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ASH News and Events Bulletin - 1-15 January 2011

HEADLINES

EVENTS

  • Europe reins in the smoking habit

    A new study published in the journal Plos One and led by the Smoking Control Unit of the Catalan Institute of Oncology has confirmed that anti-tobacco laws in Europe have a direct effect on the reduction in consumption of tobacco and exposure to passive smoke.

    The study was carried out in the 27 member states of the EU and the conclusion was reached by relating the Tobacco Eurobarometer survey and the Tobacco Control Scale - which takes into accound the main measures taken in order to control smoking at an international level.

    Source: Eurekalert - 04 January 2011
    Link: http://bit.ly/eZthUc

  • China: WHO warns of death wave from smoking

    The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned that unless strong tobacco control measures are put in place a surge of smoking related deaths is expected to hit China in the coming decades.

    China has over 300 million adult  smokers and it's estimated that 1.2 million people die from tobacco related diseases each year in China.

    Douglas Bettcher Director of WHO Tobacco free initiative said that to prevent a surge in tobacco related deaths, China needs to stop its young people from taking up smoking and give smokers the knowledge and help to quit smoking.

    See also:

    - China's unhealthy relations with big tobacco, The Lancet - 14 January 2011

    - More Chinese Cities Committed to Anti-Smoking Campaign, CRI English - 13 January 2011

    Source: Bernama - 06 January 2011
    Link: http://bit.ly/faYT1R

  • Smoking could 'disappear' by 2050, says Citigroup

    According to research by Citigroup smoking could virtually disappear in Britain by 2050.

    Analysts from Citigroup said, "The percentage of smokers is declining across the developed world, and the declines are more or less in a straight line in most markets. If these trends continue, then by 2050, many important tobacco markets will have gone to zero smoking."

    Citigroup downgraded their rating on Imperial Tobacco, British American Tobacco and Philip Morris International to "hold" from "buy" but stressed they were not turning "ultra-bearish" on the sector.

    Links to further coverage:

    Smoking 'could almost vanish in Britain by 2050', The Daily Mail 

    Market Report: Tobacco groups warned over vanishing smokers, The Independent

    Imperial Tobacco and BAT fall as Citi says smoking could disappear by 2050, The Guardian 

    See also: The year smoking will die out around the world: table, The Telegraph - 08 January 2011

    Source: The Telegraph - 08 January 2011
    Link: http://bit.ly/fBNX9N

  • Study: Hand rolled cigarettes more addictive

    A new study from the University of Victoria suggests that roll your own cigarettes may be more addictive than manufactured cigarettes.

    Dr Amy Lewis, a PhD graduate investigated how tobacco smoke influences proteins involved in cigarette addiction.  Tar was extracted from a range of cigarettes and applied to human cells to measure its effects on proteins involved in tobacco addiction.

    Dr Lewis found cigarettes contain a number of addictive elements within tar and the habits of roll-your-own smokers may increase their level of addiction. This includes the size of the cigarettes rolled, not using filters and drawing more intensively because the cigarette doesn't burn as steadily as manufactured cigarettes.

    Source: IBNLive - 13 January 2011
    Link: http://bit.ly/hK1ple

  • Indonesia: Ignorance feeds cigarette habit among young

    Indonesia has a higher percentage of young smokers than any other country, but ignorance and a powerful tobacco lobby are making it difficult to stamp out nicotine addiction, say health workers and the government. 

    While China and India may have more smokers given their larger populations, Indonesia has a higher prevalence among youngsters, according to the former head of Indonesia's Medical Association, Kartono Mohamad. 

    According to the Indonesian Health Ministry's 2008 health profile, 29 percent of Indonesians aged 10 and above smoke an average 12 cigarettes a day.

    Some 10 percent started smoking at between 10 and 14 years while 0.1 percent started as young as five, according to the report, which was released in 2010.

    A 2009 health law lists tobacco as an addictive substance but farmers from one of the country's most fertile tobacco-growing regions, Central Java, are fighting this label in a constitutional court, citing the threat to their livelihoods. 

