies have had documented success: raising tobacco taxes, extending laws regarding clean indoor air to additional sites, running counter-marketing campaigns, and banning cigarette advertising and promotion. Progress continues in the first two categories, which do not require an allocation of funds. The April 2009 federal tax increase was supplemented that year by tax increases in 14 states and the District of Columbia. State taxes now range from $4.35 per pack in New York to just 17 cents in Missouri (see map). In Europe, taxes are often much higher; the taxes in Norway exceed $11 per pack. Notably, little of our revenue from tobacco taxation is used for tobacco control.

    [..]

    Five other developments merit mention. The ability of smoking-cessation programs to stimulate population-wide cessation was shown after the passage of health care reform in Massachusetts, when smokers who were newly covered by health insurance took advantage of Medicaid coverage of cessation services. Second, stigmatization of smoking continues, pressuring smokers to quit. Third, some attention is being paid to "third-hand smoke" — children's exposure to toxic residues on furniture, clothing, and flooring. Fourth, a nicotine vaccine is being tested; if effective, it could offer a brief intervention resulting in lasting abstinence for some smokers. Other pharmaceutical innovations are awaited, including the development of a true pulmonary nicotine inhaler (the current inhaler delivers nicotine to the buccal cavity, whence it is absorbed into the bloodstream) — which raises the question of whether we're ready for a product that might help many smokers to quit while sustaining addiction and possibly recruiting new users.


    Finally, the Obama administration has supported increased funding for tobacco control. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provides support to all states and 21 communities for tobacco-control programs, and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act includes public health funds and funds targeted for the prevention of disease that can be used for tobacco control (though these funds probably won't compensate for the loss of state funding). Furthermore, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius recently announced a comprehensive tobacco-control initiative.

    Renewing and accelerating the decline in smoking prevalence requires many synergistic activities. These should include continued tax increases and expansion of laws regarding clean indoor air, which have not yet reached saturation levels. Countermarketing efforts should be revived and fully funded. Polls show that there is public support for earmarking a portion of tobacco taxes for tobacco-control programs targeted to young people, but politicians must be aware of that support or they will continue using the funds for other purposes. Smoking-cessation activities must be intensified, with particular focus on the most vulnerable populations — the mentally ill, substance abusers, prisoners, and the poor. Toll-free telephone quit lines are effective, yet few smokers and clinicians are aware of them; they require greater marketing and support. Moving smoking out of movies that are seen by young people would make the behavior less seductive. Identifying and supporting smoking-cessation champions in clinician groups would boost clinicians' involvement in cessation, as would tapping peer groups and social networks that interact with smokers. We also need more research into ways of helping certain groups of smokers to quit — including young people, light and intermittent smokers, and those with mental or substance-use disorders.

    More radical solutions, such as requiring the tapering of nicotine content in tobacco products down to nonaddicting levels or banning sales outright, have been proposed. Could the threat of such solutions inspire increased emphasis on conventional solutions? Are they worth consideration in their own right?

    Lack of insurance, childhood obesity, and tobacco use are very different public health challenges, requiring different solutions. But all three threaten the most vulnerable Americans. By assuming that the tobacco war has been won, we risk consigning millions of Americans to premature death.


    Schroeder, SA, and Warner KE. Don't Forget Tobacco.
    NEJM 7 July 2010 (10.1056/NEJMp1003883)
     

    Source: New England Journal of Medicine
    Link: http://bit.ly/b0E4pf

  • PQ: Protecting children from tobacco smoke

    Caroline Flint (Don Valley, Labour): To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions he has had with (a) the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) and (b) public health organisations on the NICE recommendation that smoking in (i) cars and (ii) public areas used by children and young people under the age of 18 be prohibited.

    Anne Milton (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Public Health), Health; Guildford, Conservative): The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has not made a recommendation that smoking be prohibited in these circumstances. Therefore, no discussions have taken place.

    On 23 June 2010, NICE published public health guidance titled 'How to stop smoking in pregnancy and following childbirth'. For partners and others in the household who smoke, the guidance recommends not smoking around the pregnant woman, mother or baby. This includes not smoking in the house or car (recommendation 7). The NICE publication is available on the internet at: http://guidance.nice.org.uk/PH26

    HoC Hansard 7 July 2010, c349W)
     

    Source: HoC Hansard, 7 July 2010
    Link: http://tinyurl.com/3aausyg

  • PQ: Smokefree Legislation

    Greg Knight (East Yorkshire, Conservative): To ask the Secretary of State for Health
    (1) whether his Department has made an assessment of whether the introduction of the smoking ban in July 2007 affected the incidence of smoking in homes in the presence of children;
    (2) what assessment he has made of the effects of the smoking ban on public houses and private members' clubs;
    (3) what plans he has to review the smoking ban; and what public consultation will be held as part of that review.

