Tobacco.org

• FDA Appeals Electronic Cigarette Ruling 

The Food and Drug Administration is appealing a federal judge's ruling that the agency doesn't have the authority to regulate electronic cigarettes.

The FDA on Monday night asked a federal appeals court in Washington to immediately stay an order that prevented the agency from blocking electronic cigarettes from entering the country.

The FDA said it does have the authority to regulate some products containing nicotine as though they are drugs and devices, such as nicotine patches and nicotine lollipops. The agency said the judge was "quite wrong to believe that no injury would result from the use of these harmful and addictive products."

The case is testing the reach of FDA's regulatory powers, and the agency and public health advocates have said it could have severe public health implications.

In January, U.S. District Judge Richard J. Leon sided with electronic-cigarette makers

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Keith Richards gives up the grog 

The legendarily hedonistic Rolling Stones guitarist reportedly stopped drinking a few months ago over health concerns, but is refusing to listen to medical risks and quit his favourite cigarettes.

A friend said: "Keith simply can't start the day without a cigarette. Smoking is now Keith's one and only vice and he isn't stopping." . . .

Keith's refusal to stop smoking, even at indoor venues; flouting smoking bans in many countries, has often incurred the wrath of local authorities, and landed the band in trouble. Keith claims it is an integral part of his onstage persona and he should therefore be allowed to defy strict legislation.

Venting his anger at smoking bans he has said: "It's a bit of a drag because you've got to freeze your b***s off to light a cigarette. You've got to go outside. It's draconian, social, politically correct bulls**t.

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• State: Smoking caused fire that killed nine in Starkville  

The State Fire Marshal's office on Monday announced the December blaze that killed nine people at Academy Crossing Apartments was accidental.

According to the Fire Marshal's office, the fire originated in a chair in the living room of Apartment E7, where all nine people died during the early morning hours of Dec. 28. In its investigation, the Fire Marshal's Office eliminated multiple causes of the fire, with the exception of "smoking-related materials."

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• Low Serotonin Levels May Be Key to SIDS 

Lower levels of the hormone serotonin may help explain why some infants succumb to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), according to a new study.

In the U.S., SIDS deaths have declined by more than 50% since 1990. Experts say that's partly due to practices believed to minimize the risk, such as putting infants to sleep on their backs rather than their stomach and avoiding soft bedding, which could lead to asphyxiation.

But SIDS is still the leading cause of death among infants age 1-12 months, accounting for about 2,750 U.S. deaths annually. It's defined as the death of an infant before his or her first birthday that can't be explained even after a complete autopsy, investigation of the death scene and circumstances, and a review of the medical history of the child and family.

Now, the new research suggests that a deficiency of serotonin in the brain stem (which controls vital functions during sleep, such as breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure) may help explain most of the deaths, says study researcher Hannah Kinney, MD, a professor of pathology at Harvard Medical School and a neuropathologist at Children's Hospital Boston.

"It is not going to explain all SIDS deaths," Kinney tells WebMD. However, she adds, "it will explain the majority." Her study is published in the Journal of the American Medical . . .

"I think the message is there is something inherently wrong in some of these babies," he says. "On the other hand, in no way should that subtract from the public health message -- to avoid prone position, avoid fluffy bedding and pillows, avoid exposure to cigarette smoking, and don't overheat your baby." Association.

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• Wearing Patch for 6 Months May Help Smokers Quit  

If you're trying to quit smoking, wearing a nicotine patch for up to six months—far longer than is generally recommended—may increase your chances of staying smoke-free, a new study has found.

Even with the longer treatment, however, your chances of successfully quitting are only about 1 in 7, according to the study, which was funded by the National Cancer Institute and the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

“There’s an assumption that nicotine dependence is an acute disease that can be treated with short-term therapy,” says Caryn Lerman, PhD, one of the study's authors and the director of the Tobacco Use Research Center at the University of Pennsylvania. “Smokers should talk to their health-care provider about whether it makes sense for them to continue on the nicotine patch for an extended period of time as an alternative to returning to smoking.”

In the new study, published this week in the Annals of Internal Medicine, 568 adult smokers who were otherwise healthy wore a 21-milligram nicotine patch (Nicoderm CQ brand) for eight weeks.

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• Smoking ban has little effect on businesses 

The first month of a statewide smoking ban in restaurants and bars has been pretty much a nonevent, local business operators said yesterday.

Most longtime customers who smoke have either adapted to the restrictions, which went into effect Jan. 2, or chosen to brave the cold weather before or after a meal, the operators say.

On the other hand, the operators say they haven't seen a sizable uptick in business from nonsmokers either, although that could be weather-related as well.

"We may be turning the tables around more quickly since the ban went into place," said Steven Hondos, the owner of the Jimmy the Greek restaurant off University Parkway. The restaurant was successful for years in striking a balance between smokers and nonsmokers.

"The people who smoke, who love our food, are still coming in. They understand this was not our decision, so I haven't sensed any kind of backlash against us.

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EDITORIAL: Smoke-free plan is solid  

Boston Mayor Tom Menino's plan to ban smoking in city housing may draw some controversy. But the mayor has used some hard numbers to back up his call for a gradual transition to entirely smoke-free public housing by 2014.

Yes, there are critics who argue that the city has no business serving as the smoking police, and that the restrictions being proposed discriminate against poor people who can't afford to move.

But Menino has the numbers - not to mention a growing national trend - on his side.

