New Poll Finds That Ban on the Display of Tobacco Products Has Helped Smokers Quit Smoking

According to the results obtained from a recent survey, ban on the display of tobacco products introduced throughout England has helped smokers quit smoking.

The survey of 1000 current as well as 1000 former smokers was authorized by the health insurance company PruHealth. However, as soon as the survey came to a conclusion, it became apparent that the ban had helped 17 percent of smokers reduce smoking.  

Last year, on 6^th April, supermarkets and other stores were banned from exhibiting cigarette packs to the public. The ban was introduced by the ministers throughout England to help in transforming the social customs and attitudes related to smoking. This move was also aimed at safeguarding young people who were made the target of tobacco endorsement. 

More than 25 percent former smokers aged in between 18-24 had stated that hiding the tobacco products had motivated them to stop smoking. Hence, the results obtained from the PruHealth survey have shown that ban on tobacco products indeed works.   

Emma Wrafter, director of The Deborah Hutton Campaign, the youth smoking prevention charity, reveals that tobacco products on display may influence youngsters and their friends to start smoking.

 

Source: london24.com, Date: 5^th April 2013

 

FDA Revises Nicotine Gum Labels with the Aim of Helping Smokers Quit Smoking

According to a statement released by the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) in a Federal Register notice, manufacturers of nicotine gum and other nicotine replacement products can now use new labels that will permit smokers to opt for more than one therapy at one time. In accordance with the new FDA labelling regulations, people looking forward to quit smoking can now use GlaxoSmithKline Plc (GSK)’s Nicorette gum and similar other products in combination with other treatments and for longer periods.  

Margaret Hamburg, the Commissioner of FDA, states that the FDA hopes that the newly initiated changes on product labels will allow people to use them successfully for quit smoking. She also adds that this will reduce the rate of tobacco dependence in the country.   

The label changes were demanded by the public health and consumer groups, with the assertion that the current product labels were inadequate and might have disheartened people from purchasing quit smoking products.  

Source: bloomberg.com, Date: 1^st April 2013

 

CDC Releases New Quit Smoking Ads to Help Smokers Trigger Off Smoking Cessation

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released a set of anti-smoking advertisements with the aim of motivating smokers for quit smoking. These ads will show real people along with their health complications caused by smoking. Some of these health problems shown on the ads are namely, diabetes causing leg amputation, throat cancer destroying the larynx and serious asthma attack in a teenager who was affected by second hand smoke.

These advertisements are aimed at highlighting the severe side effects of smoking addiction and thereby inspire smokers to stop smoking. Sources reveal that during the next 12 weeks` period, the anti-smoking ads will be aired on the television and movie theatres. These anti-smoking advertisements will also appear in newspapers and magazines as public service announcements.

 

According to Dr. Tom Frieden, the director of CDC, available scientific proof has shown that such public awareness strategies have resulted in a huge increase in the number of smokers who have successfully triggered off smoking cessation.

 

Source: boston.com, Date: 28^th March 2013

 

New Research Finds Out That Smokers Undergoing Hip Replacement Surgery Take Longer To Heal

In a recent study, researchers surveyed patients who were made to undergo total hip replacement surgery and found out that in comparison to non-smokers, current smokers took longer time to heal. The researchers discovered that when contrasted with non-smokers, existing smokers had elevated rates of slackened hip joints, pain and infection.  The post surgery complications faced by the smokers had to be rectified with the help of a second surgery.

The researchers began the study by following 110 smokers and twice non-smokers who had undergone total hip replacement surgery within the period 2007-2009. All patients were aged in between 35- 84 years and the researchers followed them for 2-6 years after they had undergone hip replacement surgery.

During the study, the researchers thoroughly examined as to how each and every patient rated pain, mobility, healing and function on the Harris Hip Score scale. The researchers also observed the rates of x-rays and infection shown by the smokers. It is noteworthy that the hip replacement surgery had to be repeated in 1 percent non-smokers and 8 percent smokers.

 

However, as the study came to a close, the authors concluded that the usage of nicotine and tobacco is responsible for restricting the flow of good blood. According to the study authors, it can further prolong the time required to heal from total hip replacement surgery.

 

He study was introduced at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS). The meeting was held in Chicago, IL, on 19^th-23 rd March 2013.

Source: dailyrx.com, Date: 25^th March 2013

Anti-tobacco Campaign Motivates Nunavut Smokers to Quit Smoking

The rate of smoking among the smokers in Nunavut was slightly reduced in between March and November 2012. However, according to the government of Nunavut, the reduction in smoking rates was due to the “Tobacco Has No Place Here” campaign. This five year campaign was kick-started by the government and it is now in the 2^nd year.

The Nunavut government reveals that the decrease in smoking by smokers within March and November 2012 helped in saving more than $750,000. During last February, MLAs from Nunavut endorsed a hike in tobacco taxes in the legislature and it led to an increase in cigarette prices by $1.

 

Sources disclose that Nunavut smokers have also lowered their intake of chewing tobacco by around 800,000 grams. However, as per the disclosure by the government of Nunavut, 2.9-per cent reduction in the number of smokers, stand for more than 24,000 cigarette packs or above 600,000 cigarettes.

 

Keith Peterson, the minister of health and social services, states that lowering of tobacco intake and quit smoking by the people has shown that the tobacco reduction campaign has proved to be a successful one.

 

Source: nunatsiaqonline.ca, Date: 22^nd March 2013