    Anne Milton (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Public Health), Health; Guildford, Conservative): From July 2007 the implementation of smokefree legislation, there has been consistently high rates of compliance and public support. Opinion surveys suggest that over eight in 10 people are in support of the law.
    According to the Office for National Statistics publication 'Smoking-related Behaviours and Attitudes' in 2008-09, 69% of people said that smoking was not allowed at all in their home, since 2006 when 61% of people said this. A copy of this publication has already been placed in the Library. Research evidence from England and internationally also demonstrates that smokefree legislation is effective in reducing exposure to second hand smoke (SHS) in adults and in children, and that there is no significant evidence that introducing smokefree legislation for public places displaces smoking into the home.
    Research evidence has shown that bar workers' exposure to SHS has reduced substantially and that the health of these workers has improved. (Semple, S. et al. (2010). 'UK smokefree legislation: changes in PM 2.5 concentrations in bars in Scotland, England and Wales' in Ann.Occup.Hyg., 54, 3, pp.272-280).
    The Government currently have no plans to review the legislation.
     

    Source: HoC Hansard, 7 July 2010
    Link: http://tinyurl.com/33kawff

  • Cross-channel trade in alcohol and tobacco

    Lord Jones of Cheltenham (Liberal Democrat): To ask Her Majesty's Government whether there has been an increase in cross-Channel imports of alcohol and tobacco as a result of the weakening of the euro against the pound; and what impact any such increase will have on retail outlets in the United Kingdom.

    Lord Sassoon (Commercial Secretary, HM Treasury; Conservative): There is limited evidence for alcohol and no evidence for tobacco of an increase in commercial cross-Channel importation over the period January 2009 to April 2010. Trade statistics on alcohol and tobacco are published at www.uktradeinfo.com.
    It would be difficult to isolate the effect of the exchange rate on imports from the effects of other factors.
    There are no data to suggest changes in cross-Channel imports of alcohol and tobacco have
    Impacted retail outlets in the United Kingdom.
     

    Source: Hoc Hansard, 8 July 2010
    Link: http://bit.ly/cK0ksE

  • OFT report on tobacco company price fixing

    The UK's Office of Fair Trading has published its full decision on the tobacco investigation in which it found that two tobacco manufacturers (Imperial Tobacco and Gallaher) and ten retailers had engaged in unlawful retail pricing conduct.

    On 15 April 2010 the OFT announced its decision and handed down fines totalling £225 million on the parties involved in the infringements. This is the largest fine that the OFT has imposed to date for breaches of UK competition law.

    The OFT's decision follows a lengthy investigation into the retail pricing actions of manufacturers and retailers, which began in 2003.

    The full published report is now available at the link below.

    Source: OFT, July 2010
    Link: http://bit.ly/8YPHGF

  • Ferrari unveil new logo, retain Marlboro brand

    The Ferrari Formula One team has unveiled a new logo to replace a discarded 'bar code' design that critics said represented subliminal advertising for cigarette sponsor Marlboro.

    Team boss Stefano Domenicali told reporters at the British Grand Prix that the new red-and-white logo would be introduced on the cars, drivers' overalls and team uniform from Jan. 1 next year.

    "This is a new trademark of Ferrari," he said, adding that Marlboro would remain part of the team's official name next season. "I can confirm that next year the team name will be the same -- Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro. No change."

    Ferrari, the only Formula One team still sponsored by a tobacco company, removed the bar code design from their cars in May.
     

    Source: The Guardian, 8 July 2010
    Link: http://bit.ly/cnZhNg

  • BAT uses airport smokers’ lounge to promote Kent cigarettes

    British American Tobacco (BAT) is celebrating the success of its latest “premium smoking lounge” implementation at Osaka Kansai Airport in Japan. The initiative has generated extensive positive feedback both from members of the public and the Kansai Airport Authority, the company claimed.

    The BAT team in Japan worked with the Airport Authority to transform a basic smoking room into a premium smoking lounge, complete with “consumer engagement opportunities designed to rejuvenate the Kent brand’s equity”.

    In a survey undertaken by BAT, 100% of the respondents indicated that they ‘liked’ or ‘liked a lot’ the smoking lounge and 87% said they were more likely to switch from a competitor brand to Kent after visiting the lounge.

    With the activation and sampling campaign, the market share of Kent Nanotek at Kansai Airport has grown significantly, BAT said.

    [Click on link below to see images of lounge and Kent Nanotek promotion]
     

    Source: Moodie Report , 7 July 2010
    Link: http://bit.ly/cJfHks

  • Report examines smoking among LGBTs

    A recently released report from the American Lung Association examines higher smoking rates among LGBTs than straight people, and recommends that health researchers ask people about their sexual orientation.

