Adolescent smokers have artery damage

Early exposure to tobacco smoke is associated with various adverse health outcomes in children and adolescents, including low birth weight and impaired lung growth and function. Tobacco smoke is considered highly atherogenic in adults, but little is known about the impact of tobacco smoke exposure on cardiovascular health in adolescents. Children and adolescents are exposed to tobacco smoke through passive and active smoking. Atherosclerosis is a multi-factorial disease which begins in childhood and in utero. Tobacco smoke exerts its effects through toxic compounds which cross the placental barrier and alveolar wall of the lungs.

This leads to increased local and systemic inflammation. The Swiss Study on Air Pollution And Lung and Heart Disease In Adults (SAPALDIA) is a multicentre study of nearly 10,000 subjects. The SAPALDIA Youth Study included 351 offspring of SAPALDIA participants aged 8 -20 years. It investigated the cardiovascular risk profile and the association between active smoking and carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT), an early indicator of atherosclerotic changes in the vessel wall.

For the current study presented at the ESC Congress, 288 of the offspring underwent a clinical examination following a standardized protocol: anthropometry, blood pressure, ultrasound CIMT assessment, and blood tests for cardiovascular biomarkers. Subjects reported their level of physical activity, smoking status and exposure to passive smoking. Cotinine testing was used to validate smoking status and exposure to passive smoke.

New Research Claims Exercise May Help You Stop Smoking

Smokers who have tried to quit in the past using patches, gum, voodoo witchdoctor magic and other addiction propaganda may just want to step outside for a run the next time they feel the need to smoke,. A new study shows that exercise seems to overcome nicotine cravings. The study, which was recently published in the journal Addiction, was formulated using data from nearly 20 clinical trials that indicated exercise was a common denominator in helping reduce nicotine cravings in smokers who were trying to quit.

 “Certainly, exercise seems to have temporary benefits, and as such can be strongly recommended,” said study leader Adrian Taylor, a professor of exercise and health psychology at Britain’s University of Exeter. Researchers observed groups of smokers who were assigned to casual exercise like taking a brisk walking or biking, while others were assigned a lazy activity, such as watching a video or sitting quietly. What they found was that smokers had less interest in smoking after engaging in physical activity than they did before they started.

 While study experts admit they are not exactly sure why exercise leads to decreased cravings, some speculate that it is because physical activity might actually serve as a catalyst to making them feel better while decreasing their need to feel better from smoking. It is worth mentioning that none of the study participants were involved in any type of quit program using nicotine replacement products. Researchers say since the use of these products work to curb cravings, the effects of physical activity could be lost on those smokers who use them.

Big Tobacco conquers its new frontier

It was tipped to send tobacco companies' profits tumbling. The plain cigarette packaging High Court victory was hailed by the Attorney-General, Nicola Roxon, as an anti-smoking coup with global implications. Documentary: Sex, Lies and Cigarettes - How Big Tobacco is targeting kids in developing countries But the latest blow against cigarettes in countries like Australia needs some perspective: health experts warn that while the industry is beginning to lose its grip in developed nations, there is a humanitarian disaster looming in poorer countries, particularly in the Asia-Pacific. The region is now the world's biggest tobacco market, with 6 million new smokers recruited in 2009 and another 30 million expected to be added by 2014, based on industry estimates.

The World Health Organisation calculates that of the 6 million people who will die from tobacco use this year, 80 per cent will be in the developing world. Mike Daube, a WHO tobacco adviser and president of the Australian Council on Smoking and Health, has accused cigarette companies of perpetrating a ''tobacco holocaust'' in poor nations. ''This is an industry absolutely without a moral radar. They are just wilfully imposing a pandemic on developing countries, and they've known for more than 60 years that smoking kills.

This is going to cause far more deaths than any wars we've ever seen.'' Last week, The Lancet reported ''alarming patterns'' of tobacco use in developing countries, where consumption is growing by more than 3 per cent a year. At a time when Australia's adult smoking rate - one of the lowest in the world at 16.6 per cent - continues to drop by about 1 per cent a year, in parts of Asia as many as two-thirds of men are smokers, and women and children are increasingly taking up the habit. In China, schools are sponsored by the state-run tobacco industry.

The biggest commercial player, Philip Morris, has seen net revenue soar in the Asia-Pacific region from $5.6 billion in 2007 to nearly $11 billion last year, and the company has set up production bases in Malaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia. In a statement to The Sun-Herald, a Switzerland-based media adviser for Philip Morris International outlined the market's potential: ''A home to over half of the world's population, the Asian region is very important for any global consumer goods company. In terms of tobacco products, tobacco has been used in Asia for centuries and most countries have long-standing local traditions.''

Tobacco consumption up by 7% in Uttar Pradesh: Survey

In a recent survey conducted by the union ministry of health and family welfare, it was found that there has been a 7% rise in prevalence of male tobacco in Uttar Pradesh. As per the latest Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) survey, 56% males consume tobacco in UP. The corresponding survey for 2010 revealed that 49% of state men consume tobacco in one form or the other. In Uttar Pradesh, 34 % men chew tobacco in different forms like plain tobacco, khaini, gutkha, pan masala while 22 % use cigarettes, hookah, chilam and bidis.

