Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Smoking Ban In England Lowers The Number Of Children Suffering From Asthma



According to a latest finding by researchers, the number of children afflicted with severe asthma was considerably reduced after the implementation of the smoke-free law in England. The researchers carried out a study and found that one year after the law stopping smoking in public places had been enacted; the number of children suffering from asthma problems was lowered by 12%.  
 
Researchers from London-based Imperial College began the study by analysing NHS statistics dating back to April 2002. According to the study authors, evidence gathered from the study points out that a larger number of people are showing preference for smoke-free homes.  
 
The study revealed that a year before the implementation of the smoking prohibitions in the year 2007, the number of children who were afflicted with asthma and admitted to hospital was increasing by over 2%.  

The findings were published in the journal Pediatrics.  
 
Source: www.bbc.co.uk,Date: 21st January 2013

US States Use Little Money For Funding Quit Smoking Programs



 A latest report discloses that a majority of state governments in the US use very little amount of money they collect on a yearly basis from legal litigations with cigarette manufacturers or tobacco taxes to fund programs that can help people trigger off smoking cessation.

The American Lung Association reports that in the 2013 financial year, the American states spent just $462.5 million on quit smoking as well as smoking prevention programs that are aimed at helping smokers stop smoking. According to the Association, the amount used by the US states is just 10 percent of the spending levels suggested by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
 
According to a specific report "State of Tobacco Control 2013" by the American Lung Association, some of the US states collect $25 billion per year, from payments delivered under a 1998 consensus with tobacco manufacturers and state taxes levied on tobacco-based products.  
 
News sources reveal that Alaska and North Dakota are the only two US states that invest close to the sum recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Erika Sward, the assistant vice president of American Lung Association, discloses that some of the US states use up most of the money in their common budgets.
 
Paul Billings, the senior vice president of American Lung Association states that the central and state policymakers should begin implanting policies and funding programs that are effective are lowering the use of tobacco products.
 
Source: www.huffingtonpost.com/, Date: 16th January 2013

Exercises Can Help Reduce Cigarette Intake



Adrian Taylor, a professor from the University of Exeter, carried out a study to find out how physical activity can be helpful for cutting down on cigarette intake. He undertook the study by enrolling 99 people from Devonport and Devonport. After a period of eight weeks, he found that around 20 percent of the smokers who got help from the services tried to quit smoking, in comparison to 6 percent who didn’t get any help.

As the study ended, it was seen that some of the participants increased physical activity more than others and it proved to be useful for smoking cessation.  

Now, several health services are considering physical activity as an effective help for smokers who are looking forward to quit smoking successfully.  
 
Source:thisisplymouth.co.uk, Date: 18th January 2013   

Friday, January 25, 2013

Acupuncture Can Make It Possible For Smokers To Quit Smoking



A latest study reveals that acupuncture can be effective for stop smoking. The study also makes it apparent that smokers who stop smoking with the assistance of acupuncture therapy are thrice more prone to achieve success after a period of six months to one year.
 
The physician Dr Richard Halvorsen performs acupuncture in Broadgate Spine & Joint Clinic and he uses acupuncture therapy to help people quit smoking. News sources disclose that Dr Richard Halvorsen merges alternative treatments with conventional medical procedures to formulate a treatment plan that is particularly suitable for each and every individual. 
 
The new research highlights that acupuncture can be effective for stop smoking. Acupuncture is widely used for treating a range of other medical conditions such as back pain, infertility, headache and illness.

Source: http://www.prleap.com/, date:  11th January 2013


NHS Getting Ready To Train Employers On How To Make Their Employees Quit Smoking



According to a recent disclosure, the Greater Glasgow team of the National Health Service (NHS) and Clyde’s smoking cessation and Health at Work teams are gearing up to welcome employers in a special event where they will be offered useful suggestions on how to make their employees stop smoking.  The teams will suggest various schemes to the employers that they can use and help their employees quit smoking.

The employers will gain the chance to take part in NHSGGS’s annual Quit and Win drive—that starts on the 13th March, which is a No Smoking Day and continues for a period of 12 weeks.
 
According to news sources, this opportunity is made available for all workplaces located in the Clyde and Greater Glasgow region. It is also known that after a period of every four weeks, a prize draw is organized for the participants who have successfully triggered off smoking cessation.  

Source: http://www.glasgowsouthandeastwoodextra.co.uk, Date:  18th December 2012

Friday, January 18, 2013

Health Workers Gear Up To Offer Additional Support To Smokers In Rotherham



Smokers in Rotterham are being advised to use the New Year for triggering off smoking cessation. The health workers based in Rotterham are providing additional support to the people who have promised to take up quit smoking as a New Year resolve.
 
