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

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

 

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

 

 

Study Reveals Weight Gain Resulting From Quit Smoking Does Not Nullify Heart Benefits

A new study concludes that weight gain due to stop smoking will not negate the quit smoking benefits gained by the heart. 

 

The study examined data obtained from 3,251 adult participants. On an average, the participants were 48 years old and did not exhibit any symptom of cardiovascular diseases at the beginning of the study. During the course of the study, it was seen that those who had stopped smoking, gained an average weight of six pounds in the four years after smoking cessation. It was also observed that the participants, who didn’t smoke, gained an average of three-pound weight in the same four years. 

 

A periodic physical assessment of the participants was also carried out and this showed that 631 cases of cardiovascular ailments had evolved within a period of 25-years. However, it was also observed that during that period, the percentage of people addicted to smoking, was reduced from 31 to 13 percent. 

 

The study led to the conclusion that in comparison to the people who continued to smoke cigarettes, those who stopped smoking were able to reduce the risk of cardiovascular ailments. However, the study also revealed that the people, who quit smoking, were able to lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases, irrespective of the amount of weight gained by them. 

 

The study was published in the 13th March issue of the “Journal of the American Medical Association.”

Source: washingtonpost.com, Date: 26^th March 2013

Doctors Reveal NHS Is Not Taking Adequate Measures to Help Mental Health Patients Stop Smoking

A group of physicians has revealed that the National Health Service (NHS) in England is not taking necessary measures to help people suffering from mental health conditions quit smoking.

 

According to the Royal College of Physicians, people afflicted with mental health disorders such as depression, are twice more likely to take up smoking and become addicted. But even after that, the NHS has not done the sufficient to help them quit smoking.

 

The report, assembled by the Royal College of Psychiatrists, highlights that the rate of smoking among the general public, has been considerably reduced over the last 20 years but there is no change in the lives of people suffering from mental health conditions. According to the report, one-third of all cigarettes in England are smoked by people with mental health disorders.  The report adds that these suffers are eager to quit smoking like anybody else but they don’t have the necessary support for stop smoking. 

 

The report reveals that nicotine replacement treatments and other common quit smoking therapies are effective but people with mental health problems may be in need of higher dosages for smoking cessation.

 

Source: bbc.co.uk, Date: 28^th March 2013

Fans Of Justin Bieber Resorts To Self-Harm To Make Him Quit Weed Smoking

According to a latest revelation, fans of the Canadian pop singer Justin Bieber, are reportedly inflicting self-harm to make him stop weed smoking. The "Bieliebers" or the fans of Justin Bieber are hurting themselves and posting pictures of the act on Twitter.  

4Chan, the internet message board community, started distributing the pictures as jokes. Soon after, the hashtags #cuttingforbieber and #cutforbieber became exclusively popular as new trends on Twitter. The pictures highlighted a frightening facet and it was that the Justin Bieber fans are ready to go to any degree to make the singer quit weed smoking.  

Justin Bieber was first found smoking marijuana and the pictures were clicked at a party. Some of these pics showed Justin Bieber grasping at a smouldering blunt at a hotel room located in Newport Beach.  

In the pictures, the fans of Justin Bieber may not be injuring themselves or just forging it but some of the pictures showed that the harm done was real and not fake. 

Source: http://www.allvoices.com, Date:   10^th January 2013 

Fears of Ageing Incites People to Quit Smoking

 A new research makes it apparent that performance in bed, improvement of physical appearance and the capability to conceive are more powerful inducements for quit smoking. The online resource for stop smoking, quitfullstop.co.uk, surveyed 2 000 of its members (including men and women in even proportions) and found out that for both males and females, reversing the sings of ageing was a chief incentive for stop smoking.

 

In the survey, around 40 percent of the women revealed that they had the fear that prolonged smoking would harm their skin and lead to premature ageing. However, according to the women, this motivated them to trigger off smoking cessation. Among the men, 55 percent admitted that they quit smoking to reverse the signs of ageing or to prevent themselves from appearing older than their age.

