Health News
Smokers report little benefit of nicotine replacement drugs
01/11/2012Original article here January 9, 2012 Nicotine Gum and Skin Patch Face New Doubt By BENEDICT CAREY The nicotine gum and patches that millions of smokers use to help kick their habit have no lasting benefit and may backfire in some cases, according to the most rigorous long-term study to date of so-called nicotine replacement therapy. The study, More
Canada finalizes new cigarette health warnings…and the US lags behind
09/28/2011Canada announced the finalization of regulations to require the new set of health warnings on packages of cigarettes and little cigars. The warnings will increase in size from 50% to 75% and go into effect by mid-2012. The new requirements include A set of 16 new package picture-based health warnings, with an increase in warning size from More
The percentage of American adults who smoke decreased from 20.9% in 2005 to 19.3% in 2010….but…
CDC says that, “tobacco use remains the single largest preventable cause of disease, disability, and death in the US. Some people who smoke every day are smoking fewer cigarettes; however, even occasional smoking causes harm. The percentage of American adults who smoke decreased from 20.9% in 2005 to 19.3% in 2010. That translates to 3 More
3rd WHO Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic
07/19/2011The World Health Organzation has launched the WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2011, the third in a series of periodic reports about the extent and character of the epidemic and measures to stop it. The report presents the latest global and country data on the prevalence of tobacco use and on the impact More
Iraq Takes Aim at Smoking
New York Times May 12, 2011 By JACK HEALY BAGHDAD — In a country where the power blinks out several times a day, where filling up a gas tank can take hours and motorists stew in seemingly endless traffic jams, smoking is one thing that seems blissfully easy. A pack of cigarettes costs as little as 25 cents. More
Putting a Crimp in the Hookah
06/15/2011New York Times May 30, 2011 By DOUGLAS QUENQUA Kevin Shapiro, a 20-year-old math and physics major at the University of Pennsylvania, first tried a hookah at a campus party. He liked the exotic water pipe so much that he chipped in to buy one for his fraternity house, where he says it makes a useful More
When Citizens (Gasp) Are the Smoking Police
09/17/2010“It is a common misconception that civil libertarians should be on the side of smokers. ‘There is no constitutional right to smoke…’”
The Claim: Smoking Relieves Stress
08/10/2010NEW YORK TIMES THE FACTS The benefits of quitting smoking — reduced risk of cancer and many other health problems — are known. But for millions of smokers, the calming effect of a cigarette can be reason enough to start up again. Studies have found, however, that in reality, lighting up has the opposite effect, causing long-term stress More
Tobacco Funds Shrink as Obesity Fight Intensifies
07/28/2010New York Times/Duff Wilson 27 July 2010 The steep drop-off in private funds illustrates the competition under way for money as public health priorities shift. In the race for preventive health care dollars, from charities and from federal and state government sources, the tobacco warriors have become a big loser. Read more
China’s Tobacco Industry Wields Huge Power
07/02/2010China National Tobacco, the state-owned tobacco company, generated $76 billion in taxes and profit, a year-on-year rise of $8.2 billion, according to a spokesman, Zhang Xiulian. Of that, $61 billion was taxes. The profit figure — $14.3 billion — far outstrips even Philip Morris International, the world’s largest transnational tobacco company, which posted net earnings of $6.3 billion last year.