Rotherham NHS Stop Smoking Service has told smokers that help is easily available for them. The Rotherham NHS Stop Smoking Service is also providing free one-to-one quit smoking sessions, private support and advice, nicotine patches and a telephone service to smokers.
 
Sources reveal that particular events are to be organized at the Dalton branch of Asda from 9.30am till 3.30pm on this month. Smokers can sign up for the service on this particular occasion. Simon Lister, the manager of the service states that quit smoking is the best effect that one can have on one’s health.  

Source: http://www.thestar.co.uk/, Date: 9th January 2013

Quit Smoking Benefits



Latest UK Research Reveals Quit Smoking Lowers Anxiety Levels In Smokers 
 
A new United Kingdom-based research led to the conclusion that smokers who have stopped smoking have also been successful in reducing their anxiety levels. The research was undertaken by London-based King’s College in association with Cambridge, Oxford and Southampton universities.  

Around 491 smokers took part in the study and all of them were asked to attend NHS quit smoking clinics located in England. As the study progressed, the researchers also found out that a certain amount of difference in anxiety exists between those smokers who had quit smoking effectively and those who had relapsed.  

Among the 491 smokers participating in the study, 106 or 21.6 % are suffering from a mental health problem such as mood or anxiety disorder. The anxiety levels of all 491 smokers were measured at the beginning. All of them were questioned about their causes for smoking and some of them answered that they smoked for pleasure while others replied that they smoked to cope.
 
The results obtained from the research study deny the commonly held idea that smoking helps smokers get rid of stress and anxiety. According to Dr Máirtín McDermott, the leading author of the study, it is seen in many smokers that smoking actually enhances anxiety levels and hence smokers should understand as to how smoking addiction can influence them.
 
As the study ended, the researchers concluded that smokers who were able to quit smoking had experienced a significant reduction in their anxiety levels. It also became apparent that smokers who failed in their stop smoking efforts had experienced a moderate increase in anxiety in the long term.  
 
The research findings appeared in the British Journal of Psychiatry.  
 
Source: http://cordis.europa.eu/, Date: 9th January 2013 

Saturday, January 12, 2013

Beware Guys! Smoking Addiction Can Enhance Death Risk Of HIV Patients



A study was carried out to evaluate the effect of smoking on HIV affected patients and it led to the conclusion that HIV patients who are addicted to smoking are increasingly likely to die than those who do not smoke.
 
Marie Helleberg, from the Department of Infectious Disease at Copenhagen University Hospital in Denmark, headed the study. The results derived from this study highlighted the urgent requirement of counselling and quit smoking programs to increase the life span of HIV patients.
 
The study was undertaken by observing 2,921 HIV positive patients undergoing antiretroviral therapy and 10,642 non-HIV positive controls for the year 1995-2010. However, the study results concluded that deaths due to all factors were considerably higher in smoking addicted individuals than those who were not addicted to smoking. According to the results obtained from the study, smokers had 3.7 times increased rate of mortality than non-smokers.    
 
The results of the study appeared in “Clinical Infectious Diseases.”  

According to estimates calculated from the study, a smoking addicted 35 year old individual suffering from HIV is likely to live for 62.6 years and the life expectancy of a non-smoking HIV patient is 78.4 years.   

The University of Copenhagen funded the study.
 
Source: http://www.dailyrx.com/, Date: 18th December 2012

Fans Of Superstar Rajinikanth Gears Up To Stop Smoking



Soon after the Indian filmstar Rajinikanth advised his fans to quit smoking, a large number of his supporters started burning cigarette packets throughout the state of Tamil Nadu.  

According to news sources, actor addressed his fans on his 62nd birthday and urged them to stop smoking.   He told them that he used to smoke a lot and this took a toll on his health. Smoking damaged his lungs as well as his kidneys and he had to undergo treatment in Singapore. The actor also informed his fans that he started on medications to treat his health difficulties and as a result, he became weak.  Speaking to his fans, Rajinikanth told them that smoking had made him suffer from a range of health problems and hence he was asking them to quit smoking at the earliest.

Rajinikanth`s words prompted his fans to they started burning cigarette containers across Tamil Nadu.

Referring to Rajinikanth, one of his fans states that whatever he says is scared to all of them. The fan also adds that from now onwards they will not smoke a cigarette ever in their lives.

Source: http://www.bollywoodlife.com/, Date: 18th December 2012