More smokers than non-smokers accept HPV vaccination for their daughters

A parent's existing health habits or behaviors, like cigarette smoking, may influence the likelihood that they will have their daughters vaccinated against HPV. 

According to survey results on correlates of HPV vaccine use, whether parents would choose to vaccinate their daughters was not associated with one's background or medical history, but was more closely associated with certain behavioral factors of the parents.

Results of this survey are published in the February issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

"Whether or not respondents indicated that they would vaccinate their daughters against this cancer-causing virus was associated with physical activity, non-use of complementary or alternative therapies and, more surprisingly, cigarette smoking," said lead researcher Carolyn Y. Fang, Ph.D., associate professor in the Cancer Prevention and Control Program at Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia.

"Some prior research suggests that risky health behaviors tend to co-occur (i.e., smoking, alcohol use) and are associated with lower uptake of harm prevention strategies, such as vaccinations," noted Fang. "This was not the case in the current study. It may be that parents who are former or current smokers have a heightened awareness of cancer and its related risks, therefore, they may be more willing to vaccinate their daughters to prevent cancer."

National data on HPV vaccination rates indicate that only 37 percent of females aged 13 to 17 years have received at least one shot in the three-shot vaccine series, even though the vaccine has been FDA-approved since 2006 for use in females aged 9 to 26 years old.

While prior studies have mainly focused on patient knowledge, health beliefs and other medical or demographic variables, results of this survey are among the first to also examine multiple behavioral correlates of HPV vaccine acceptability, according to Fang.

Using information from the 2007 Health Information National Trends Survey conducted by the National Cancer Institute, Fang and colleagues at Fox Chase Cancer Center and The Cancer Institute of New Jersey/UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School analyzed cross-sectional survey data from more than 1,300 U.S. parents or guardians of female children or adolescents (under the age of 18).

Results showed that about 18 percent of the participants would not have their daughter receive the HPV vaccine, about 25 percent were undecided and more than half (about 58 percent) reported they would let their daughter get the vaccine. Among those who said no to receipt of the vaccine, the most common reasons stated were:

- they do not know enough about the vaccine (about 48 percent);
- they are worried about the safety of the vaccine (about 20 percent);
- they believe their daughter is not sexually active (about 9 percent); and
- they have not received a recommendation from a doctor for their daughter to receive the vaccine (about 6 percent).

Additional reasons included the young age of the daughter; the belief that more research on the HPV vaccine is needed; parental anti-vaccination belief; or the belief that their daughter simply doesn't need the vaccine.

Those who were more accepting of the vaccine were current or former smokers; had engaged in health promoting behaviors such as physical activity within the past month; or had not used alternative, complementary or unconventional therapies within the past year. Furthermore, those who were more accepting of the vaccine also believed that cancer can be cured if caught early.

Sally W. Vernon, Ph.D., editorial board member of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, said these findings are important for multiple reasons. They represent a national population sample, whereas other studies to date have used local or regional samples. Therefore, these survey results may apply to a larger and more diverse population and provide a benchmark against which studies of regional samples can be compared.

"Saying that parents would or would not vaccinate their daughters does not necessarily translate into action or lack of action for vaccination. There may be unanticipated barriers when parents attempt to get their daughters vaccinated, for instance cost or access to health care," said Vernon, director of the Division of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Texas-Houston School of Public Health.

Now that the HPV vaccine is commercially and more widely available, Fang said that additional studies are likely to focus on vaccine uptake and not just reported HPV vaccine acceptability. Vernon suggested that research is needed to further evaluate these behavioral outcomes, and whether eligible females are getting the vaccine and following through with the full vaccination series.

"Parents' existing health habits and patterns of behavior are likely to contribute to their decisions regarding the uptake of cancer prevention strategies for their children," said Fang.

Source: Medical News Today - 08 February 2010
Link: http://bit.ly/959tlj

Assessing the effects of the introduction of the New Zealand Smokefree Environment Act 2003 on Acute Myocardial Infarction hospital admissions in Christchurch, New Zealand

Abstract

Objective: To examine trends in Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) hospital admissions in Christchurch, New Zealand before and after the implementation of the New Zealand Smokefree Environments Act 2003 in December 2004.