For example, it costs the city (read: taxpayers) about $600 to clean and prepare a public housing unit before it can be rented to a new tenant. But it costs six times that - $3,600 - to prepare a smoker's apartment before it changes hands (replacing stinky rugs isn't cheap).

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Smoking ban rides wave of midseason deadline 

As state lawmakers near a key midsession deadline, a statewide smoking ban is slated to receive a final vote in the Indiana House today or Wednesday.

Wednesday is the last day for the House to pass bills over to the Senate, and vice versa. Rushing to advance as many bills as possible before that deadline, members of the General Assembly will be working late.

House Bill 1131, written by Rep. Charlie Brown, D-Gary, originally sought to ban smoking in public places except casinos and horse-racing tracks.

Exceptions added by the House last week include bars, taverns and tobacco shops. But Brown fended off other major changes Monday, readying the bill for a final vote with no extra exceptions.

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Quitting smoking could halve US heart deaths: WHO 

Half of the 400,000 deaths from coronary heart disease predicted in the United States in 2010 could be avoided if people ate healthier food and stopped smoking, according to research published Monday.

The study of cardiovascular risk factors published in the Bulletin of the World Health Organization (WHO) said improvements in cardiovascular health had stalled since the 1990s because of a dramatic rise in obesity and diabetes.

The number of heart disease fatalities in the United States could be halved if "one smoker in two in the United States stopped smoking", taking the proportion of smokers down from 25 percent to 12 percent of the population, WHO official Laragh Gollogly told AFP.

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UW-Stevens Point's Smoking Ban Put On Hold  

UW-Stevens Point will not be smoke-free as early as some expected.

A proposed smoking ban on UWSP's campus is being put on hold.

It was set to begin this summer, but university leaders say there's just too much to work out before then.

The ban would have required all university buildings, grounds, and functions to be completely smoke-free by July 5th.

That's also the same day a state-wide indoor smoking ban is set to begin.

University leaders wanted to have the outdoor ban take effect the same time.

But instead, will have to push the issue back until later this summer.

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Business impact worries hold up smoking ban expansion 

Legislation that would expand the no-smoking areas in San Francisco was held up Monday by members of the Board of Supervisors Land Use and Economic Development Committee. During their meeting, committee members echoed concerns voiced recently by business advocates, as reported by the Examiner Monday, that the legislation would adversely impact businesses.

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• Bar smoking not entirely snuffed  

Smoking in Corpus Christi bars is illegal now but it continues to occur.

Some bars are leaving the decision to smoke up to their patrons. Police, meanwhile, are waiting on complaints before enforcing the rule.

Corpus Christi police haven’t issued any tickets for violating the smoking ban since it took effect more than six months ago and don’t plan on dropping in on bars to test compliance, spokesman Capt. Todd Green said.

“It’s one of those ordinances we only enforce if someone complains,” Green said. “We’re not saying that we’re not enforcing it, but we’re not going to do sweeps.”

At the Havana Club, 500 N. Water St., visitors are warned smoking inside is illegal and told that if they’re ticketed, they’re responsible for paying the fine, which can be as much as $2,000, manager Marco Lopez said. Some patrons smoke anyway. Bartenders at Havana have given smoking patrons small glasses to use instead of ashtrays.

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Editorial: Get serious about not smoking  

It's probably the epitome of hypocrisy. The New Zealand Government earns billions of dollars every year from taxes on tobacco products. About 80 per cent of the price of a packet of cigarettes consists of taxation, which earned the Government $963 million in 2008.

The Government then spends millions of dollars on advertising campaigns aimed at encouraging smokers to quit, while at the same time complaining about how many millions of dollars smokers are costing the health system.

Smoking kills 5000 New Zealanders every year. . . .

A new study has found that half the nation supports a ban on cigarette sales within 10 years. . . .

It is understandable that the Maori Party wants action as smoking is still more prevalent among Maori than any other ethnic group . . .

Giving smokers 10 years to wean themselves off the habit seems like a reasonable idea and if Government really is concerned about the health and wellbeing of New Zealanders it will give the report - and all its recommendation - serious consideration.

In the interim Government should be doing all it can to help smokers who really want to quit. Subsidised smoking patches are a good start but there is a lot more that can and should be done.

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Doorway ban plan is 'a step too far' 

Banning smoking outside entrances to buildings is the latest suggestion to come from health chiefs, as the government continues to explore ways of encouraging people to quit the habit.

But Health Secretary Andy Burnham's recent plans have been described as "a step too far" by smokers in the Potteries.

Stood outside Revolution bar, Trinity Street, Hanley, yesterday lunchtime, Dave Booth, aged 50, from Bentilee was enjoying a cigarette.

The night porter said: "Where do they want us to go now then?

"What they should do is bring back the old idea of two rooms in a pub, where one can be used for smoking."

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What can be done to kick the habit? 

While most people will welcome the Government's determination that children should not take up smoking, some retailers fear the new controls on the sale of tobacco could affect already struggling businesses.

It comes as Secretary of State for Health Andy Burnham announced a number of commitments for a 'smoke-free' Britain yesterday.

David Spence, deputy director of public health from NHS Northamptonshire, welcomed the announcement and said: "We need to keep working hard to ensure a tobacco-free future.

"The removal of tobacco products from retail display and prohibiting the sale of tobacco from vending machines will reduce exposure to advertising and remove the largely unsupervised sale of tobacco to children.

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