Tobacco

Teens who regularly visit stores that display point-of-sale ads for tobacco products were twice as likely to try smoking, a finding researchers said argues for a complete ban on such advertising.

A new report released by the Centers for Disease Control said cigarette use among high school students began to decline in the late 1990s, but the rate of decline slowed during the past six years. Their Office on Smoking and Health, Division of Adolescent and School Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, analyzed data from 1991-2009 for three measures: ever smoked cigarettes, current cigarette use, and current frequent cigarette use. Research suggests that to increase the rate of decline in cigarette use among high school students, reductions in advertising, promotions, and commercial availability of tobacco products should be combined with full implementation of communitywide, comprehensive tobacco control programs.


 

The Substance and Mental Health Services Administration reports that although illegal tobacco sales to youth have decreased during the past 13 years, 2009 saw the first slight increase in sales to minors.

A new study finds mental health issues such as depression and anxiety increase along with exposure to second-hand smoke. Dr. Mark Hamer of University College London says previous research found that smokers have a higher rate of mental illness, specifically depression.

The American Lung Association (ALA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) partnered to sponsor World No Tobacco Day this week to bring attention to the harmful effects of tobacco use and highlighting the ways in which the marketing tactics of tobacco manufacturers target women and girls.

Hood River, Ore. is known as a tourist attraction for its wind surfing and its lush natural beauty. However, it's also an economically challenged area, where more than 14 percent of people live below the poverty level and 17 percent of children under age 18 live in poverty. It's also a place with high marijuana, alcohol and tobacco use among youth. That is, until the Hood River County Prevention Network – also known as Hood River Prevents – mobilized the community to address their drug use and other associated problems.

A new study, "Water Pipe Smoking Among North American Youths," published in the June print issue of Pediatrics, the peer-reviewed, scientific journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, describes the demographic characteristics of water pipe users. And what they found could blow supporters of this leisure activity out of the water.

 

The Food and Drug Administration recently issued a final rule containing a broad set of federal requirements designed to significantly curb access to and the appeal of cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products to children and adolescents in the United States. The new rule, Regulations Restricting the Sale and Distribution of Cigarettes and Smokeless Tobacco to Protect Children and Adolescents, restricts the sale, distribution, and promotion of these products to make them less accessible and less attractive to kids. The rule becomes effective June 22 and has the force and effect of a law.

Multiple studies have found that fewer workers are exposed to tobacco smoke and that hospital admissions for heart attacks have fallen in communities that have banned indoor smoking, according to a literature review by researcher Cicily Kelleher, M.D., of University College Dublin and colleagues.

After a 14-year delay, regulations banning tobacco sales to minors, sales of cigarettes in less than 20-pack size, sample giveaways, and tobacco sponsorship of sports, music and other events have been released in final form by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Advertising works. And the tobacco industry knows this. So, they keep promoting the infamous Marlboro Man to young men and Virginia Slims to young women. Whether it's an ad in youth-oriented magazines, such as Sports Illustrated and Rolling Stone, or retail outlet promotions, cigarette advertising ignites teens' desire to smoke, according to a new study

According to the 2008 Monitoring the Future survey, nearly 7 percent of 8th graders, 12.3 percent of 10th graders, and about 20 percent of 12th graders smoked cigarettes. Help reduce tobacco use by getting involved in national Kick Butts Day on March 24, 2010.

Does your coalition know how many tobacco and alcohol retailers are near your community's schools? Research shows that minimizing the number of alcohol outlets in your area may help reduce a variety of alcohol-related problems, but what about tobacco? A recent article in the American Journal of Public Health addresses this question, examining the relationship between the proximity of tobacco retailers to schools and adolescent cigarette smoking.

 Current research indicates that controlling or minimizing the amount of alcohol outlets in a specific area may reduce a variety of alcohol-related problems. Unfortunately few studies exist on the possible impact of controlling or reducing the number of tobacco retailers in a given area. Some research suggests that the density and proximity of tobacco retailers may influence tobacco use initiation among youth if they have easy access. The American Journal of Public Health recently published a study contributing to this body of research. A 2009 article, Density of tobacco retailers near schools: Effects on tobacco use among students, examines the relationship between the density and proximity of tobacco retailers near schools and adolescent cigarette smoking.

 Adolescents across all age groups perceive a greater risk to smoking cigarettes than the use of alcohol and other substances including cocaine and LSD, according to a new report based on a national survey sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). An individual’s perception of risk about a substance can be a key factor whether they decide to refrain from using.