Methods: Data on AMI hospital admissions to Christchurch Public Hospital were extracted for the period 2003 to 2006. Poisson regression was used to calculate rate ratios by comparing for AMI rates of hospital admissions before (2003/04) and after (2005/06) the introduction of the Smokefree legislation, and to assess whether there was a significant change over time.

Results: The introduction of the smokefree legislation was associated with a 5% reduction in AMI admissions. The 55-74 age group recorded the greatest decrease in admissions (9%) and this figure rose to 13% among never smokers in this group. Reductions were more marked for men. Adding the effects of area deprivation increased the reduction to 21% among 55-74 year olds living in more affluent (quintile 2) areas. Overall however, the statistical association of changing levels of AMI admissions with smoking status and with deprivation was not consistently significant.

Conclusion: At this early stage following the smokefree legislation, there are hints emerging of a positive impact on AMI admissions but these suggestions cannot yet be treated with certainty. Further research could usefully evaluate the longer-term effects of smoking legislation on the prevalence of smoking and exposure to second hand smoke, especially in more deprived urban communities.

Barnett, R., Et al., Assessing the effects of the introduction of the New Zealand Smokefree Environment Act 2003 on Acute Myocardial Infarction hospital admissions in Christchurch, New Zealand, Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 2009, Volume 33 Issue 6, Pages 515 - 520

Source: Interscience, 8 December 2009
Link: http://bit.ly/9oA6w8

Written statement: Television product placement

Ben Bradshaw (Secretary of State, Department for Culture, Media and Sport; Exeter, Labour): I would like to set out the Government's plans for product placement on television.

I announced on 9 November 2009 that the Government had decided to consult again on this issue, and we did so between that date and 8 January this year. We had approximately 1,480 responses to this consultation. I am publishing these on my Department's website today and we will make a summary report of them available shortly.

As a result of this consultation the Government have concluded that we will be able to allow television product placement in a way which will provide meaningful commercial benefits to commercial television companies and programme makers while taking account of the legitimate concerns that have been expressed.

We have therefore decided to legislate to allow UK television companies to include product placement in programmes which they make or commission to appear in their schedules.

Products
The directive prohibits the placement of two specific types of product, that is tobacco products (as well as any other placement by or on behalf of a company whose principal activity is the manufacture or sale of tobacco products) and prescription medicines.

Hansard Source: (Citation: HC Deb, 9 February 2010, c40WS)

Source: theyworkforyou.com - 4 February 2010
Link: http://bit.ly/ba4QI2

Tobacco industry constantly reinvents its marketing efforts, a Minnesota report points out

They’re baaack! The ingenious marketers with the tobacco companies, that is.

Actually, they never went away. They just quietly changed the way they do things, adjusting to increasing government restrictions and negative publicity with sometimes subtle but always clever new strategies to keep their current customers hooked on nicotine and to lure new, young customers into their fold.

Unless you’re in one of their target demographics, you may be oblivious to these marketing efforts. Have you ever met a “Cigarette Fairy” in a bar? Or heard of the “Welcome to the Brotherhood” campaign? Or seen a peach-, strawberry-, grape- or chocolate-flavored “little cigar”? Or played a video game that rewards you with imaginary cigarettes and that mocks health-warning labels?

These marketing efforts and more are described in a disturbing new report released Wednesday by ClearWay Minnesota, the nonprofit group that was funded by a small percentage of Minnesota’s 1998 tobacco settlement. Its mission is to “improve the health of Minnesotans by reducing the harm caused by tobacco.”

The report, “Unfiltered: A Revealing Look at Today’s Tobacco Industry,” is part of the organization’s new statewide campaign to shine a light on how the industry has continued to shapeshift — and thrive.

“We hope this is going to be a wake-up call for Minnesotans,” said David Willoughby, ClearWay Minnesota’s chief executive officer, in a phone interview on Wednesday.

Parents, health care professionals, community leaders, politicians — all of us — “need to realize that the tobacco industry continues to reinvent itself and sell an addictive product to millions of Americans,” he added.

