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ASH News and Events Bulletin - 01-15 February 2011

HEADLINES

EVENTS

  • Australia: Decision removes judge from tobacco case

    British American Tobacco has succeeded in having a Sydney judge removed from hearing a cancer compensation case involving allegations it intentionally destroyed documents.

    The case, an uncommon claim that lung cancer was caused by both tobacco and asbestos, will be allocated to a different judge in the NSW Dust Diseases Tribunal following a High Court decision on the appearance of judicial bias.

    The new judge's task will include deciding whether British American Tobacco Australia Services intentionally destroyed evidence that it knew its products caused cancer.

    Source: Sydney Morning Herald - 10 February 2011
    Link: http://bit.ly/e5NTge

  • Australia: Largest ever national tobacco campaign kicks off

    A new hard hitting advertising campaign that graphically links smoking with lung cancer has hit the airwaves and TV screens as the Gillard Government continues its world leading action to combat tobacco use.

    The $61 million campaign’s message is a simple one: every cigarette you smoke brings cancer closer.

    “The campaign will include national advertising across television, print, online, outdoor and radio with a simple call to action: smokers—attempt to quit today.

    This campaign, alongside the Government’s plain packaging plans, increase in tobacco excise and subsidised nicotine patches shows the Gillard Government’s determination to do all it can to help those Australians who are ready to quit smoking.

    Source: Australian Labour - 01 February 2011
    Link: http://bit.ly/gYxLFJ

  • Brain scans predict likely success of smoking cessation

    According to a new study, brain scans showing neural reactions to pro-health messages can predict if you will keep that resolution to quit smoking more accurately than you yourself can.

    Emily Falk, the lead author of the study said, "We targeted smokers who were already taking action to quit. And we found that neural activity can predict behaviour change, above and beyond people's own assessment of how likely they are to succeed."

    The author added, "These results bring us one step closer to the ability to use functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to select the messages that are most likely to affect behaviour change both at the individual and population levels. It seems that our brain activity may provide information that introspection does not."

    Source: MediLexicon, 02 February 2011
    Link: http://bit.ly/dTCOQW

  • Spain: Sales of smoking cessation products soar

    The sale of smoking cessation products has soared since a tough anti-tobacco law came into effect in January.

    Sales of the products increased by almost 600 percent in January while at the same time the sale of prescription drugs to help smokers quit rose by 145.6 percent.

    Source: People's Daily Online - 05 February 2011
    Link: http://bit.ly/ijDLpb

  • EDM 1400: No Smoking Day 2011

    Mike Weatherley MP has tabled the following Early Day Motion:

    That this House congratulates the No Smoking Day charity on its 28th annual public health campaign, which will take place on 9 March 2011; notes that almost one million smokers made a quit attempt on No Smoking Day last year; further notes that despite recent tobacco control legislation smoking remains the number one cause of premature avoidable death in the UK; and further notes the need for continued support of No Smoking Day.

    Source: Parliament UK - 03 February 2011
    Link: http://bit.ly/hMbHmz

  • Parliamentary question: Tobacco Sales

    Mr Offord (Hendon, Conservative): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment his Department has made of the potential effects on businesses of removing tobacco point-of-sale displays from retail outlets.

    Mr Prisk (Minister of State (Business and Enterprise), Business, Innovation and Skills; Hertford and Stortford, Conservative): Powers to prohibit the permanent display of tobacco products in retail outlets are contained in the Health Act 2009 and the Department of Health (DH) is the lead Government Department. DH are responsible for assessing the impact of the net cost to business. BIS is in discussions on the impact of DH's proposals subject to the independent scrutiny by the Regulatory Policy Committee and then consideration by the Reducing Regulation Committee.
     

    Source: Hansard - 10 February 2011
    Link: http://bit.ly/dOJt5Q

  • Analysis: Imperial better placed for plain packaging threat

    Britain's Imperial Tobacco looks better placed than rivals with more expensive brands if plain packaging rules for cigarettes spread from developed to emerging markets, as health warnings did, according to tobacco analysts.

    New rules are being explored in Australia and Britain, but analysts say the real risk from plain packaging is if it spreads to emerging markets, where it would slow consumers moving to more pricey and profitable brands.

