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Smokers report little benefit of nicotine replacement drugs

01/11/2012

Original 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

09/28/2011

Canada 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

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Tobacco control training module for the Pacific community

Tobacco use is the second major cause of death in the world today. In the 20th century, the tobacco epidemic killed 100 million people worldwide. Unless urgent action is taken during the 21st century, it could kill 1 billion people. Some 80 per cent of these deaths will occur in developing countries. One third of the world’s smokers reside in the Western Pacific Region, where it is estimated that two people die every minute from a tobacco‑related disease. Compared with other WHO regions, the Western Pacific has the greatest number of smokers, among the highest rates of male smoking prevalence, and the fastest increase of tobacco use uptake by women and young people. Recent research shows that up to 50% of all young people in the Region are regularly exposed to tobacco smoke pollution in their homes.

Tobacco use is a serious health, economic and social issue in Pacific island countries and areas (PICs). Smoking is common and in some PICs, betel nut use in combination with tobacco is known. For example, among the population aged 25 to 64 years in some PICs, the rate of daily tobacco use was 49.5% in Nauru, 46.9% in Tokelau, 34.6% in Samoa, 33.3% in Cook Islands, 29.9% in American Samoa, 20.8% in Marshall Islands, and 15.8% in Fiji. All WHO Member States in the Western Pacific Region, including all Member States in the Pacific Island community have ratified the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).

In response to the tobacco epidemic in the Pacific island community, the World Health Organization-South Pacific Office is seeking to increase the tobacco control capacity of governments and nongovernment organizations and has contracted with Health Pragmatics, Ltd to develop a tobacco control training module to form part of the current World Health Organization (WHO) non-communicable diseases (NCD) prevention resource and training package.