Tobacco remains the leading cause of preventable death in Minnesota, Willoughby pointed out. Some 634,000 Minnesotans still smoke, and about 5,500 Minnesotans lose their lives to tobacco products each year. The annual tobacco-related health care costs to the state? About $2 billion, said Willoughby.

“Tobacco is one of the things that keeps raising our health-care costs,” he said, “and yet the industry still continues to go after people."

Last year alone, the tobacco industry spent almost $200 million on marketing its products in the state. Much of that money is being spent on 18- to 24-year-olds, said Willoughby — and with apparent success.

Some 28 percent of Minnesotans in that age range smoke, compared to 17 percent of people aged 25 years and up.
It’s also the age group that has the greatest percentage of people getting hooked on smokeless tobacco.

You can read the full report (and post your comments) here.

[...]

Source: MinnPost - 11 February 2010
Link: http://bit.ly/aQbvAJ

Cigarettes might be infectious

The tobacco in cigarettes hosts a bacterial bonanza — literally hundreds of different germs, including those responsible for many human illnesses, a new study finds.

“Nearly every paper that you pick up discussing the health effects of cigarettes starts out with something to the effect that smokers and people exposed to secondhand smoke experience high rates of respiratory infections,” notes Amy Sapkota of the University of Maryland, College Park. The presumption has been that smoking renders people vulnerable to disease by impairing lung function or immunity. And it may well do both.

“But nobody talks about cigarettes as a source of those infections,” she says. Her new data now suggest that’s distinctly possible.

If these germs are alive, something she has not yet confirmed, just handling cigarettes or putting an unlit one to the mouth could be enough to cause an infection.

The idea that tobacco might contain viable germs isn’t just idle conjecture. Several research teams have isolated bacteria from tobacco that they could grow out in petri dishes. Those earlier investigations tended to hunt for — and, when found, attempted to grow — only one or two species of interest, Sapkota says.

What’s novel in her study: She and her colleagues probed for genetic material from any and every bacterium in a cigarette’s tobacco. Under sterile conditions, the researchers opened up cigarettes and then performed a series of tests on the leafy bits. For instance, they isolated all of the ribosomal material and then homed in on its long, species-specific stretches known as 16S regions. These genetic segments were then compared to 16S patches characteristic of known bacterial species.

Sapkota’s team had 16S probes for close to 800 different bacteria and found matches to many hundreds in the four brands of cigarettes screened: Marlboro Red, Camel, Kool Filter Kings and Lucky Strike Original Red. These cigarettes are “among the most commonly smoked brands in Westernized countries and represent three major tobacco companies,” Sapkota notes. All were purchased in Lyon, France, where she was completing her postdoctoral studies.

Among the large number of germs whose DNA laced these cigarettes were: Campylobacter, which can cause food poisoning and Guillain-Barre Syndrome; Clostridium, which causes food poisoning and pneumonias; Corynebacterium, also associated with pneumonias and other diseases; E. coli; Klebsiella, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, all of which are associated not only with pneumonia but also with urinary tract infections; and a number of Staphylococcus species that underlie the most common and serious hospital-associated infections.

Sapkota’s team lists many of these — including the most prevalent bacteria in the tobacco they studied — in a paper published early, online in Environmental Health Perspectives.

Some people have criticized the idea of infectious cigarettes, arguing that as tobacco burns, it would kill any germs present. But Sapkota is not so sure that's true. The tobacco farthest from the burning tip might be a balmy temperature, from a bacterial point of view. And here’s “a really wild idea,” she says: What if the smoke particles traveling through the still-unburned part of a cigarette pick up some germs and then ferry them deeply into the lung, where they’re unlikely to be cleared? Wouldn’t that be the prescription for disease?

Of course, there’s also plenty of chances for a smoker to become exposed prior to lighting up. And, of course, the potential for highest oral exposure would come from chewing tobacco — and nasal exposures from snuff.

Sapkota, an environmental health scientist, plans to follow up her preliminary data to see which types of tobacco are most likely to host viable germs, and whether those bacteria are transported into the body, either during smoking or by the insertion of unburned tobacco products (including chewing tobacco) into the mouth.