Not only this, two districts in the state have figured as one of the most tobacco consuming places. The health survey also confirmed that 13% of UP population is a smoker with most of them located in Sitapur district where every third man is a smoker. While in chewing tobacco, Banda is the leader where around 67 % men consume tobacco.

What calls for urgent attention is that most productive population of the state is in the grip of tobacco addiction. Thus, this major portion of population is not able to give its best output when it comes to increasing productivity. This could be one of the reasons that UP is still among the underdeveloped states in the country.

Punjab bans all tobacco products

Besides, any other food product containing tobacco or nicotine as ingredient, by whatsoever name available in the market, has also been banned. The State Government on Monday banned the sale, storage, manufacture and distribution of tobacco product — gutkha, pan masala etc in the State from the date of issuance of notification in this regard.

Already, the State Government has banned the sale and consumption of gutkha and pan masala in four districts, namely, Ropar, Mohali, Amritsar and Mansa. And the tag of 'tobacco free' will now not be restricted to the districts only as the entire state will now become 'tobacco-free State'. With this, Punjab is set to become the fifth State in the country to impose a ban on the sale of gutkha and pan masala. The States of Maharashtra, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar have already achieved the tag of 'tobacco-free States'.

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had cleared the file on Monday morning approving the proposal of the State Health and Family Welfare department for banning gutkha and pan masala in the larger interest of public health. The Health department had proposed that tobacco products be banned across State as the chewing of gutkha, pan masala and other tobacco products was a potent health hazard. It was also responsible for deadly disease of cancer especially of the mouth and throat.

The ban was imposed following formulation of a policy on banning gutkha in consultation with the state cancer control. Also, the doctors of the School of Public Health and Department of Community Medicine of the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh are assisting the government in overcoming the hurdles that could come in the way of enforcing the ban. As per the Global Adult Tobacco Survey, 2009-2010, 12 per cent people in the state consume tobacco and 6.5 per cent adults chew tobacco products.

Tobacco-free campus a possibility

Despite the warning signs plastered near the library’s entrance, whiffs of cigarette smoke still linger in the air. Those aromas, along with every other trace of tobacco, could eventually disappear from campus. The Student Health Center is now taking a stance in favor of making the University a tobacco-free campus, said Kathy Saichuk, Health Promotion Coordinator for the center. After remaining quiet about the smoking policy, the health center will now collaborate with other administrators, students, faculty and staff.

“I’d like to do it if we could, but it has to be carefully thought through,” said Interim Chancellor William Jenkins. Other colleges in the state like Louisiana Delta Community College, the LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans, Nicholls State University, Southern University and Tulane University are already tobacco-free campuses. More than 700 campuses are smoke-free and 500 campuses are tobacco-free in the United States.

Tammy Millican, communication and grants manager for the Office of Facility Services, said the University follows city and state policies regarding smoking. The Baton Rouge Code of Ordinances states that smoking is prohibited within 25 feet of the entrance or exit of any public building or facility. The change could affect students, faculty and visitors on campus. Students and professors would be forced to leave campus to smoke, and game days would be tobacco-free as well.

Illegal tobacco worth £200k seized

A HUGE haul of illegal tobacco with an estimated street value of £200,000 has been seized as police smashed a sophisticated smuggling operation in the town. Officers from the Wiltshire Police Economic Crime Unit intercepted hundreds of 2.5kg packages of low-grade tobacco at a courier service in the town centre after a two-month investigation. In total, police have recovered around 600 parcels, which had been imported from China and disguised as tea.

A spokesman for the ECU, based at Gablecross police station, said it was the largest seizure of its kind in the county in at least 15 years. As well as the vaccum-packed bags, mostly seized in Swindon with some others found in Bristol, Bath and Chippenham, officers also discovered thousands of counterfeit pouches, marked as rolling tobacco brand Golden Virginia. A 39-year-old man was arrested in connection with the imports and has been bailed pending further inquiries, while a 28-year-old Chinese national is being held in custody pending immigration checks.

Arresting officer PC Billy Nutt said: “The packages comprised of tobacco that had been labelled as tea and had been smuggled from China through courier services, including China’s postal services, the UK postal service and courier firms, including one in Swindon. “We believe these individuals would create accounts with the couriers, either in their own names or business names, perhaps as restaurants and use that to get the tobacco in under the guise of Chinese tea.

 “They can track the packages and know when it has arrived. They then pick it up from the depot, take it away to be repackaged and rebranded before being sold on the street or to convenience stores. “The 50g pouches could sell for anything between £8 to £15 and I would estimate the value of this seizure to be around £200,000.” PC Nutt also warned the counterfeit tobacco that has flooded the market in Swindon in recent months can bring with it health risks.

 He said: “Tobacco is carcinogenic anyway but this is low-grade stuff and has other rubbish like sawdust mixed in with it to bulk it out, which can have serious consequences for your health. “The packaging itself may be counterfeit but top quality and it is impossible to know the difference but people should be aware of cheap tobacco. “Also in terms of advice for courier firms it is all about knowing your customer, asking questions and spotting suspicious activity if they want to avoid becoming inadvertently involved. If in doubt ring the police.”