    But the country's youngsters have little understanding of those dangers.

    Dimas Riyadi, a 15-year-old street child, said smoking helped him to mix with his peers. "All my friends smoke so it's natural that I smoke too," said Riyadi, who makes a living doing street performances for motorists at a busy intersection in the centre of the capital, Jakarta.

    "I have not been sick because of smoking," he added.  

    Source: IRIN News - 11 January 2011
    Link: http://bit.ly/gaN2WW

  • 'Thirdhand smoke' may be bigger health hazard than previously believed

    Scientists are reporting that so-called "thirdhand smoke" - the invisible remains of cigarette smoke that deposits on carpeting, clothing, furniture and other surfaces - may be even more of a health hazard than previously believed. The study, published in ACS' journal, Environmental Science & Technology, extends the known health risks of tobacco among people who do not smoke but encounter the smoke exhaled by smokers or released by smoldering cigarette butts.

    The scientists studied interactions between nicotine and indoor air on a variety of different materials, including cellulose (a component of wood furniture), cotton, and paper to simulate typical indoor surfaces. They found that nicotine interacts with ozone, in indoor air, to form potentially toxic pollutants on these surfaces.

    Source: BrightSurf - 13 January 2011
    Link: http://bit.ly/dJzkAe

  • EU: Pack branding 'silent salesman' of tobacco industry

    Cigarette packet branding is the tobacco industry's "silent salesman" helping hook children and young people, a group of industry experts have warned.

    Speaking on Wednesday at a discussion of several studies on the impact of introducing plain cigarette packaging, marketing expert Crawford Moodie said there was a definite link between smokers and tobacco branding.

    Moodie, of the institute of social marketing at Stirling university in Scotland, conducted an online survey, which found that almost one in three young people admitted to choosing a certain brand of cigarettes because they were attracted by the pack's appearance.

    It was also found that even the colour of the pack could mislead people with up to a third of young people associating pack colour with the strength of the cigarettes inside.

    Karine Gallopel-Morvan, a lecturer at Rennes university in France, found that a plain pack design with health warnings would deter almost all non smokers from taking up smoking and would reduce the desire amongst smokers to take a cigarette from the pack.

    Further analysis at the event, organised by the association of European cancer leagues and the Belgian foundation against cancer, came from Guido Van Hal who carried out a study on 15- to 19-year-olds in Antwerp.

    The research showed that the appearance of the cigarette package was one of the main motives for buying them.

    A professor at Antwerp university, Van Hal said plain packaging had the biggest impact on non regular smokers.

    He said that in a group of non regular smokers, "plain packages were seen as a reason not to buy cigarettes, as they were perceived as something of a lesser quality".

    The European commission has just completed a public consultation on whether the 2001 tobacco products directive should be revised.

    There have been growing calls from the anti-smoking sector to introduce plain packaging as part of that revision.

    Source: The Parliament - 13 January 2011
    Link: http://bit.ly/ibrFM1

  • Parliamentary question: Plain packaging

    Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evidence he has received on the effects of plain packaging of cigarettes on levels of smoking.

    Anne Milton: A large number of documents, reports and studies are relevant to the role and effect of packaging in the marketing and promotion of tobacco products.

    For example, the RAND Europe study "Assessing the Impacts of Revising the Tobacco Products Directive" commissioned by the European Commission Health and Consumer Directorate-General to support their assessment of the impacts of revising the Tobacco Products Directive 2001/37/EC and published in September 2010, includes a section examining the evidence on the plain or generic packaging of tobacco products.

    The RAND report has been placed in the Library and can be found here (pdf).

    Also, the Australian Government have announced their intention to introduce a legislative requirement for the plain packaging of tobacco to commence on 1 January 2012. The evidence supporting their action is summarised in the technical report "Australia: the healthiest country by 2020-Technical report 2 Tobacco Control in Australia".

    The Australian technical report has been placed in the Library and can be found here.

    Source: Hansard - 12 January 2011
    Link: http://bit.ly/h8ZTfu

  • British American Tobacco 'in bid for Colombian firm'

    British American Tobacco plc is in talks to acquire a Colombian firm for more than GBP270 million.