 

According to a spokesperson from quitfullstop.co.uk, addiction to smoking may lead to the appearance of facial wrinkles. This is because smoking causes skin ageing by restricting blood flow and destroying protein. As a result, the skin becomes dry, wrinkled and tough.  

Source: www.iol.co.za, Date: 27^th March 2013 

 

Adults Suffering From Mental Ailments Have Higher Rates of Smoking Addiction

 A new report released by the CDC and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) shows that adults suffering from mental illness have 70% higher smoking rates. The report states that this is in comparison with adults without any mental illness.

 

The report revealed that around 36% of the 45.7 million US citizens afflicted with a specific type of mental illness are addicted to cigarette smoking in comparison to 21% adults who are not suffering from any mental disease.

 

According to the report, the rate of smoking addicted people suffering from mental illnesses is higher among young adults existing below the poverty line and young people with lower education levels. However, the report highlights that difference in smoking rates is seen across several US states.

 

The report, from the CDC and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), showed that 36% of the 45.7 million Americans with some type of mental illness are cigarette smokers, compared with only 21% of adults who do not have a mental illness.   

Tom Frieden, MD, MPH and the director of CDC, states that likewise other smokers, those smokers suffering from mental illnesses are eager to quit smoking and can definitely achieve that. He adds that quit smoking treatments indeed work and it is essential to make them available to people who are enthusiastic to trigger off smoking cessation.  

The study authors state that the findings of the report have several health-related conclusions. One of these is related to boosting up efforts to decrease the rate of smoking in the inhabitants.  

 

Source: webmd.com, Date: 8^th February 2013

 

Employers In Massachusetts May Exclude Smokers From The List Of Job Seekers

According to a latest story published in the “Business Monday”, employers from Massachusetts are getting increasingly anxious about healthcare expenditure and loss in productivity due to sick employees who are addicted to smoking. This has prompted the employers to consider measures such as ruling out smokers from the list of job applicants.

 

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that addiction to smoking costs the US state of Massachusetts productivity loss worth $1.9 billion and medical expenditure of $3 billion on an annual basis. Hence, an employer may consider a smoking addicted individual to be an additional responsibly and exclude him from the list of job seekers.

 

Thomas Jones, the vice president of the employers resource group for the Associated Industries of Massachusetts, states that the possibility of debarring smokers from the list of job seekers has emerged as a hot topic of discussion in the business-seminar circle.  

So, addiction to cigarette smoking can be a huge disadvantage in the job market of Massachusetts.   

 

Source: masslive.com, Date: 6^th February 2013

Female Smokers Are Now More Likely To Die Than They Were In The 1960s

A new US-based study has discovered that women who smoke are now more prone to die than they had that risk in the 1060s. The survey included more than 2.2 million men and women who were aged 55 yrs and above. The study also incorporated data from 1959 till 2010.  

The study was undertaken by Dr Michael Thun from The American Cancer Society and his group of researchers. According to the researchers, the results have shown that if women continue to smoke like men, they will eventually die like men.  

 

During the 1960s, American women who took to smoking were thrice more prone to die due to lung cancer than those women who never started smoking. However, in between 2000-2010, this risk was enhanced by 26 times. The enhanced risk of female deaths due to smoking exceeds the advancements seen in the medicine industry that have lessened death rates during the last 50 years.  

 

In comparison to the 1960s, now women start smoking cigarettes very early in life and continue the habit for a longer period. This may be largely responsible for the impact of smoking addiction.  

 

Source: cancerresearchuk.org, Date: 24^th 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: 9^th January 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: 18^th December 2012

Fairfax County Can Persuade Its Employees To Opt For Stop Smoking Classes

According to a latest statement by Fairfax County Attorney David Bobzien, Fairfax can lawfully force its employees to register for smoking cessation classes.

 

The people functioning as “Fairfax County Board of Supervisors”, were looking for an answer to whether they were capable of persuading county employees to quit smoking. 