Several thousand potentially toxic chemicals have been isolated from cigarettes. Sapkota says that it’s not hard to imagine that the number of germs hosted by tobacco products could rival that of the carcinogens and other poisons residing in or produced by burning tobacco.

How so, when she's only found genetic material indicting hundreds of germs? Owing to the bacterial probes available when Sapkota began her tobacco work, she was only able to screen for 700-odd species. But newer probes on the market can now screen for the bacterial 16S genetic material of 5,000 or more germs. And if she used such huge batteries of probes now, she said she fully expects she could turn up at least 1,000 hitchhiking bacterial species in tobacco products.

Source: Science News - 27 January 2010
Link: http://bit.ly/dd4nQB

Secondhand smoke, vascular disease, and dementia incidence: findings from the cardiovascular health cognition study

Recent studies have found that smoking is associated with an increased risk of dementia, but the effects of secondhand smoke (SHS) on dementia risk are not known to have previously been studied. The authors used Cox proportional hazards marginal structural models to examine the association between self-reported lifetime household SHS exposure and risk of incident dementia over 6 years among 970 US participants in the Cardiovascular Health Cognition Study (performed from 1991 to 1999) who were never smokers and were free of clinical cardiovascular disease (CVD), dementia, and mild cognitive impairment at baseline. In addition, because prior studies have found that SHS is associated with increased risk of CVD and that CVD is associated with increased risk of dementia, the authors tested for interactions between SHS and measures of clinical and subclinical CVD on dementia risk. Moderate (16–25 years) and high (>25 years) SHS exposure levels were not independently associated with dementia risk; however, subjects with >25 years of SHS exposure and >25% carotid artery stenosis had a 3-fold increase (hazard ratio = 3.00, 95% confidence interval: 1.03, 9.72) in dementia risk compared with subjects with no/low (0–15 years) SHS exposure and 25% carotid artery stenosis. High lifetime SHS exposure may increase the risk of dementia in elderly with undiagnosed CVD.

Barnes, D, et al., Secondhand smoke, vascular disease, and dementia incidence: findings from the cardiovascular health cognition study, American Journal of Epidemiology, doi:10.1093/aje/kwp376

Source: American Journal of Epidemiology, 05 January 2010
Link: http://bit.ly/c5uXgL

Exposure to passive smoking falls

Children's exposure to passive smoking has declined by nearly 60% in 10 years, a study revealed.

Levels of the tell-tale tobacco by-product cotinine in children's saliva fell by 59% between 1996 and 2006, researchers found.

The study, lead by Dr Anna Gilmore of the University of Bath, revealed a "marked decline" in exposure to second-hand smoke among children aged four to 15.

The team analysed eight surveys conducted between 1996 and 2006 including saliva samples taken from over 19,000 children aged between four and 15.

The samples were analyzed for a substance called cotinine, an indicator of tobacco smoke exposure.

The largest decline was between 2005 and 2006, and coincided with increased public debate and information campaigns in the run up to the 2007 anti-smoking legislation.

Second-hand smoke exposure in non-smoking children is highest when one or both parents smoke, when the children are looked after by carers that smoke, and when smoking is allowed in the home.

Dr Michelle Sims, writing in the paper published today in Addiction, explained: "The importance of carer and parental smoking and household exposure tells us that reducing exposure in the home is the key to reducing the health risks associated with second-hand smoke exposure in children."

Dr Anna Gilmore, who led the project, said: "This study shows that the factors which most strongly influence children's exposure are modifiable.

"Parents and carers can reduce their children's exposure to smoke by giving up smoking, or failing this, only smoking outside the house."

Source: Yahoo!/Press Association - 8 February 2010
Link: http://bit.ly/daIAFa

Environmental tobacco smoke exposure and perinatal outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analyses

Abstract

Background. While active maternal tobacco smoking has well established adverse perinatal outcomes, the effects of passive maternal smoking, also called environmental tobacco exposure (ETS), are less well studied and less consistent.

Objective: To determine to the effect of ETS on perinatal outcomes.

