Tobacco.org

Young Athletes Resist Lure of Smoking in Movies  

Adolescents who participate in team sports are better able to resist the temptation to smoke than nonparticipants, even when they watch movies that portray characters lighting up, a study found.

Young people who did not participate in team sports were twice as likely to become smokers than those who did join teams (95% CI, 1.47 to 2.74), according to the study published in the July 6 Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.

While team sports helped counter the influence of watching smoking in movies, the likelihood of youths becoming smokers was proportional to the number of times they saw smoking depicted in movies.

Action Points

* Explain to interested parents that watching movies that depict smoking makes adolescents more likely to become smokers.

* Explain to interested parents that team sports participation seems to protect adolescents from becoming smokers. . . .

Primary source: Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine Source reference: Adachi-Mejia A, et al "Influence of movie smoking exposure and team sports participation on established smoking" Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2009; 163: 638-43.

Jump to full article »

• Study examines movie smoking exposure and team sport participation in youth established smoking 

Participating in team sports is associated with a reduced likelihood of youths becoming established smokers, according to a report in the July issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. However, exposure to movie smoking appears to be associated with an increased risk of established smoking in both team sport participants and nonparticipants.

Past studies suggest that there is a direct association between movie smoking exposure and youth smoking initiation, with 30 percent to 50 percent of adolescents' smoking initiation attributed to movie smoking exposure, according to background information in the article. "Movie smoking exposure appears to increase the risk of smoking initiation by enhancing adolescents' perceived benefits of smoking and making them more susceptible to peer influences," the authors write.

Anna M. Adachi-Mejia, Ph.D., of Hood Center for Children and Families, Dartmouth Medical School, Lebanon, N.H., and colleagues analyzed data from school- and telephone-based surveys

Jump to full article »

Smokers wince at tax increase  

Cigarettes in Vermont cost a quarter more a pack and $2.50 more a carton, and the 6 percent state sales tax applies for the first time to liquor, all the result of legislation that took effect Wednesday. Liquor? No big deal, beverage store proprietors said. Cigarettes? That's another story. . . .

"They're trying to out-price it," she said of the extra 25 cents a pack, "but if everyone stopped smoking, they'd have to find something else to go after."

Would the extra charge persuade her to stop?

"Probably not," she said.

Maher said the state's intent was to "isolate a certain group." The price increases would at some point lead to bootlegging, she said. "It'll be what the Prohibition was."

Frantz Ozanic, a 20-year smoker, also standing in front of the library, said Vermont was moving in steps to make cigarettes "unobtainable."

Jump to full article »

New law bans all smoking in workplaces 

All Vermont workplaces become smoke free today as a new state law goes into effect, banning the designated smoking areas that were allowed under the previous law.

Public places have been virtually smoke free since the 1987 Smoking in the Workplace law was passed, and then updated under the Clean Indoor Air act of 1993.

Those laws permitted businesses to have segregated areas indoors where smokers could light up.

The new law, which lawmakers approved this past session, makes it illegal to smoke anywhere inside a public building.

"We have known about the dangers of second-hand smoking for many years," said Sheri Lynn, tobacco control program chief at the Vermont Department of Health. "People used to think some ventilation would help but there are no levels of safe exposure. This is about protecting public health."

Jump to full article »

Smoke-free signs preferred to ordinance  

Select Board members chose Monday to seek "smoke-free zone" signs at several town-owned parks rather than pass an ordinance banning smoking in those areas.

A group of students in the Southwest Vermont Career Development Center's pre-law class, along with the Smoke-Free Community Partners, had been seeking an ordinance "with teeth" to discourage smoking in areas where children congregate. But the board had reservations, and no clear majority to support an ordinance. They chose to seek signs with no force behind them, instead.

"It's not what you were seeking, but it's better than nothing," said Chairwoman Lodie Colvin.

Jump to full article »

GRAVES: Coffin nails by any other name  

Am I missing some fundamental point concerning the issue of smoking in local public parks? I don't understand why it is an issue at all. Aren't we talking about -- among other things -- the health of children here? . . .

For decades, tobacco companies have doctored, distorted and suppressed vital information, oftentimes the results of their own research, about the devastating consequences of smoking.

Lawyers possessing more ambition than compassion -- notable among them, New York's squeaky clean junior senator Kirsten Gillibrand -- helped to keep that information from the public. Congressional representatives from states that flourish on tobacco revenues, inspired by North Carolina's late and unlamented Jesse Helms, quashed any annoying interference on a federal level. And people died by the thousands. . . .

Some members of the Bennington Select Board aren't so sure that people who don't wish to be exposed to second hand smoke should have the right to intrude upon the pleasures of those with a more cavalier attitude toward their health. It has even been suggested -- in complete seriousness, I guess -- that, if people don't wish to be exposed to toxic fumes, they should stay away from the parks. . . .

The most intelligent comment on the issue came from a young man -- who was smoking at the time -- who told a Banner reporter that he supported the ban because it would discourage other young people from taking up the habit. I wonder if he would consider running for the Select Board?