    Among other findings, the report, "Smoking Out a Deadly Threat: Tobacco Use in the LGBT Community," which was released on 29th June, says that a 2009 data review found that gay men had between 1.1 and 2.4 times the odds of smoking compared to straight men.

    The review that year also found that lesbians had between 1.2 and 2.0 times the odds of smoking compared to straight women, according to the report.

    "Since the smoking rate within the LGBT community is roughly double that of the general population, more members of the LGBT community are at greatly increased risk" of lung cancer, heart attacks, and other problems, Mary H. Partridge, chair of the American Lung Association's board, wrote in the report's preface. With the report, she wrote, the association is calling for "decisive action to better understand the root causes and find effective solutions to this deadly threat to the LGBT community."

    According to the report, most health studies in the country don't collect data on sexual orientation and gender identity. [..]
    Around a dozen states have collected sexual orientation information on routine health surveys. However, only California and five other states have published reports on tobacco use by sexual orientation, according to the report.

    The report points to several possible factors behind smoking in the LGBT community, including stress related to homophobia, the tobacco industry's targeted marketing to LGBTs, and lack of access to treatment. The reports also noted the significance of bars historically being "among the few safe spaces for LGBT people," and the "biological and behavioral link between drinking and smoking."

    To view the report, go to http://www.lungusa.org
     

    Source: The Bay Area Reporter, 8 July 2010
    Link: http://bit.ly/cfGFbQ

  • Cigarette smoking and appendectomy: Effect on clinical course of diverticulosis

    Abstract
    AIM: To investigate the effect of appendectomy and cigarette smoking on the clinical course of diverticulosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective case-control study of 207 consecutive patients (45.8% male mean age 64.0 years), 150 with asymptomatic diverticulosis, and 57 with acute diverticulitis. Diagnosis of diverticulosis was defined on the basis of clinical and colonoscopic criteria, diverticulitis was defined by means of clinical, colonoscopic and computerised tomography criteria. Logistic regression function was used to define the relationship between the dependent variable (diverticulitis) and several covariates: sex, age, body mass index, smoking habit, and history of appendectomy. RESULTS: According to the final model, the risk of diverticulitis was 4.94-fold higher (95% confidence interval: 1.98-12.37) in patients with a history of appendectomy with emergency resection, compared to patients not submitted to appendectomy or with a history of elective resection (P<0.001); and 2.79-fold higher (95% confidence interval: 1.30-5.96) in smokers than in non-smokers (P=0.008). The effects of the two determinants were found to be independent, thus the cumulative risk of diverticulitis was 13.78-fold higher for smokers with a history of emergency surgical treatment. CONCLUSION: Smoking and emergency appendectomy are important predictive factors for the clinical course of diverticulosis.
    Usai, P et al Cigarette smoking and appendectomy: Effect on clinical course of diverticulosis. Digestive Liver Disease. 2010 Jun 23. [Epub ahead of print]
     

    Source: Digestive Liver Disease
    Link: http://bit.ly/c5rfbH

  • The experience of a smoke-free policy in a medium secure hospital

    Abstract
    Aims and method A Trust-wide smoke-free policy was introduced in March 2007. This service evaluation retrospectively reviewed the outcome by focusing on recorded changes in behaviour, incidents and prescribing.
    Results The majority of patients (89%) smoked before the smoke-free policy. There was no significant change in the rate of clinical incidents or the use of tranquillising medication at 3 months and 12 months post-implementation. Clozapine serum levels were raised significantly, necessitating dose reduction in 17% of patients. Fifty-four per cent of patients used nicotine replacement therapy and a small minority continued this treatment for 12 months.
    Clinical implications Despite initial concerns there were no significant problems in implementation of the smoke-free policy. This was assisted by extensive preparation, education, patient advocacy and access to treatment beforehand.
     

    Source: The Psychiatrist, (2010) 34: 287-289.
    Link: http://bit.ly/9ae0Ja

  • Movies and TV influence use of tobacco in India

    Findings from a National Survey in India reveals that exposure to mass media may impact the use of tobacco in India which is a major source of illness and death. The study revealed that daily television and radio use is associated with higher likelihood of tobacco consumption amongst men and women, while daily newspaper use is related to lower likelihood of tobacco consumption.

    The study focuses on understanding the extent to which mass media use is related to tobacco use in India, given that media use may expose the audience to both pro and anti-tobacco content. The data in this study clearly demonstrate that use of media is independently associated with tobacco use. More importantly, the differential associations of media types on tobacco use suggest that the content in the media types vary and that this content likely accounts for the differences in the associations. Different media genres are likely to play different roles in tobacco use. Advertising and entertainment media are more likely to be receptive to pro-tobacco content given the heavy promotion of tobacco use in advertising and incidence of smoking in movies.