Search strategy. Medline, EMBASE and reference lists were searched. Selection criteria. Studies comparing ETS-exposed pregnant women with those unexposed which adequately addressed active maternal smoking. Data collection and analysis. Two reviewers independently assessed titles, abstracts, full studies, extracted data and assessed quality. Dichotomous data were pooled using odds ratios (OR) and continuous data with weighted mean differences (WMD) using a random effects model.

Main results. Seventy-six articles were included with a total of 48,439 ETS-exposed women and 90,918 unexposed women. ETS-exposed infants weighed less [WMD –60 g, 95% confidence interval (CI) –80 to –39 g], with a trend towards increased low birthweight (LBW, <2,500 g; RR 1.16; 95% CI 0.99–1.36), although the duration of gestation and preterm delivery were similar (WMD 0.02 weeks, 95% CI –0.09 to 0.12 weeks and RR 1.07; 95% CI 0.93–1.22). ETS-exposed infants had longer infant lengths (1.75 cm; 95% CI 1.37–2.12 cm), increased risks of congenital anomalies (OR 1.17; 95% CI 1.03–1.34) and a trend towards smaller head circumferences (–0.11 cm; 95% CI –0.22 to 0.01 cm).

Conclusions. ETS-exposed women have increased risks of infants with lower birthweight, congenital anomalies, longer lengths, and trends towards smaller head circumferences and LBW.

Salmasi‌, G. et al., Environmental tobacco smoke exposure and perinatal outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analyses, Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica, 2010, Volume 89, Issue 2

Source: Informa Healthcare - 20 January 2010
Link: http://bit.ly/9G1lP0

Imperial Tobacco challenges ban on vending machines

Imperial Tobacco said that it was seeking a judicial review of the government’s plan to ban cigarette vending machines, reports The Times.

The judicial review has been sought by Sinclair Collis, the wholly-owned cigarette vending machine subsidiary of Imperial, which operates about 20,000 such machines across the UK.

The ban on cigarette vending machines is part of the UK government's Health Act 2009 and is set to be implemented in England, Wales and Northern Ireland in October 2011. Similar measures have also been supported by the Scottish Parliament.The ban was proposed by Ian McCartney, a former Labour minister, who claims that the machines, which account for about 1 per cent of all UK cigarette sales, give young children access to cigarettes.

Gareth Davis, chief executive at Imperial Tobacco, Britain’s leading cigarette manufacturer, said: “Legal action is always a last resort, but the government’s decision to ban cigarette vending machines is so disproportionate and unnecessary that it must be challenged. We do not want children to smoke and supported the Government’s proposal to stop underage access through the introduction of electronic ID cards, token mechanisms and remote control technology.

“These are effective solutions, which have been implemented in a number of other countries and it is a matter of great regret that the UK Government ultimately chose to disregard all of these options in favour of a ban that will result in significant job losses in the vending industry.”
Simon Evans, Imperial’s spokesman, said that the cigarette vending machine market in Britain was already under severe pressure from the ban, introduced two years ago, on smoking in public places.

Source: Tobacco Journal Int.- 11 February 2010
Link: http://bit.ly/dnOIvO

Quitters should go public: health expert

Going public when quitting smoking could be the key to achieving success, a health professional says.

People are most likely to crave a cigarette when stressed or at a social event. But confiding in others can help stave off the temptation to light up, a survey has found.

Of the 1424 Australians who took part in the November 2009 survey by research firm Stollznow, two thirds said talking to others about quitting was beneficial.

Professor Matthew Peters, who is chairman of Action on Smoking and Health Australia, said stress was a major factor in keeping some people smoking."Being public with a quit attempt, particularly with those closest to you like family and friends, can help address this," Prof Peters said in a statement. What's important is not to give up giving up, even if it's your second or third attempt."

As well as seeking support from family and friends when quitting, Prof Peters recommends seeing a GP or pharmacist.

"They can provide advice and guidance on additional methods of support that will work best for you," he said.

He also recommends deliberately visiting places where smoking is not permitted, and avoiding stressful situations.

The Stollznow survey was conducted online and commissioned by Johnson & Johnson Pacific.

