A study suggested at the NCRI Cancer conference thast a smoker's addictoin may leave a mark in their DNA, although the genetic code stays the same. This may allow future findings to measure a smoker's risk for cancer. Researchers found that the DNA of the blood can be tagged chemically as the result of smoking. The tags can be detected in lung tissue, and can be used to find the increased risk of cancers related to lung, bowel and breast.
The tags gradually diminsh as someone quits smoking, according to lead researcher James Flanagan of Imperial College London. The tags are found the surface of the DNA. Although the tags may slowly disappear, the DNA of a former smoker will never exactly match the DNA of a non-smoker-something to always think about! Flanagan said that this will give a better story through their life and how their habit has changed throughout the years.
Dr Jane Cope, director of the NCRI, said: “This reinforces the message that smoking doesn’t just affect the risk of lung cancer, it can increase the risk of more than a dozen different cancers. Smokers lose around a decade of life and, along with many other benefits, giving up will mean the added risk of cancer drops off over time.”
the Lakeshore Tobacco Prevention Network
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
US Court to Appeal Graphic Warning Labels on Cigarette Products
A court ruling against graphic cigarette labeling has been upheld in the federal government as of last week, giving the Big Tobacco Companies a "win". In June, the FDA unveiled 9 graphic warning ads to be printed on every package of cigarettes sold in the U.S. starting in October. Along with each different advertisement of diseased lungs, a crying baby, a man smoking through a hole in his throat, and others, the toll free number to help people quit smoking was also included to help those that already do smoke or use tobacco products, to find a way to quit.
FDA officials wanted these ads to explicitly focus on the dangers of smoking and to serve as motivation to quit and deter others from starting by seeing these images. In 2009, the FDA was given the authority to regulate tobacco products, and part of that law called for new graphic warnings. The major tobacco companies sued the goverment and said it violated the First Amendment, and got the ads blocked from being printed on their products, for now.
It is by no means the final word though on new cigarette warnings. The labels serve as disclaimers to the public regarding the health consequences of using tobacco products. There are current text-only warnings that are very stale and have gone unnoticed-they haven't been updated since 1984! Because of evidence that large graphic warnings are most effective at informing consumers about health risks of smoking, 43 other countries require large, graphic cigarette warnings.
Companies continue to spend billions of dollars to play down the health risks of smoking and to glamourize tobacco use, especially in youth. These graphic warnings tell the truth about how deadly it is. They will provide powerful incentive for smokers to take life saving steps to quitting and for youth to not even bother to try that first cigarette! "Studies around the world and evidence presented to the FDA also show that large, graphic warnings, like those adopted by the FDA, are most effective at informing consumers about health risks of smoking, discouraging children and other nonsmokers from starting to smoke, and motivating smokers to quit," said Matthew L. Myers, president of Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.
FDA officials wanted these ads to explicitly focus on the dangers of smoking and to serve as motivation to quit and deter others from starting by seeing these images. In 2009, the FDA was given the authority to regulate tobacco products, and part of that law called for new graphic warnings. The major tobacco companies sued the goverment and said it violated the First Amendment, and got the ads blocked from being printed on their products, for now.
It is by no means the final word though on new cigarette warnings. The labels serve as disclaimers to the public regarding the health consequences of using tobacco products. There are current text-only warnings that are very stale and have gone unnoticed-they haven't been updated since 1984! Because of evidence that large graphic warnings are most effective at informing consumers about health risks of smoking, 43 other countries require large, graphic cigarette warnings.
Companies continue to spend billions of dollars to play down the health risks of smoking and to glamourize tobacco use, especially in youth. These graphic warnings tell the truth about how deadly it is. They will provide powerful incentive for smokers to take life saving steps to quitting and for youth to not even bother to try that first cigarette! "Studies around the world and evidence presented to the FDA also show that large, graphic warnings, like those adopted by the FDA, are most effective at informing consumers about health risks of smoking, discouraging children and other nonsmokers from starting to smoke, and motivating smokers to quit," said Matthew L. Myers, president of Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.
Friday, June 29, 2012
Supreme Court Decision to Uphold Health Reform Law Preserves Vital Tobacco Prevention Initiatives
Statement of Matthew L. Myers
President, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In upholding the health care reform law, the Supreme Court has preserved essential disease prevention initiatives that will help reduce the staggering health and financial toll of tobacco use. These prevention measures include expanded coverage of treatments to help smokers quit, as well as a new prevention fund to finance proven disease prevention and public health activities in communities across the nation. Preservation of these important prevention initiatives is a victory for the nation’s health and will save lives and save money by reducing health care costs.