    Smokers in big emerging markets such as Brazil, Russia and Indonesia aspire to top western brands such as Marlboro and Lucky Strike cigarettes, which confer status on the individual and bigger margins to the maker.

    Plain packaging interferes with that mechanism, helping makers like Imperial, with its focus on low-priced brands such as Lambert & Butler.

    In mature markets, where Imperial makes 70 percent of its profits, packaging changes are expected to have a relatively low impact on smokers' choices.

    Analyst Adam Spielman at Citi says industry profitability depends on consumers paying premiums for some brands, and plain packaging would reduce the power of the brand, especially expensive brands growing strongly in emerging markets.

    Australia and Britain are looking at rules to force cigarette makers to sell their products in plain packages with the brand name in a standard typeface, removing the allure of attractive packaging, colours and logos.

    Source: Forexyard - 01 February 2011
    Link: http://bit.ly/gX1Evp

  • Emerging markets breathe life into Imperial

    Imperial Tobacco delivered its strongest trading update since Alison Cooper took the helm last summer, with cigarette volumes stabilising after more than a year of decline.

    Smokers in Africa, the Middle East and Asia helped push up the number of cigarettes sold by 0.5 per cent in the three months to December 31, while "white stick-equivalent" volumes, which include the group's fine-cut rolling tobacco, rose 1.2 per cent.

    Cooper said trading had been helped by a sales strategy that gives local management teams more flexibility as they seek to satisfy the various tastes of different markets.

    Imperial Tobacco, one of Britain's biggest companies, also committed itself to paying out half of all its profits in dividends.

    Imperial said the move reflects its "strong financial position" and will be a fillip to pension funds fighting to close deficits.

    Last year Imperial - the maker of Lambert & Butler, Drum, Rizla, Gitanes and John Player Special among other tobacco brands - paid out around £1.5 billion to shareholders.

    That was 47% of profits, making it already one of Britain's biggest dividend payers. 

    Imperial Tobacco to pay out half of profits in dividends - Evening Standard, 03 February 2011

    Source: Yahoo/FT - 02 February 2011
    Link: http://yhoo.it/gF7ZCq

  • EU Court reduces Spanish tobacco firm cartel fine

    Spanish tobacco company Compania Espanola de Tabaco en Rama SA, or CETARSA, saw its cartel fine decreased to EUR3.15 million from around EUR3.6 million in a ruling by a European court.

    Cetarsa was among five companies and four unions that the European Commission, Europe's competition watchdog, found to have participated in a cartel arrangement in the Spanish raw tobacco market between 1996 and 2001.

    In October 2004, the commission, levied a EUR20 million fine on the five companies. CETARSA's fine was the second largest, at just over EUR3.6 million.

    Source: Aeret - 02 February 2011
    Link: http://bit.ly/e0V34f

  • Higher cigarette prices help Reynolds American 4Q

    Cigarette maker Reynolds American Inc. said its net income rose more than 43 percent in the fourth quarter on higher prices and lower costs, even though it sold fewer cigarettes.

    The number of cigarettes the Winston-Salem, N.C., company sold fell 5.1 percent to 19 billion cigarettes during the quarter, compared with its estimate of a 4.7 percent decline for the whole industry. The company's share of the U.S. market fell 0.2 points to 28.3 percent.

    Reynolds American sold 19 percent more of its Pall Mall cigarettes during the quarter as the company continues to promote the brand as a longer-lasting and more affordable cigarette as smokers weather the weak economy and high unemployment. Reynolds' share of the U.S. market grew 2.3 points to 8.3 percent in the quarter.

    It sold 8.5 percent more Camel cigarettes during the period, while the brand's U.S. market share grew 0.6 points to 8 percent.

    Reynolds American and other tobacco companies are also focusing on cigarette alternatives such as snuff and chewing tobacco for future sales growth as tax increases, smoking bans, health concerns and social stigma make the cigarette business tougher.

    The company is also pushing its Camel brand into smokeless tobacco: dissolvable, finely milled tobacco shaped into orbs, sticks and strips, will be introduced into two new markets in March, and snus, small pouches like tea bags that users stick between the cheek and gum, which are available nationwide.