Source: 9News - 25 January 2010
Link: http://bit.ly/cmdAI7

Longitudinal effect of smoking cessation on physical and laboratory findings

Background Detailed information on the expected physiologic changes after smoking cessation is practically useful to encourage people to stop smoking. Furthermore, weight increase after cessation may affect such physiologic changes.

Purpose This article aims to evaluate the effect of smoking cessation on annual changes in body weight, blood pressure, and blood biochemistry.

Methods This study analyzed the results of annual health examinations from 1991 to 2005 in male Japanese workers in 2009. Subjects classified as stopping smoking (n=445) responded initially as smokers in a self-administered questionnaire (baseline year) and then answered consistently as nonsmokers for 3 subsequent years. Of the 2672 smokers identified in the study, 2403 subjects who had data available for at least 4 successive years were selected as controls. The time course of physiologic and laboratory data was analyzed using a linear mixed model.

Results Data adjusted for age, type of job schedule, drinking and physical activity showed that subjects who stopped smoking had significantly greater increases in weight, BMI, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and uric acid and a greater decrease in hemoglobin in the 3 years following smoking cessation than continuing smokers. Additional adjustment for change in BMI from baseline negated the significant deterioration in systolic and diastolic blood pressure and total cholesterol that occurred following smoking cessation.

Conclusions Increase in body weight, blood pressure, and blood biochemistry can continue for at least 3 years after smoking cessation. This study also indicated that these increases were related to the weight increase that occurred after smoking cessation.

Suwazono Y., et al., Longitudinal effect of smoking cessation on physical and laboratory findings, American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 2010,
Volume 38, Issue 2, Pages 192-200

Source: Science Direct - 13 January 2010
Link: http://bit.ly/bfkQug

NCSCT Quarterly Report

The third NCSCT Quarterly Report – 1st October to 31st December 2009 is now available to view on the NCSCT website. Please see the link below:

Source: NHS Centre for Smoking Cessation and Training
Link: www.ncsct.co.uk/resources

BAT and Imperial to fight plans for plain packaging

BAT said that the UK government will face a “huge fight” from the tobacco industry if it moves ahead with plans that would only allow cigarettes to be sold in plain, unbranded packages.

Imperial Tobacco called the proposal a "counterfeiter's charter" while British American Tobacco (BAT) said it would play "right into the hands of the very criminals they seek to clamp down on."

In response to the Department of Health’s plans to introduce plain packaging for cigarettes, BAT said: "If the Government tries to introduce plain packaging it will have a huge fight on its hands. Brands are valuable corporate assets and the Government risks breaching various legal obligations relating to intellectual property rights, international trade and European law.

"It would also set a dangerous precedent for brands owned and used by other industries. Packaging is fundamental to consumer choice in a competitive market. Manufacturers, retailers and consumers must be able identify and distinguish products."

The company further states that "there is no meaningful evidence to suggest that plain packaging would cut the number of young people smoking, nor encourage people to quit - as ministers have admitted on many occasions. Studies to date are speculative - at best quoting opinions of how people might or might not behave. Good policy demands a rigorous evidence base."

Source: Tobacco Journal Int. - 01 February 2010
Link: http://bit.ly/95H5Wi

Philip Morris to buy back $12 billion in shares

Philip Morris International said on Thursday that it would buy back $12 billion of its own shares, as it reported strong fourth quarter and full-year earnings.

The company posted $25 billion in net revenue for the year, down from $25.7 billion in 2008. For the fourth quarter, revenue was $6.7 billion, up from $6.1 billion a year earlier.

“Widespread market share growth and productivity initiatives, largely offset the significant market contractions and consumer down-trading that we witnessed in those countries that suffered the most from the global economic downturn,” Louis C. Camilleri, the company’s chairman and chief executive, said in a statement.

The new share buy back program will begin in May and last three years.

Philip Morris repurchased $5.5 billion of its common stock over the course of last year.

