European Parliament Approves New Rules for Restricting E Cigarette Use

                                  

The European Parliament has reportedly approved new regulations for subjecting electronic cigarettes to certain restrictions which are currently applicable on other tobacco containing products. In accordance with these new rules, electronic cigarettes have to be made inaccessible to children, the advertising and marketing of these products will be prohibited in Europe, the e-cigarette packages will need safety warnings and they will not contain more than 20 milligrams of nicotine. 

Parliamentarians have revealed to the New York Times that this new decision taken by the European Parliament will affect the makers of electronic cigarettes to a considerable extent. According to them, this new move is likely to be disputed in court.

Source: nation.time.com, Date: 27^th February 2014

Review Finds Licensed Medicines Effective For Smoking Cessation

A latest review of 267 studies involving 101,804 people has led to the conclusion that licensed quit smoking medicines are indeed effective for triggering off smoking cessation.   

 

A group of researchers carried out the review to study the success rates of quit smoking medicines in comparison to placebos. The researchers considered a participant to be successful in smoking cessation if he quit smoking for a period of six months or more.

 

However, as the review came to a close, the researchers discovered that all medications were successful in improving quit smoking chances for smokers. The participants taking varenicline (chantix) or a nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) had twice or three times more chances of quitting.  Smokers opting for a single NRT or administering bupropion, were 80% more likely to quit smoking than those taking placebos.

 

The researchers found out that those smokers who administered only varenicline had 50% more chances of successful smoking cessation in comparison to patients taking any nicotine replacement therapy.  Also, the results were the same when compared to participants taking any combination of two nicotine replacement therapies.  

 

Kate Cahill, the lead researcher, states that the review offers powerful evidence to prove that the main therapies available for smoking cessation, namely, varenicline(chantix), bupropion and nicotine-replacement therapy can help people quit smoking successfully. 

 

The review was published in the Cochrane Library. 

Source:  healthland.time.com,  Date:  31^st May 2013

 

 

New Quit Smoking Initiative Offers Help to Smokers In South Derbyshire

Derbyshire County Stop Smoking Service has joined hands with Sainsbury’s, off Civic Way, to offer help and support to smokers in South Derbyshire who are looking forward to trigger off smoking cessation. Derbyshire County Stop Smoking Service is gearing up to provide quit smoking assistance with the help of its expert stop smoking advisors.

Carol Wynn, an expert quit smoking advisor, discloses that the Derbyshire County stop smoking service operates famous and busy quit smoking clinics in the Swadlincote area of South Derbyshire. The Derbyshire County stop smoking service is a part of Derbyshire Community Health Services NHS Trust.

 

Carol Wynn states that people love coming to the clinics and the Derbyshire County stop smoking service has been very successful in helping them trigger off smoking cessation.  

Source: burtonmail.co.uk, 27^th May 2013

Clinic Located On College Campus Helps Students Stop Smoking

According to a latest revelation, thirteen college students from Dubai Men’s College at the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT) have taken help from a quit smoking clinic located on the campus and triggered off smoking cessation successfully.

Health authorities from the UAE are dealing with the increasing use of shisha or dokha, cigarettes or other tobacco products by the young generation.

 

The staff members, students and the team from the clinic have talked to Gulf News about the students` triggering off smoking cessation.

 

Source:  gulfnews.com, date 24^th May 2013

Research Finds Out That Cancer Survivors Are Not Motivated to Quit Smoking

A new research reveals that survivors of cancer are no more inclined to quit smoking than the general people. The research was the first major UK-based study aimed at tracing the prevalence of smoking, alcohol consumption and physical activity among cancer patients.

The researchers carried out the study by undertaking a comparison between people who were diagnosed with cancer and those who remained free of cancer for over a period of four years. However, as the study concluded, it was revealed that the people who were afflicted with or survived cancer were less active and their lifestyles were sedentary. The researchers also discovered that the rate of smoking and alcohol intake were significantly reduced in both groups after a while but the diagnosis of cancer did not provide additional motivation for quit smoking. 

 

Professor Jane Wardle, the leading author of the study, states that cancer diagnosis is considered to be a motivating factor for stop smoking or to reduce alcohol consumption, but this study proves something else. He adds that the people who were diagnosed with cancer at the time they were studied by the researchers were no more inclined to stop smoking, drink less or lead a more active life than those who remained free of cancer.   

 

The study was funded by Cancer Research UK and published in the “British Journal of Cancer”.

 

Source: cancerresearchuk.org, Date:  22^nd May 2013

University Health Center Gears Up To Help Students Quit Smoking

The University Health Center at James Madison University (JMU) has launched a Fresh Air initiative program which has plans to help students trigger off smoking cessation. The Fresh Air initiative program is panning to kick-start a support system for students who have decided to stop smoking and need assistance to achieve it.

Paige Hawkins, the program leader of Fresh Air states that the long-term objective is to make Fresh Air a stop smoking program on campus, which can fulfil the requirements of those students who are looking forward to stop smoking.   

 

The Fresh Air program is gearing up to organize focus groups throughout the university campus to help students who are addicted to smoking. The groups will talk about successful methods that can help smokers quit smoking. The feedback received by the groups will be used to execute the program in the future.                                                                                                

Hawkins reveals that the purpose is to inspect the environment at James Madison University and collect feedback from students.  He adds that the students should have that inner drive to change themselves.

Source: breezejmu.org, Date: 25^th April 2013

 

Tobacco Free Florida, A Stop Smoking Program Run by Florida State, Helps People Quit Smoking

According to health officials in Florida, Tobacco Free Florida, a stop smoking program run by the state, has helped 72,000 smokers trigger off smoking cessation. The figures are obtained by taking into account the numbers of Floridians who, under the influence of this program, quit smoking since 2007. The impact of “Tobacco Free Florida” has been instrumental in transforming the State’s attitude towards smoking and saving personal healthcare expenditure worth $4.2 billion. Tobacco Free Florida is the result of consent by voters that ensured funding for this stop smoking program.

Sources reveal that the smallest percentage of adult smokers has been found in the Orange and Lake counties. Phone surveys carried out by the state Department of Health and supervised by the “Centers for Disease Control and Prevention” have found out that by the year 2010, the percentage of adult smokers in the Orange County had reduced from 14.6 percent to 13.3 percent. However, the percentage of adult smokers in Lake County had been decreased from 16.6 percent to 14.7 percent.

 

Tobacco Free Florida's 2012 annual report states that due to the impact of the program, now the State of Florida has 500,000 less smokers who belong to the adult category. The report also reveals that Florida has 70,000 less adolescent smokers and 220,000 fewer kids who have to bear the brunt of secondhand smoke.

 

Brenda Olsen, the chief operating officer of American Lung Association's Southeast area, reveals that the association is very satisfied with the impact of “Tobacco Free Florida's Three Ways to Quit" movement.    

 

Source: articles.orlandosentinel.com, Date: 24^th April 2013