    BAT is understood to be putting together a bid for Protabaco, the second-biggest cigarette maker in the country.

    Source: The Daily Mail - 08 January 2011
    Link: http://bit.ly/gu9XC1

  • USA: Tobacco firms argue against possible menthol cigarette ban

    Major tobacco makers have urged a federal advisory panel against banning menthol cigarettes, arguing such a ban would likely create an unregulated black market.

    The Food and Drug Administration was given the authority to regulate tobacco products in 2009. As part of the tobacco law, all tobacco flavorings except for menthol were banned due to concerns the flavors enticed children and adolescents to start smoking.

    The FDA is currently considering what, if anything, to do about menthol and has charged its tobacco products scientific advisory committee with writing a report about the public health impact of menthol. The panel report is due in March.

    Source: ADVFN - 11 January 2011
    Link: http://bit.ly/dKoNli

  • Dutch tobacco industry lobby highly effective

    In an address upon his appointment as the endowed professor for Tobacco Control Research at CAPHRI, the School for Public health and Primary care at the University of Maasticht, Professor Marc Willemsen said  the Dutch tobacco industry has been extremely effective in influencing government policy.

    Professor Willemsen added that the tobacco industry has strategic connections in government circles. "The Netherlands is a signatory to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, an international treaty which stipulates that national governments should not communicate with the industry about tobacco policies. And that, if inevitable, such contacts should be made public."

    Source: Radio Netherlands Worldwide - 12 January 2011
    Link: http://bit.ly/hHt2Mp

  • Brief Letter: Knighthood of fomer BAT chief executive

    The knighthood for Martin Broughton, former chief executive of British American Tobacco (New Year's honours, 31 December) is a huge insult to everyone engaged in the fight to prevent the 100,000 annual deaths from smoking in the UK. And as chair of British Airways, Broughton now presides over a company which causes even longer lasting harm by spewing out thousands of tonnes of greenhouse gases every year.

    Donald Reid
    Former Chair,
    Action on Smoking and Health

    Source: The Guardian - 04 January 2011
    Link: http://bit.ly/fK7sY4

  • Sleep disorders and smoking

    Abstract
    Background: Studies have shown that cigarette smoking is associated with sleep disorders in the general population. But studies examining the association between smokeless tobacco use, second-hand smoke exposure and insufficient rest/sleep are limited.

    Methods: We examined the association between smoking, smokeless tobacco use (n=83,072), second-hand smoke exposure (n=28,557) and insufficient rest/sleep among adults aged ⩾20years in the state-based 2008 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Exposure to second-hand smoke was defined as >1day of exposure to cigarette smoking either at home or in the workplace in the preceding 7days. Insufficient rest/sleep was defined as not getting enough rest/sleep everyday in the preceding 30days.

    Results: Compared to never smokeless tobacco users, the odds ratio (OR; 95% confidence interval [CI]) of insufficient rest/sleep was 1.16 (1.00-1.36) and 1.74 (1.37-2.22) among former and current users. Compared to non-smokers/non-smokeless tobacco users, the OR (95% CI) of insufficient rest/sleep for those who were both current smokers and current smokeless tobacco users was 2.21 (1.66-2.94). Regarding second-hand smoke exposure among non-smokers, those with second-hand smoke exposure had higher odds for insufficient rest/sleep than those without. In contrast, the odds of insufficient rest/sleep were similar among current smokers with or without second-hand smoke exposure.

    Conclusions: In a multiethnic sample of US adults, compared to non-smokers/non-smokeless tobacco users, those who were both current smokers and current smokeless tobacco users had twice the odds of insufficient sleep. Second-hand smoke exposure was associated with insufficient rest/sleep among non-smokers.

