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Breathing tobacco smoke increases blood pressure of pre-school children

If you smoke around your children, they could have high blood pressure or be headed in an unhealthy direction before learning their ABC's, according to research reported in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

11 Jan 2011

FDA warns retailers for illegal sale of tobacco products to minors

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced it is issuing its first warning letters to retailers for the illegal sale of tobacco products to minors in violation of the 2009 Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act.

10 Jan 2011

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

Substantial equivalence review requirement for new tobacco products announced

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced today that certain tobacco products introduced or changed after Feb. 15, 2007 must be reviewed by the agency. In FDA guidance published today, the agency outlines a pathway for marketing a product whereby the company marketing the product must prove that it is "substantially equivalent" to products commercially available on Feb. 15, 2007.

7 Jan 2011

Poll shows strong support as Smoke-Free Kentucky Campaign launches today

Kentucky health advocates today released a new poll showing 59% of Kentucky voters support passing a law to make all restaurants, bars and other workplaces smoke-free. The release is part of the launch of Smoke-Free Kentucky's campaign to ensure that all Kentuckians have the right to breathe clean, smoke-free air in public places and at work.

7 Jan 2011

Tobacco product regulations announced by FDA

This Wednesday the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released guidelines regarding agency approval for certain types of new products to be obtained by tobacco-product makers. FDA announced that products such as cigarettes, roll-your-own tobacco and smokeless products that were introduced or changed after Feb. 15, 2007 must be reviewed by the agency to show that they are “substantially equivalent” to products commercially available on Feb. 15, 2007.

6 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

American Heart Association partners in global effort to prepare for UN non-communicable diseases summit

The American Heart Association is participating in an international effort to prepare for a United Nations (UN) high-level summit next year on non-communicable diseases (NCDs). These diseases — mainly cardiovascular illnesses including stroke, diabetes, cancer and chronic respiratory conditions — were estimated to cause more than 60 percent of deaths worldwide in 2005.

5 Jan 2011

UC professor receives Fulbright Scholar Award to explore health education efforts in China

The New Year has a University of Cincinnati professor sharing his vast and vital research background on health education in a new location. Randall Cottrell, a UC professor of health promotion and education in the College of Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services (CECH), is spending the winter and spring academic quarters at Zhejiang University in Hangzhou, China.

5 Jan 2011

Star Scientific plans to submit new, moist-snuff product for FDA evaluation

Star Scientific Inc.'s plan to submit a new, moist-snuff product for evaluation by the Food and Drug Administration as a "modified risk" tobacco product shows the vital importance of the new law giving the FDA the authority to regulate tobacco products and any health claims used to market them.

5 Jan 2011

Canadian Cancer Society launches sixth annual Driven to Quit Challenge

Results of an Angus Reid Public Opinion survey conducted in December show that 20 per cent of Ontario adults are current tobacco users, including cigarettes, cigars and chew tobacco, and that half of them have tried unsuccessfully to quit in the past.

5 Jan 2011

Anti-tobacco laws can reduce smoking habits in Europe

The Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases has announced its intention to release a Request for Applications on Implementation Research on Hypertension in Low and Middle Income Countries.

5 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

Star Scientific develops moist snuff tobacco product with low carcinogenic levels

Star Scientific, Inc. reports that it has successfully developed a moist snuff tobacco product that has extremely low levels of carcinogens -- much lower than any snuff products currently in the marketplace. This new product has levels of tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs) -- recognized by scientists worldwide as one of the most powerful cancer-causing agents in tobacco leaf and smoke -- below 20 parts per billion (nanograms-per-gram moist weight, as used) in initial testing.

4 Jan 2011

Lancet editorial highlights similarities between current health challenges, those from 1911

"After a century of progress, the issues that medicine must tackle in the coming year aren't that different from the ones that faced doctors at the start of 1911, according to the observations" published Jan. 1 in a Lancet editorial, LiveScience reports (Parry, 12/30).

4 Jan 2011

Researchers report estrogen may increase movement of precancerous cells in oral cavity

Head and neck cancer is the sixth most common type of cancer and is on the rise in some demographic groups, including young women without any known risk factors. Now, researchers at Fox Chase Cancer Center report that estrogen may increase the movement of precancerous cells in the mouth and thus promote the spread of the disease within the oral cavity.

4 Jan 2011

Florida public hospitals a likely target for new governor; Two people appointed to create Calif. health exchange

Florida's government-owned hospitals will be in the political cross hairs after Tuesday's inauguration of Rick Scott, once leader of the nation's largest for-profit hospital chain. The governor-elect's transition team has recommended creation of a panel to study whether government-owned hospitals -- Miami-Dade's Jackson Health System and Broward's two hospital districts among them -- are necessary (Dorschner, 1/2).

4 Jan 2011

Cyfluent Chart, Version 2.0 receives Complete EHR certification

Cyfluent, Inc. announced today that Cyfluent Chart, Version 2.0, is 2011/2012 compliant and was certified as a Complete EHR on Friday, November 12, 2010 by the Certification Commission for Health Information Technology (CCHIT®), an ONC-ATCB, in accordance with the certification criteria adopted by the Secretary of Health and Human Services. The 2011/2012 criteria support the Stage 1 meaningful use measures required to qualify eligible providers and hospitals for funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

3 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