Source: New York Times - 11 February 2010
Link: http://nyti.ms/cklkzk

Randomized crossover trial of the acceptability of snus, nicotine gum, and Zonnic therapy for smoking reduction in heavy smokers

Abstract
Introduction: Novel approaches to nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) are needed to improve the modest long-term quit rate of 10%. Snus (Swedish tobacco) and Zonnic (oral nicotine sachet) rapidly deliver nicotine via buccal absorption and have potential as NRTs. As a prelude to formal evaluation of either product as a smoking cessation therapy, it is necessary to determine their acceptability and the willingness of smokers to use them in populations with no history of access to oral tobacco products.

Methods: An open-label crossover study of ad libitum snus, Zonnic, and nicotine gum among 63 smokers for 2 weeks each, and smoking reduction if the subjects did not feel the desire to smoke. Diary cards recorded use of products and cigarettes; formal and ad hoc scales measured urges to smoke, withdrawal symptoms, and the sensory quality of the products.

Results: Subjects preferred snus and Zonnic over gum. Snus and Zonnic were superior to gum in reducing urges to smoke and caused fewer side effects. All three products suppressed withdrawal symptoms. Subjects reduced their smoking by Ms of 33%, 37%, and 42% during the gum, snus, and Zonnic fortnights, respectively.

Discussion: Most subjects reported a strong desire to use Zonnic or snus to quit smoking. Subjects preferred snus and Zonnic, which both had significantly fewer gastrointestinal side effects than gum and resulted in greater reductions in smoking. Snus and Zonnic are effective in suppressing desires to smoke and reducing smoking, and further studies are warranted to investigate their effect on long-term quit rates.

Caldwell, B., Et al., Randomized crossover trial of the acceptability of snus, nicotine gum, and Zonnic therapy for smoking reduction in heavy smokers, Nicotine & Tobacco Research 2010 12(2):179-183

Source: Oxford Journals, 11 January 2010
Link: http://bit.ly/cB3KGX

Effectiveness of extended-duration transdermal nicotine therapy

Abstract

Background: Tobacco dependence is a chronic, relapsing condition that may require extended treatment.

Objective: To assess whether extended-duration transdermal nicotine therapy increases abstinence from tobacco more than standard-duration therapy in adult smokers.

Design: Parallel randomized, placebo-controlled trial from September 2004 to February 2008. Participants and all research personnel except the database manager were blinded to randomization. (ClinicalTrials.gov registration number: NCT00364156)

Setting: Academic center.

Participants: 568 adult smokers.

Intervention: In an unstratified small block–randomization scheme, participants were randomly assigned to standard therapy (Nicoderm CQ [GlaxoSmithKline, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina], 21 mg, for 8 weeks and placebo for 16 weeks) or extended therapy (Nicoderm CQ, 21 mg, for 24 weeks).

Measurements: The primary outcome was biochemically confirmed point-prevalence abstinence at weeks 24 and 52. Secondary outcomes were continuous and prolonged abstinence, lapse and recovery events, cost per additional quitter, and side effects and adherence.

Results: At week 24, extended therapy produced higher rates of point-prevalence abstinence (31.6% vs. 20.3%; odds ratio, 1.81 [95% CI, 1.23 to 2.66]; P = 0.002), prolonged abstinence (41.5% vs. 26.9%; odds ratio, 1.97 [CI, 1.38 to 2.82]; P = 0.001), and continuous abstinence (19.2% vs. 12.6%; odds ratio, 1.64 [CI, 1.04 to 2.60]; P = 0.032) versus standard therapy. Extended therapy reduced the risk for lapse (hazard ratio, 0.77 [CI, 0.63 to 0.95]; P = 0.013) and increased the chances of recovery from lapses (hazard ratio, 1.47 [CI, 1.17 to 1.84]; P = 0.001). Time to relapse was slower with extended versus standard therapy (hazard ratio, 0.50 [CI, 0.35 to 0.73]; P < 0.001). At week 52, extended therapy produced higher quit rates for prolonged abstinence only (P = 0.027). No differences in side effects and adverse events between groups were found at the extended-treatment assessment.

Limitation: The generalizability of the findings may be limited because participants were smokers without medical comorbid conditions who were seeking treatment, and differences in adherence across treatment groups were detected.