    Initial research in India had found that specific media content such as media advertising is associated with higher smoking rates and exposure to cigarette brand names or actors smoking on television have been found to be related to increased youth smoking in India At the same time, anti-smoking messages delivered through the mass media have been shown to reduce smoking in India Cultural traditions and social norms specific to India play an important role in tobacco use patterns. Contrary to most developed nations, the use of chewing tobacco is widespread in India.

    Dr Prakash C Gupta, Director, Healis-Sekhsaria Institute of Public Health, said India is the second largest tobacco consumer in the world and is expected to claim 1.5 million lives annually by 2020. Studies such as these will help in creating awareness of the tobacco problem and help in finding solutions to curb tobacco consumption in India.

    Ms. Padmini Somani, Director of Salaam Bombay Foundation said, “Actors and celebrities have always been admired and looked upon at, by the common man as role models, especially today’s youth who idealize and imitate them. Thus if celebrities could use their influence over the masses in a better way imagine the impact it would generate amongst youngsters about the ill effects of tobacco consumption”.

    In conclusion, the research proved that mass media if used in the right way, can be successful in discouraging all forms of tobacco use. Exposure to newspaper coverage on tobacco issues has shown to be related to reduced smoking rates and higher levels of disapproval of smoking behaviors. Anti-tobacco mass media campaigns have also proved to be effective at reducing smoking rates and increasing the perceived harm from smoking. These campaigns are much stronger when media communications are combined with other strategies of tobacco control.
     

    Source: PRlog, 8July 2010
    Link: http://bit.ly/cPCfyQ

Events

  • 4th Latin American Conference on Lung Cancer (LALCA 2010)

    The event will be a time for lung cancer professional from Latin America and around the world to share the most up-to-date information regarding the science and advances in the treatment of lung cancer. International and national speakers will participate in the Scientific Program and their presentations will provide a platform to discuss the latest developments in basic science and clinical treatment.
     

    Date: 28 July 2010
    Contact: www.lalca2010.org

  • Personalisation and peer support – the mental health education and training agenda

    This conference – the 10th annual event of its kind – will explore the mental health education and training agenda for both personalisation and peer support. This will be done through:

    • Presentations on the key themes of personalisation and peer support

    • Workshops concentrating on examples of education and training initiatives in relation to personalisation and peer support.

    Date: 08 September 2010
    Venue: ORT House Conference Centre, London NW1
    Contact: www.pavpub.com/pavpub/conferences/showfull.asp?Conference=%20190

  • Health in Europe - Ready for the Future?

    Leading experts from business and industry, science and academia, patient organisations/NGOs as well as numerous prominent decision makers in health policy present new ideas and use the EHFG as a platform for the exchange of experiences and opinions at the international level.

    Date: 06 October 2010
    Venue: Gastein, Austria
    Contact: www.ehfg.org

  • Smoke Free Futures: Tobacco Control Conference 2010

    Smoke Free Futures is a two day tobacco control conference that asks what are the next steps we need to be taking to secure tobacco free futures for our children and how do we help the 70% of smokers who say they wish to quit more effectively in the here and now.

    Confirmed workshops and presentations at the Conference include:

    • No Smoking Day – Be the first to find out about NSD 2011
    • Young Tobacco Control Campaigners Tell their Stories
    • Understanding the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) and the Framework Convention Alliance
    • Evaluation of the Ireland Point of Sale Legislation
    • Development of a Tobacco Control Strategy for Wales

    Conference participants will have the opportunity to learn from the successes and challenges faced by successful tobacco control practitioners at this highly interactive conference.

    Date: 11 October 2010
    Venue: Mercure Holland House Hotel Cardiff, Wales
    Contact: www.smoking-conference-wales.org.uk

  • SCTRP Annual Update and Supervision Day

    The annual opportunity for SCTRP graduates to troubleshoot existing practice, update on research, and interact with over 100 practitioners.

    Tutors: P Hajek, R West, G Sutherland, H McRobbie and members of their teams.

    Cost: £235 (£200 plus VAT) Early Bird rate prior to course

    Availability: 100+

    Date: 03 December 2010
    Venue: Park Crescent Conference Centre, 229 Great Portland Street, London W1
    Contact: Janice Rossabi on +44 0208 347 0556 or sctrp@yahoo.co.uk

  • 5th European Conference on Tobacco or Health

     The conference programme will comprise three days of sessions. There are four main programme tracks:

    • Tobacco control policy measures;
    • Tobacco industry strategies and tactics
    • Tobacco treatment;
    • Health education & health communication.  
    Date: 28 March 2011
    Venue: Amsterdam
    Contact: www.ectoh.org