    Sabanayagam, C. and Shankar, A., The association between active smoking, smokeless tobacco, second-hand smoke exposure and insufficient sleep, Sleep Medicine. 2010 Dec 6. [Epub ahead of print]

    Source: Sleep Journal - 06 December 2010
    Link: http://bit.ly/g70Gqf

  • Taxation and Behaviour

    The current global economic crisis is forcing governments to consider a variety of methods to generate funds for infrastructure. In the United States, smoking-related illness and an obesity epidemic are forcing public health institutions to consider a variety of methods to influence health behaviors of entire target groups. In this paper, the author uses a public health nursing model, the Public Health Code of Ethics (Public Health Leadership Society, 2002), the American Nurses' Association (ANA) Code of Ethics (2001), and other relevant ethical theory to weigh and balance the arguments for and against the use of sin taxes. A position advocating the limited use of sin taxes is supported as a reasonable stance for the public health professional.

    Green, J., The Ethics of Sin Taxes, Public Health Nursing, Volume 28, Issue 1, pages 68–77, January/February 2011

    See also: Reduction versus abrupt cessation in smokers who want to quit, Referenced Cochrane Review - 17 March 2010

    Source: Wiley - 06 October 2010
    Link: http://bit.ly/gUR9Bx

  • Cessation and socio-economic factors

    Abstract
    Background: Smokers from lower socio-economic groups are less likely to be successful in a quit attempt than more affluent smokers, even when they access smoking cessation services.

    Methods: Data were collected from smoking cessation service users from three contrasting areas of Great Britain-Glasgow, North Cumbria and Nottingham. Routine monitoring data were supplemented with CO-validated smoking status at 52-week follow-up and survey data on socio-economic circumstances and smoking-related behaviour. Analysis was restricted to the 2397 clients aged between 25 and 59.

    Results: At 52-week follow-up, 14.3% of the most affluent smokers remained quit compared with only 5.3% of the most disadvantaged. After adjustment for demographic factors, the most advantaged clients at the English sites and the Glasgow one-to-one programme were significantly more likely to have remained abstinent than those who were most disadvantaged [odds ratio: 2.5, confidence interval (CI): 1.4-4.7 and 7.5 CI: 1.4-40.3, respectively). Mechanisms producing the inequalities appeared to include treatment compliance, household smokers and referral source.

    Conclusions: Rather than quitting smoking, disadvantaged smokers quit treatment. More should be done to encourage them to persevere through the first few weeks. Other causes of inequalities in quitting varied with the service provided.

    Hiscock, R., et al., Social inequalities in quitting smoking: what factors mediate the relationship between socioeconomic position and smoking cessation? Journal of Public Health (Oxf). 2010 Dec 22. [Epub ahead of print]

    Source: Oxford Journals - 22 December 2010
    Link: http://bit.ly/fhC7J9

  • Short-term smoking abstinence and alcohol

    Abstract
    Objective    : The goal of this study was to compare lifetime cigarette smoking, severity of nicotine dependence, and subjective effects of short-term tobacco abstinence in abstinent alcohol dependent (AD) and control smokers.

    Method: AD (n = 119) and control (n = 55) ever-smokers were compared on tobacco use history and nicotine dependence. Negative affect and craving to smoke were examined in a subsample of currently smoking AD (N = 34) and control (N = 19) participants during a 6-h period of tobacco abstinence using the Profile of Mood States (POMS) and the Questionnaire on Smoking Urges-Brief (QSU-B).

    Results: Although AD smokers did not differ from controls on heaviness of smoking, they were more likely to meet lifetime criteria for nicotine dependence. AD smokers also reported more withdrawal symptoms and were more likely to endorse withdrawal-related depressed mood during past smoking reduction or abstinence periods. During short-term abstinence, AD smokers were more likely to report high craving to smoke for negative affect relief within the first 150 min of tobacco abstinence, but did not differ from controls on overall craving to smoke or withdrawal-related negative affect on the POMS.

    Conclusions: Results support previous findings that AD smokers have a greater prevalence of nicotine dependence and more severe nicotine withdrawal, with a greater propensity toward withdrawal-related depressed mood. These results, along with our novel finding that greater craving to smoke in abstaining smokers with AD is specific to negative affect-related craving, suggest that negative reinforcement may be a particularly salient factor in the maintenance of tobacco use among individuals with AD.