The Board of supervisors were also keen to know if to reduce the country’s increasing healthcare expenditure, they could decline to hire a person addicted to smoking.

 

According to David Bobzien, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors can’t reject to employ someone on the basis that the person is addicted to smoking. He states that it is directly prevented by state law. David Bobzien adds that the county may force its employees to opt for quit smoking classes just like it may need its workers to get training on other subjects. But it can’t force them to pass the classes and stop smoking.

 

David Bobzien reveals that the state law of Fairfax County prohibits the County Board from forbidding smoking on county property and also restrains it from controlling the dangerous behaviour of employees.

 

Source: http://washingtonexaminer.com/, dated 8^th December 2012

3 Students Caught Smoking Marijuana at the IIM-Indore Campus

Three students from IIM-Indore were found smoking marijuana in a hostel room and when the management came to know about this, it immediately issued an order for the expulsion of these students. IIM-Indore sources disclose that a security guard of the institution saw that the students smoking marijuana from chillums at the hostel room and then he narrated this incident to the hostel warden. Thereafter, the rooms of the students were raided and when they were found smoking grass, the management took quick action to expel the students. 

When the director of IIM-Indore, N Ravichandran was contacted, he verified the news informing that the expulsion of the students was done on the basis of the suggestions by the disciplinary committee.

 

Source: The Times of India, dated 24^th November 2012

Ill-effects of Smoking

New Study Claims Smoking Can Damage Memory Power And Cause Brain Decay 

 

When Researchers from London`s King’s College undertook a analysis and brain tests of health and lifestyle data of a particular group of people aged over 50, they found out that the effects of smoking on the brain is more severe than obesity or high blood pressure. The results collected from the study led to the conclusion that smoking addiction causes significant harm to reasoning, learning or memory, resulting in decaying of the brain.

 

According to a BBC news report, the people participating in the study were made to undergo brain tests such as learning of new words or uttering the names of maximum number of animals in a single minute. The participants were again subjected to these tests after a period of four and then again for eight years. After thorough analysis and testing, the researchers discovered a link between low marks obtained in the tests and smoking addiction. 

Source: The Times of India, 27^th November 2012 

Original Source: PTI  

Latest Info On Cigarette Smoking

New Study Claims Reducing Cigarette Intake Can Lower Death Risk

Date: 26^th November 2012

 

A study undertaken by Tel Aviv University (TAU) researchers led to the conclusion that reduction of cigarette consumption by smokers leads to a significant decrease in the risk of death due to smoking. The researchers, namely, Dr. Yariv Gerber and Prof. Uri Goldbourt of the University’s School of Public Health and Vicki Myers of the Sackler Faculty of Medicine, studied the mortality as well as survival rates of smokers and found that those who lowered cigarette consumption, gained the benefit of reducing their death risk by 15%.

 

The results obtained from the study also revealed that people, who quit smoking, lessen their chances of dying due to smoking by 22%. Thus, by quitting cigarettes, smokers are likely to gain more benefits but nevertheless, the TAU study highlights that smokers can gain huge advantages by lowering cigarette intake.

Source: http://www.jpost.com/

Latest Info on How to Quit Smoking

New Zealand Study Reveals Video and Test Messages On Cell Phones Can Help People Cease Smoking

Date: 15^th November 2012 

A study conducted by New Zealand researchers led to the conclusion that text messages and videos on quit smoking appearing on cell phones increase the chances of quit smoking success by two times in comparison to the rate of success attained by people without any such help. However, Robyn Whittaker, the leading author of the study, makes it apparent that it cannot be said whether all text messages are going to help in quit smoking.

During the study, numerous cell phone messages were sent to the smokers on a daily basis for a couple of weeks and all these messages focussed on providing encouragement, tips on how to get rid of nicotine cravings and other quit smoking resources.

