Smoking Cessation News and Research

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No smokers in Britain by 2050

According to a major investment bank there would be no smokers in Britain by 2050. According to Citigroup analyst Adam Spielman the decline is sharp and sure and would show up as no smokers in 30 to 50 years time. The analyses used data to reveal that the percentage of adult smokers in the UK has fallen from 53 per cent in 1960 to 21 per cent in 2008. Spielman said, “If these trends continue, then by 2050 many important tobacco markets will have gone to zero smoking.”

9 Jan 2011

Nicotine replacement therapies to quit smoking

Although smoking is an expensive habit, let's face it, nicotine replacement therapies (NRT) to help you quit smoking can seem like expensive purchases as well.

6 Jan 2011

Loyola University to co-host smoking-cessation clinic

If you're a smoker wanting to get off to a healthier start this new year, Loyola University Health System will co-host a smoking-cessation clinic, a free workshop to help you kick the habit.

5 Jan 2011

Past smoking history does not affect RA patient's response to treatments

Patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who are current smokers were less likely to achieve good response to methotrexate (MTX) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors than those who never smoked. The study by researchers from Sweden also found that RA patients who smoked in the past did not experience a lower response to these therapies. Results of the 10-year study appear in the January 2011 issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR).

4 Jan 2011

Bupropion and varenicline help curb cigarette craving

The smoking cessation medications bupropion and varenicline may both be associated with changes in the way the brain reacts to smoking cues, making it easier for patients to resist cravings, according to two reports posted online today that will appear in the May print issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

4 Jan 2011

Canada’s anti-smoking warnings get larger

Canada will have larger and enhanced warning labels on cigarette packs, it was revealed in a government announcement last Thursday. Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq said that these new warnings will cover three-quarters of the front and back of cigarette packs, up from one-half.

2 Jan 2011

Free nicotine patches to help smokers quit this New Year

British smokers thinking of quitting have a reason to celebrate this New Year. Free nicotine patches are to be offered on the NHS as part of a major drive to help smokers quit. The Department of Health has announced that smokers would be given coupons for a week’s free trial of the patches in the “Quit kits”. The patches included in the kit will be either NiQuitin Clear 21mg patches or Nicotinell TTS 30 21mg/24 hour patches, Step 1.

29 Dec 2010

Ramius/RP Group extend tender offer to acquire Cypress Bioscience

Ramius V&O Acquisition LLC, affiliates of Ramius LLC (collectively, "Ramius") and affiliates of Royalty Pharma (together with Ramius and Purchaser, the "Ramius/RP Group") announced today that the Ramius/RP Group is extending its previously announced tender offer to acquire all of the outstanding shares of common stock of Cypress Bioscience, Inc., a pharmaceutical company engaged in the development of innovative drugs to treat central nervous system (CNS) disorders, until Midnight, January 5, 2011, unless the offer is otherwise extended.

22 Dec 2010

Smoking can increase pain severity in cancer patients

The relationship between smoking and cancer is well established. In a study published in the January 2011 issue of PAIN, researchers report evidence to suggest that cancer patients who continue to smoke despite their diagnosis experience greater pain than nonsmokers.

22 Dec 2010

Recent study finds racial and ethnic minority smokers of menthol cigarettes have lower quit rate

Menthol cigarettes may be harder to quit, particularly for some teens and African-Americans, who have the highest menthol cigarette use, according to a study by a team of researchers.

21 Dec 2010

Motivational interviewing may not be an ideal treatment choice for smoking-cessation

Motivational interviewing, a popular counseling technique for many addictive behaviors, might not be the ideal treatment choice for those who smoke cigarettes.

21 Dec 2010

e-cigarettes – Debate rages around globe

Following misleading advice that ‘e-cigarettes’ are a “healthy way” to quit smoking, thousands of smokers are switching to these electronic cigarettes. According to the Australian Medical Association (AMA) and anti-smoking groups these smokeless, battery-powered e-cigarettes packed with nicotine have not been tested for safety and could pose a serious health risk. Electronic cigarettes contain an inhaler, an atomiser and nicotine suspended in propylene glycol and water. At present they are banned in NSW and Victoria but overseas suppliers sell them online.

12 Dec 2010

Smoking cessation products available on PBS

Australia’s federal government has announced that it will subsidize the cost of nicotine patches to help smokers quit. The announcement was made by Health Minister Nicola Roxon on Thursday who said that concession card holders would be able to access Nicorette, Nicabate P and Nicotinell under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) from February 1, 2011. She said, “Cancer scars the lives of too many Australians and we know that reducing the smoking rate is one of the most effective ways to reduce the rate of death from this terrible disease.” Anti-smoking drug Varenicline (Champix) would also be available for willing quitters.

8 Dec 2010

Integrating smoking cessation treatment with mental health care improves abstinence rates in PTSD veterans

Among smokers with military-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), integrating smoking cessation treatment with mental health care for PTSD resulted in higher rates of prolonged smoking abstinence, compared to referral for assistance with quitting smoking, according to a study in the December 8 issue of JAMA.

8 Dec 2010

Zogenix, Desitin receive MAA approval for SUMAVEL DosePro needle-free delivery system in Denmark

Aradigm Corporation today announced that Zogenix, Inc. and Desitin Pharmaceuticals GmbH ("Desitin") were granted approval of the Marketing Authorization Application ("MAA") for SUMAVEL® DosePro™ (sumatriptan injection) needle-free delivery system by the Danish Medicines Agency of Denmark.

7 Dec 2010

Smoking is common among young adults and children with diabetes, raises risk of heart disease

Cigarette smoking is widespread among children and young adults with diabetes yet few health care providers are counseling children and young adults with diabetes to not smoke or stop smoking, according to a new report from the SEARCH Study Group, published online in the Journal of Pediatrics.

7 Dec 2010

Major depression reduces success rate of quitting smoking

Depressed smokers want to quit the nicotine habit just as much as non-depressed smokers, but a new study suggests that depression can put a kink in their success.

7 Dec 2010

Quit smoking to lift mood: Study

The latest research has shown that quitting smoking not only helps ease depression, but also increases the level of happiness. Researchers at Brown University studied 236 men and women in total who were trying to quite smoking. They looked at physical as well as mental impact of kicking the habit on these people.

5 Dec 2010

Research reveals tricyclic anti-depressants increase risk of CVD

Research that followed nearly 15,000 people in Scotland has shown that a class of older generation anti-depressant is linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The study showed that tricyclic anti-depressants were associated with a 35% increased risk of CVD, but that there was no increased risk with the newer anti-depressants such as the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).

1 Dec 2010

First Edition: November 30, 2010

Today's headlines include reports on congressional action on the Medicare doc 'pay fix' as well as results from a new poll related to how the public thinks Medicare should be addressed in the context of deficit reduction.

30 Nov 2010