    Heffner, J., et al. Smoking history, nicotine dependence, and changes in craving and mood during short-term smoking abstinence in alcohol dependent vs. control smokers, Addictive Behaviors, Volume 36, Issue 3, March 2011, Pages 244-247

    Source: Sci Verse - 28 October 2010
    Link: http://bit.ly/gs5acn

  • Mental Cues and Cessation

    Abstract:
    Aims: This study investigated whether Pavlovian extinction occurs during smoking cessation by determining whether experience abstaining from smoking in the presence of cigarette cues leads to decreased probability of lapsing and whether this effect is mediated by craving.

    Design: Secondary analyses were carried out with data sets from two studies with correlational/observational designs.

    Setting:  were collected in smokers' natural environments using ecological momentary assessment techniques.

    Participants: Sixty-one and 207 smokers who were attempting cessation participated.

    Measurements: Multi-level path models were used to examine effects of prior experience abstaining in the presence of available cigarettes and while others were smoking on subsequent craving intensity and the probability of lapsing. Control variables included current cigarette availability, current exposure to others smoking, number of prior lapses and time in the study.

    Findings: Both currently available cigarettes [odds ratios (OR) = 36.60, 11.59] and the current presence of other smoking (OR = 5.00, 1.52) were powerful predictors of smoking lapse. Repeated exposure to available cigarettes without smoking was associated with a significantly lower probability of lapse in subsequent episodes (OR = 0.44, 0.52). However, exposure to others smoking was not a reliable predictor, being significant only in the smaller study (OR = 0.30). Craving functioned as a mediator between extinction of available cigarettes and lapsing only in the smaller study and was not a mediator for extinction of others smoking in either study.

    Conclusions: This study showed that exposure to available cigarettes is a large risk factor for lapsing, but that this risk can also be reduced over time by repeated exposures without smoking. Smoking cessation interventions should attempt to reduce cigarette exposure (by training cigarette avoidance) but recognize the potential advantage of unreinforced exposure to available cigarettes.

    O'Connell, K., et al., Does extinction of responses to cigarette cues occur during smoking cessation? Addiction, Volume 106, Number 2, February 2011 , pp. 410-417(8)

    Source: Ingenta Connect - January 2011
    Link: http://bit.ly/g5zclv

  • Children's blood pressure and parental smoking

    Abstract

    Background: Hypertension is the leading risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Although accumulating evidence suggests tracking of blood pressure from childhood into adult life, there is little information regarding the relative contributions of genetic, prenatal, biological, behavioral, environmental, and social determinants to childhood blood pressure.

    Methods and Results: Blood pressure and an array of potential anthropometric, prenatal, environmental, and familial risk factors for high blood pressure, including parental smoking habits, were determined as part of a screening project in 4236 preschool children (age 5.7±0.4 years). Smoking was reported by 28.5% of fathers and 20.7% of mothers, and by both parents 11.9%. In addition to classic risk factors such as body mass index, prematurity, low birth weight, and parental hypertension, both systolic (+1.0 [95% confidence interval, +0.5 to +1.5] mm Hg; P=0.0001) and diastolic blood pressure (+0.5 [+0.03 to +0.9] mm Hg; P=0.03) were higher in children of smoking parents. Parental smoking independently affected systolic blood pressure (P=0.001) even after correction for other risk factors, such as body mass index, parental hypertension, or birth weight, increasing the likelihood of having a systolic blood pressure in the top 15% of the population by 21% (2% to 44%; P=0.02).

    Conclusions: In healthy preschool children, parental smoking is an independent risk factor for higher blood pressure, adding to other familial and environmental risk factors. Implementing smoke-free environments at home and in public places may provide a long-term cardiovascular benefit even to young children.

    Giacomo, D., et al., Determinants of Blood Pressure in Preschool Children, The Role of Parental Smoking, Circulation. 2011, Published online before print January 10, 2011, doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.110.958769

    Source: American Heart Association - 10 January 2011
    Link: http://bit.ly/i6WUOG

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