    Source: The Washington Post - 03 February 2011
    Link: http://wapo.st/eXoWrV

  • Japan Tobacco aims to boost profit in Russia, Eastern Europe

    Japan Tobacco, the world’s third-largest publicly traded cigarette maker, aims to boost overseas profit by at least 10 percent as a tax increase reduces demand in the domestic market.

    Japan Tobacco plans to increase sales in countries including Russia, Yasushi Shingai, executive vice president of the JT International SA unit, said in an interview on Feb. 10 in Tokyo, where the company is based. The cigarette maker will focus on its more profitable brands including Mild Seven and Winston, he said.

    The company is targeting profit growth in Russia even as the country seeks to crack down on smoking through an advertising ban and higher taxes. Eastern Europe including Russia is the biggest overseas market for Japan Tobacco, accounting for 48 percent of its international unit’s sales volume in 2010, the company said.

    The company had a 37 percent market share in Russia. Japan Tobacco also aims to expand sales in the Middle East and North Africa, Shingai said.

    Source: Bloomberg news - 13 Feb 2011
    Link: http://bloom.bg/evaECe

  • Cessation and postoperative complications

    Abstract
    Objective     We aimed to review randomized trials and observational evidence to establish the effect of preoperative smoking cessation on postoperative complications and to determine if there is an optimal cessation period before surgery.

    Methods We conducted a systematic review of all randomized trials evaluating the effect of smoking cessation on postoperative complications and all observational studies evaluating the risk of complications among past smokers compared with current smokers. We searched independently, in duplicate, 10 electronic databases and the bibliographies of relevant reviews. We conducted a meta-analysis of randomized trials using a random effects model and performed a meta-regression to examine the impact of time, in weeks, on the magnitude of effect. For observational studies, we pooled proportions of past smokers in comparison with current smokers.

    Results We included 6 randomized trials and 15 observational studies. We pooled the 6 randomized trials and demonstrated a relative risk reduction of 41% (95% confidence interval [CI], 15-59, P = .01) for prevention of postoperative complications. We found that each week of cessation increases the magnitude of effect by 19%. Trials of at least 4 weeks' smoking cessation had a significantly larger treatment effect than shorter trials (P = .04). Observational studies demonstrated important effects of smoking cessation on decreasing total complications (relative risk [RR] 0.76, 95% CI, 0.69-0.84, P < .0001, I2 = 15%). This also was observed for reduced wound healing complications (RR 0.73, 95% CI, 0.61-0.87, P = .0006, I2 = 0%) and pulmonary complications (RR 0.81, 95% CI, 0.70-0.93, P = .003, I2 = 7%). Observational studies examining duration of cessation demonstrated that longer periods of cessation, compared with shorter periods, had an average reduction in total complications of 20% (RR 0.80, 95% CI, 3-33, P = .02, I2 = 68%).

    Conclusion Longer periods of smoking cessation decrease the incidence of postoperative complications.

    Mills, E., et al., Smoking Cessation Reduces Postoperative Complications: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis, The American Journal of Medicine, Volume 124, Issue 2, February 2011, Pages 144-154.e8 
     

    Source: PubMed - February 2011
    Link: http://bit.ly/ggZrdK

  • Disease prevalence in US and England

    Abstract

    We find that both disease incidence and disease prevalence are higher among Americans in age groups 55-64 and 70-80, indicating that Americans suffer from higher past cumulative disease risk and experience higher immediate risk of new disease onset compared with the English. In contrast, age-specific mortality rates are similar in the two countries, with an even higher risk among the English after age 65. We also examine reasons for the large financial gradients in mortality in the two countries. Among 55- to 64-year-olds, we estimate similar health gradients in income and wealth in both countries, but for 70- to 80-year-olds, we find no income gradient in the United Kingdom. Standard behavioral risk factors (work, marriage, obesity, exercise, and smoking) almost fully explain income gradients among those aged 55-64 in both countries and a significant part among Americans 70-80 years old. The most likely explanation of the absence of an English income gradient relates to the English income benefit system: below the median, retirement benefits are largely flat and independent of past income, and hence past health, during the working years. Finally, we report evidence using a long panel of American respondents that their subsequent mortality is not related to large changes in wealth experienced during the prior 10-year period.