As the study came to a close, the researchers found out that in comparison to five percent smokers who got rid of smoking addiction without any assistance from cell phone videos or text messages, an astonishing number of 9 percent quit smoking enthusiasts who received help from cell phone messages, successfully abstained from cigarette smoking for a period of six months.

Robyn Whittaker, the leading author of the study, states that cell phone texts and videos can be considered as good and effective quit smoking services.

The work of the researchers appeared in The Cochrane Library.

Source: http://bit.ly/bYwzJ

Cessation Of Smoking Before 40 Will Add 10 More Years To Life

A latest study reveals that if a woman quits smoking before 40, it will increase her lifespan by 10 years. This study was conducted to evaluate the dangers of smoking as well as the advantages of quit smoking for women and it also leads to the conclusion that women who turn to smoking are likely to lose 10 years of their lives but if they stop smoking before 40, it will help in reducing 90% risk of dying due to smoking. The study results make it apparent that quit smoking before 30 will help in preventing 97% chances of dying because of smoking-induced hazards.

Sir Richard Peto, the author of the study, states that male or female smokers who successfully quit smoking before middle ages are likely to gain 10 years` lifespan on an average.

This study appeared in Lancet, a British Medical Journal and is based on results derived from the Million Women Study.

The study author, Sir Richard Peto, formed association with a couple of medical researchers from India in 2008 and jointly wrote a study highlighting that throughout 2010s, increased smoking will trigger off the deaths of millions in India on a yearly basis.

Furthermore, according to Richard Peto, if men and women in India get rid of smoking addiction before reaching the age of 40 or before 40, it will help them get an additional life expectancy of 10 years. He adds that it is even better to cease smoking before this age. 

Source: The Times Of India, dated 27^th October 2012

50% Increase In Cigarette Price Can Help Avoid 40 Lakh Deaths Caused By Smoking!

A latest report disclosed by Asian Development Bank, a multilateral funding organization, reveals that a 50% increase in cigarette prices would help in preventing 4 million (40 lakh) tobacco related deaths in India. This report also makes it known that increasing cigarette cost by 50% would help in avoiding 20 million tobacco related deaths in China. Altogether, the report discloses that 50% hike in cigarette prices would help avoid a total of 27 million (2.7 crore) tobacco related deaths in several nations, including India and China.

The report discloses that Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines, India and China have emerged as the top five nations among the fifteen tobacco using countries that are responsible for two third of world tobacco use. According to the report, in India, 50% cigarette price increase results in 70-122% rise in taxes. Further, the report states that raising tobacco taxes in India and other top four tobacco consuming countries will ultimately result in lesser number of long-standing smokers and a fall in premature deaths caused by tobacco-related ailments. 

The report highlights that bidi is the general form of smoked tobacco in India. However, in the Indian subcontinent, cigarette smoking has gradually started to substitute bidi smoking. With that revelation, the report emphasizes on the need for governments to implement new cigarette tax regulations and at the same time maximize efforts to charge taxes on tobacco products on a broader basis. 

Source: The Times of India, dated 15th November 2012
Original Source: PTI

On smoking and Stop Smoking

Why Do People Get Addicted To Smoking?

People get addicted to smoking cigarettes under the false impression that it is an integral part of style and culture. Some find that smoking cigarettes is the ultimate way to make a hip style statement and youngsters get addicted to smoking when they try to imitate film stars smoking on screen.

The Need For Stop Smoking

Addiction to cigarette smoking has emerged as the principal factor responsible for cardiovascular diseases, cataract, peptic ulcer, osteoporosis and a range of other ailments. Hence, quit smoking is the urgent need of the hour and people across the world have come to realize it.

Let me also add it right here that Passive Smoking is capable of inducing serious health hazards and this spells out the urgent need for stop smoking. 

Stop smoking Initiatives

• A significant number of countries across the world have banned smoking in restaurants, schools, parks,theaters and shopping malls. 

• A news release by the World Health Organization (WHO) has appealed to world leaders to
  take measures against attacks from the tobacco industry which weakens the policies formulated to
  safeguard people from the harm of tobacco use.