Jump to full article »

EDITORIAL: Tobacco Taxes 

Cigarette smokers are easy targets for unfair taxation...especially in Vermont.

The thought seems to be that since smokers are outcasts, you might as well tax 'em to death before the cigarettes get them.

And, of course, there's the "Don't dare smoke anywhere around me, even if you're outdoors" crowd.

We say "hold on" to both. . . .

You're just punishing the poor for an entirely legal habit you just don't like.

That's unfair, and so's this.

Burlington Parks and Rec wants to ban smoking in some OUTDOOR areas.

Jump to full article »

State reinstates tobacco control money  

MONTPELIER -- Vermont lawmakers have partially reinstated funding for the state's tobacco control efforts, which had been scheduled for a $1.9 million hit in the new state budget.

Before adjourning Wednesday, the Legislature voted to restore all but $400,000 of the money, using a $1.5 million transfer from the state's tobacco trust fund.

Anti-smoking groups had feared that the larger cut would effectively extinguish many of the smoking prevention and smoking cessation programs that are financed with state money, including youth smoking prevention and hospital-based programs that offer one-on-one counseling and nicotine replacement therapy.

"It is a surprising and welcome turnaround," said Tina Zuk, coordinator of the Coalition for a Tobacco Free Vermont. "We worked very hard to let legislators know the devastating impact the program and services to smokers the previous cut would have." . . .

Melissa Blasich, a tobacco cessation counselor at Mount Ascutney Hospital in Windsor, welcomed word of the funding reinstatement.

"People really depend on this program. We get calls every day from people looking for help, getting the supplies to help them quit or the support to help them quit. It's reassuring to know we'll still be able to provide this service," Blasich said.

Jump to full article »

Rutland hospital lifts ban on smoking 

Hospital officials say they have received many complaints from staff and community members about the smoking and litter on city streets.

So on May 1, the hospital lifted the ban.

Jump to full article »

Rutland hospital lifts ban on smoking 

The Rutland Regional Medical Center has snuffed out its smoking ban on hospital grounds because of complaints about people smoking and littering on city streets.

In January, the hospital made its campus smoke-free.

Jump to full article »

CARNEY: Tobacco control saves lives 

Vermont has established an efficient and effective tobacco program to help smokers quit and prevent Vermont's youth from beginning this deadly addiction. It has successfully improved health, saved lives and reduced health care costs. The decline in adult smoking since the Vermont tobacco program began is estimated to save $4 million to $5 million each year in Medicaid costs alone. Imagine how much we could save if we continued to reach all Vermonters who want to quit and how much healthier they could be.

Prevention is the best investment we can make in health. Vermont's tobacco control program is one of the best choices our state has made. Although we have made progress, especially among our youngest citizens, we're not done yet. Vermont's tobacco control program must be sustained to save lives, reduce health care costs and improve the health of Vermonters.

Jump to full article »

Bill would shut down smoking lounges 

What the Colchester cable manufacturer did voluntarily could soon be required throughout Vermont at the dwindling number of companies that still have indoor smoking areas. Legislation that would shut down smokers' last refuge in the workplace by banning indoor smoking lounges is likely headed for law.

Friday, the House passed the bill, which cleared the Senate earlier this year. Gov. Jim Douglas said of the bill, "I guess I'm amenable to that."

"There is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke," Rep. Patsy French, D-Randolph, told fellow House members. "Passing smoke-free-workplace legislation saves lives and prevents serious illness while saving Vermont money."

Jump to full article »

Lawmakers: Yes to drinkers, no to smokers 

Vermont House lawmakers on Thursday gave preliminary approval to two separate bills that would completely ban tobacco use at workplaces and expand wine tastings at select locations across the state.

The tobacco bill completes the workplace smoking ban that Vermont put in place in the late 1980s. Some businesses in the state still allow employees to smoke in cafeterias or lounges - and this bill would end that practice.

Jump to full article »

• Legislation bans indoor smoking lounges  

At Champlain Cable Corp., the employee smoking room was closed down last fall, sending smokers outside. Employees were offered help to quit smoking.

What the Colchester cable manufacturer did voluntarily could soon be required throughout Vermont at the dwindling number of companies with indoor smoking areas. Legislation that would ban indoor smoking lounges -- shutting down smokers' last refuge in the workplace -- is likely headed for law.

Today, the House passed a bill that cleared the Senate earlier this year. Gov. Jim Douglas said of the bill, "I guess I'm amenable to that."

"There is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke," said Rep. Patsy French, D-Randolph, told fellow House members. "Passing smoke-free workplace legislation saves lives and prevents serious illness while saving Vermont money."

Many employers locked the door on smoking lounges years ago.

Jump to full article »

• Vt. House Passes Ban on Smoking 

The Vermont House has passed a bill that would snuff out all smoking in the workplace.

The state banned smoking on the job in 1987 except in designated areas like special smoking rooms. But advocates say those rooms are unfair to employees who don't puff because they are still exposed to small amounts of second-hand smoke.

Jump to full article »