    ...Current smoking declines rapidly across either income or wealth quintiles. In these birth cohorts in both countries and at all income and wealth levels, a large fraction of individuals who smoked in the past were able to stop. But the fact that current smoking declines more sharply across financial gradients than does ever smoking implies that low-income and low-wealth individuals find it much more difficult than higher-income or -wealth individuals to stop smoking once they have started. This pattern is especially true in England...

    Banks, J., et al., Disease prevalence, disease incidence, and mortality in the United States and in England, Demography. 2010;47 Suppl:S211-31.



     

    Source: Project MUSE - December 2010
    Link: http://bit.ly/gzdTgq

  • Lung cancer risk from asbestos exposure and smoking

    Abstract
    Objectives: Workers in the asbestos industry tend to have high smoking rates compared to the general population. Both asbestos exposure and cigarette smoking are recognized risk factors for lung cancer mortality, but the exact nature of the interaction between the two remains uncertain. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of smoking and smoking cessation among asbestos workers in Great Britain (GB) and investigate the interaction between asbestos exposure and smoking.

    Methods: The study population consisted of 98 912 asbestos workers recruited into the GB Asbestos Survey from 1971, followed-up to December 2005. Poisson regression was used to estimate relative risks of lung cancer mortality associated with smoking habits of the asbestos workers and to assess whether these effects differed within various categories of asbestos exposure. The interaction between asbestos exposure and smoking was examined using the Synergy (S) and Multiplicativity (V) indices, which test the hypotheses of additive and multiplicative interaction, respectively. The proportion of lung cancers among smokers attributable to the interaction of asbestos and smoking was also estimated.

    Results: During 1 780 233 person-years of follow-up, there were 1878 deaths from lung cancer (12% of all deaths). Risk of lung cancer mortality increased with packs smoked per day, smoking duration, and total smoke exposure (pack-years). Asbestos workers who stopped smoking remained at increased risk of lung cancer mortality up to 40 years after smoking cessation compared to asbestos workers who never smoked. The effects of smoking and stopping smoking did not differ by duration of asbestos exposure, main occupation, age at first asbestos exposure, year of first exposure, or latency period. The interaction between asbestos exposure and smoking for asbestos workers was greater than additive [S 1.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.2-1.6], and the multiplicative hypothesis could not be rejected (V 0.9, 95% CI 0.3-2.4). For those asbestos workers who smoked, an estimated 26% (95% CI 14-38%) of lung cancer deaths were attributable to the interaction of asbestos and smoking.

    Conclusions: This study emphasizes the importance of smoking prevention and cessation among those who work in the asbestos industry.

    Frost, G., et al., The effect of smoking on the risk of lung cancer mortality for asbestos workers in Great Britain (1971-2005), Annals of Occupational Hygiene. 2011 Jan 20. [Epub ahead of print]

     

    Source: Oxford Journals - 20 January 2011
    Link: http://bit.ly/eGpfkr

  • Smoking and depression

    Abstract
    Background: A key question regarding the documented association between smoking and depression is whether it reflects a causal influence of smoking on depression; however, only a limited number of longitudinal studies exist in the literature, all of which have relatively short time frames. The purpose was to prospectively assess the risk of depression according to daily tobacco consumption in a Danish longitudinal study.

    Methods: A prospective cohort study, the Copenhagen City Heart Study (n = 18,146), was analyzed with up to 26 years of follow-up. It contains three updated data sets on tobacco consumption and potential confounding factors. The study population was linked to Danish hospital registers to detect registrations with depression. Individuals with depression before baseline were excluded.

    Results: Women smoking more than 10 g of tobacco per day were at significantly increased risk of depression compared to women who did not smoke. The adjusted risk of depression among women smoking 11-20 g per day was 1.74 (CI:1.33-2.27) and 2.17 (CI:1.45-3.26) among women smoking more than 20 g per day. For men, there was an increased risk of depression for those smoking more than 20 g per day (HR = 1.90; CI:1.05-3.44). All tests for linear trend were significant (all p < 0.01). The estimates remained significant in sensitivity analyses aiming to eliminate reverse causation, and in analyses based on a reduced sample without individuals with chronic diseases or psychiatric disorders other than depression.