Conclusion: Transdermal nicotine for 24 weeks increased biochemically confirmed point-prevalence abstinence and continuous abstinence at week 24, reduced the risk for smoking lapses, and increased the likelihood of recovery to abstinence after a lapse compared with 8 weeks of transdermal nicotine therapy.

Schnoll, R. et al., Effectiveness of Extended-Duration Transdermal Nicotine Therapy: A Randomized Trial, Annals of Internal Medecine, 2010
vol.152 no.3 144-151

Source: Annals of Internal Medecine - 2 February 2010
Link: http://bit.ly/9tGMu0

Question: Selling tobacco to a minor

Hansard Source: (Citation: HC Deb, 4 February 2010, c502W)

Chris Grayling (Shadow Home Secretary, Home Affairs; Epsom & Ewell, Conservative): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many and what proportion of people convicted of an offence of selling tobacco to a minor have received (a) a fine, (b) a community sentence, (c) a custodial sentence and (d) an alternative punishment in each year since 1998; and what the (i) lowest, (ii) average and (iii) highest fine was for such people who were fined in each such year.

Claire Ward (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Ministry of Justice; Watford, Labour): The following table shows the total number of persons sentenced to a fine, community sentence, custodial sentence or an alternative punishment for each year since 1998. The data also shows the average, maximum and minimum fine imposed on those sentenced for selling tobacco to a minor in each year. This data is presented on the principal offence basis. Where an offender has been sentenced for more than one offence, the principal offence is the one for which the heaviest sentence was imposed. Where the same sentence has been imposed for two or more offences, the principal offence is the one for which the statutory maximum is most severe.

Follow the link below to view the table.

Source: theyworkforyou.com - 4 February 2010
Link: http://bit.ly/bmSjjH

British American Tobacco to roll out ABM solution to help fight global Illicit trade

The world's most international tobacco group, British American Tobacco (BAT), has awarded intelligence, investigation and criminal justice software solutions specialist, ABM, a five year contract for the provision of Intellicase and abmpegasus™ Source Management. The total solution will help BAT manage business and operational challenges ranging from investigation and case management to intelligence gathering and organisational reporting – all within a secure environment with configurable workflow.

BAT sells brands in more than 180 markets and employs more than 50,000 people worldwide.

BAT’s AIT Intelligence Manager for Europe, Brendan Saritschniy, explains: “Counterfeiting and smuggling are ever present issues facing not just the tobacco industry, but other luxury branded products too. High levels of taxation policies on tobacco products make this a growing and attractive market for criminals seeking a quick profit; it is a growing global problem.

“BAT’s Anti-illicit trade Intelligence Unit will use Intellicase to record, track, investigate and prosecute organisations that operate against Tobacco Control frameworks. The ABM systems will enable a single repeatable approach to all counterfeiting and smuggling investigations across the globe.”

Intellicase brings together the recording, investigation and resolution reporting of all incidents that have a potentially negative impact on business performance, reputation and customer service – and ultimately, profitability. abmpegasus™ Source Management facilitates the management and oversight of Covert Human Intelligence Sources (CHIS). Used by 80% of UK Police Services, it provides a management platform in line with relevant legislative requirements and established best practice.

Saritschniy continues: “Having previously used MS SharePoint and various other internal systems, we wanted a single secure system for gathered intelligence, incidents, investigations, reports and cases, accessible to investigators and intelligence analysts when they need it. Having defined the brief further, ABM was up against two other suppliers. The contract was awarded to ABM because it offered a flexible and adaptable, user-friendly system to record and track all details relating to investigations and intelligence. Furthermore, the ABM team provided a high level of customer service and were knowledgeable throughout the bid engagement.”

Managing director of ABM, Alastair Luff, explains: “Having distilled over 15 years extensive experience of secure intelligence systems for UK law enforcement, the total solution will help BAT transform information into valuable intelligence. This will give BAT a better understanding of trends and patterns in order to support its range of Anti-Illicit Trade measures – and all in an effective and compliant way.

“Implementation is set to begin this month and ABM will be working in close partnership with BAT to configure the solutions to meet BAT’s exact needs throughout the first quarter of 2010.”

Source: IT Backbones - 8 February 2010
Link: http://bit.ly/buvuHb