The health care reform law requires coverage of smoking cessation and other preventive services without cost sharing, by group health plans and insurers, including those selling within the newly created insurance exchanges. The law also prevents states from excluding smoking-cessation drugs from the medications covered by their Medicaid programs and requires Medicaid to cover smoking-cessation treatments for pregnant women. It also provides incentives for state Medicaid programs to cover all recommended preventive services, including smoking cessation. Even if the Court’s decision to limit the penalties imposed on states that do not comply with the Medicaid expansion in the law leads some states not to participate in the expansion of who is covered, in our view it should not impact the availability of these cessation and tobacco prevention services to those covered by Medicaid under current law.
The law also established a Prevention and Public Health Fund to finance proven community-based prevention programs targeting public health problems such as tobacco use and obesity. Americans spend more than $2 trillion a year to treat disease and manage illnesses, and almost three quarters of that money is spent on caring for people with chronic diseases, many of which we know how to prevent.
Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, killing more than 400,000 people and costing the nation $96 billion in health care expenditures annually. Effective prevention, including smoking-cessation coverage, will save lives, improve health and reduce health care costs.
President, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids
The health care reform law requires coverage of smoking cessation and other preventive services without cost sharing, by group health plans and insurers, including those selling within the newly created insurance exchanges. The law also prevents states from excluding smoking-cessation drugs from the medications covered by their Medicaid programs and requires Medicaid to cover smoking-cessation treatments for pregnant women. It also provides incentives for state Medicaid programs to cover all recommended preventive services, including smoking cessation. Even if the Court’s decision to limit the penalties imposed on states that do not comply with the Medicaid expansion in the law leads some states not to participate in the expansion of who is covered, in our view it should not impact the availability of these cessation and tobacco prevention services to those covered by Medicaid under current law.
The law also established a Prevention and Public Health Fund to finance proven community-based prevention programs targeting public health problems such as tobacco use and obesity. Americans spend more than $2 trillion a year to treat disease and manage illnesses, and almost three quarters of that money is spent on caring for people with chronic diseases, many of which we know how to prevent.
Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, killing more than 400,000 people and costing the nation $96 billion in health care expenditures annually. Effective prevention, including smoking-cessation coverage, will save lives, improve health and reduce health care costs.
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Altria Creates Nicotine Lozenge
Altria Group, Inc., the maker of Marlboro is launching a non-dissolving, nicotine disc called Verve. It won’t contain tobacco, but instead the chewable, mint-flavored disc contains nicotine, which is extracted from tobacco. This is the part that really matters. By not actually containing tobacco, Altria is betting to receive a milder health warning than for a product witch actually contains tobacco.
The Verve disc resembles a cough drop and releases nicotine as a user sucks or crews on it. The disc, made of cellulose and polymer, is thrown away after use. It will be sold in a package of 16 discs and sell for about $3, much less than a pack of cigarettes. Altria will begin selling Verve in Virginia this month.
Most important is how the FDA will respond to regulating this type of product. In 2009, the law granting the FDA authority over tobacco products also authorized the FDA to extend its jurisdiction to “other” tobacco products. In 2010, the FDA announced that they would issue regulations over all tobacco products, but has yet to do so. By taking too long to act, the FDA has given tobacco companies the opportunity to develop and introduce these novel types of products that circumvent the existing laws.
Final word, the FDA must assert jurisdiction over all tobacco and tobacco-derived products. By using their power to review products, restrict marketing and sales to children, require health warnings, mandate the disclosure of contents and prohibit any health claims without FDA review, the FDA will be doing their part in preventing the terrible toll of tobacco use and addiction to nicotine.
Written by guest blogger Kim Hageman
http://www.survivingoshkosh.com/
http://www.facebook.com/SurvivingOshkosh
The Verve disc resembles a cough drop and releases nicotine as a user sucks or crews on it. The disc, made of cellulose and polymer, is thrown away after use. It will be sold in a package of 16 discs and sell for about $3, much less than a pack of cigarettes. Altria will begin selling Verve in Virginia this month.
Most important is how the FDA will respond to regulating this type of product. In 2009, the law granting the FDA authority over tobacco products also authorized the FDA to extend its jurisdiction to “other” tobacco products. In 2010, the FDA announced that they would issue regulations over all tobacco products, but has yet to do so. By taking too long to act, the FDA has given tobacco companies the opportunity to develop and introduce these novel types of products that circumvent the existing laws.
Final word, the FDA must assert jurisdiction over all tobacco and tobacco-derived products. By using their power to review products, restrict marketing and sales to children, require health warnings, mandate the disclosure of contents and prohibit any health claims without FDA review, the FDA will be doing their part in preventing the terrible toll of tobacco use and addiction to nicotine.
Written by guest blogger Kim Hageman
http://www.survivingoshkosh.com/
http://www.facebook.com/SurvivingOshkosh
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