    Conclusion: The study suggests that smoking is associated with increased risk of developing depression. This underlines the potentially harmful consequences of smoking for mental health and supports efforts to prevent and stop smoking.

    Flensborg-Madsen, T., et al., Tobacco smoking as a risk factor for depression. A 26-year population-based follow-up study. Journal of Psychiatric Research. 2011 Feb;45(2):143-9. Epub 2010 Jul 13.
     

    Source: PubMed - February 2011
    Link: http://bit.ly/eFywRO

  • The Globalization of Tobacco Use

    The globalization of tobacco began more than 500 years ago, but the public health response to the death, disease, and economic disruption that it has caused is fewer than 50 years old. In this report, the authors briefly trace the history of tobacco use and commerce as it moved from the Americas in the late 15th century and then eastward. They then discuss the wide range of issues that must be addressed, and the equally wide range of expertise that is needed if the global health community is to be successful in reducing, and eventually eliminating, the rising tide of tobacco use, particularly in the low- and middle-income nations that are the target of the multinational tobacco industry.

    Glynn, T., et al., The Globalization of Tobacco Use: 21 Challenges For The 21st Century, CA Cancer Journal for Clinicians 2010;60;50-61 DOI: 10.3322/caac.20052 

    Source: CA Online - 2010
    Link: http://bit.ly/agF7hR

Events

  • Tobacco control in secondary care conference

    Programme:

    - targeting hospitalised smokers
    - marketing public health in Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
    - identifying pregnant women who smoke and offering accessible treatment
    - the impact of illegal tobacco on smoking cessation
    - stop smoking interventions in secondary care, including Blackpool's Lung Health Check Programme
    - maintaining a smokefree hospital site
    - exhibition of resources and local projects

    Date: 02 March 2011
    Venue: De Vere Hotel, Blackpool
    Contact: Rachel.Swindells@bfwhospitals.nhs.uk - 01253303967

  • No Smoking Day - Time to Quit?

    The 2011 theme was developed with smokers themselves, we know that most of them would really like to stop, but find it hard to. For many the day that their smoke-free life begins never seems to arrive and so we are aiming to encourage smokers to think ahead and with the help of No Smoking Day make that day Wednesday, 9 March 2011.

    Date: 09 March 2011
    Venue: Around the country
    Contact: http://www.nosmokingday.org.uk/

  • Child and Adolescent Addictions - 4th National Conference

    Child and Adolescent Addictions will bring together leading experts in the fields of psychiatry, psychology and psychotherapy to discuss the current issues, latest developments and practical management of child and adolescent substance misuse.

    Date: 21 March 2011
    Venue: Hallam Conference Centre, London, W1
    Contact: www.mahealthcareevents.co.uk/addictions2011

  • Budget Announcement

    The Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne announces his Budget for 2011.

    Date: 23 March 2011
    Venue: House of Commons
    Contact: www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/2011_budget.htm

  • 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

  • Tobacco control in practice: a postgraduate CPD module

    The module is aimed at professionals, at all levels, working in public health, health promotion and related fields. It aims to provide participants with an overview of key concepts and issues in tobacco control. Adopting an evidence-based approach, the unit will provide a background in the origins and key debates in tobacco control and enable students to critically evaluate current tobacco control interventions. The unit will also help students consider how they can apply lessons from current and emerging areas of tobacco control to their own areas of work.

    Applications will not be accepted after Friday 8th April 2011.
     
    UKCTCS: www.ukctcs.org
    University of Stirling: www.research.stir.ac.uk
    Date: 09 May 2011
    Venue: University of Stirling, Scotland
    Contact: c.a.french@bath.ac.uk

  • Health and Wellbeing – the 21st Century Agenda

    The second international conference organised by the journal Public Health is taking as its theme health and wellbeing. The conference will explore the relationships between health, wellbeing and the factors which influence them in a global environment. 


    website

    Date: 08 September 2011
    Venue: Friends House, 173-177 Euston Road, London, NW1 2BJ
    Contact: crobins@rsph.org.uk

  • 15th World Conference on Tobacco or Health

    The premier, international conference on tobacco control attracts thousands of academics, practitioners, non-government organisations and public officials. 

    Date: 20 March 2012
    Venue: Singapore
    Contact: http://wctoh2012.org