Is nicotine replacement therapy for smoking cessation effective in the "real world"? : findings from a prospective multinational cohort study

(Disponible en anglais seulement.)

Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) has been found in clinical trials to increase cessation. However, recent cross-sectional surveys have questioned whether NRT use by individuals who smoke making a quit attempt without supervision within clinical trials can be successful. Findings reveal NRT use without assistance was correlated with more long-term cessation.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/thx.2007.078758

Comment: RCTs are important, but I think the "real world" questions carries more weight with a lot of practitioners.

Secret ties to industry and conflicting interests in cancer research

(Disponible en anglais seulement.)

Presents examples of researchers who worked as consultants and failed to disclose financial ties to the tobacco industry. Highlights the case of Sir Richard Doll, whose influential paper in cancer epidemiology, concluded that only a small percentage of cancer was caused by environmental exposures. Calls for strict development and application of policies on disclosing conflicts of interest.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ajim.20357

Comment: The persistent and covert influence of the tobacco industry on scientific research and publication poses ethical challenges for academia, research institutions, and journal editors.

Childhood IQ, smoking, and cognitive change from age 11 to 64 years

(Disponible en anglais seulement.)
Present and non-smokers had considerably different mental test scores at 64 years of age, among participants of a Scottish IQ survey. Smoking history was among several independent determinants of mental function at this age. Smoking was an independent negative factor in cognitive aging.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2004.04.014

Comment: We are all familiar with the damage that smoking can do to one's physical health. This research confirms the effects of smoking on our cognitive abilities.

A Statewide evaluation of the effectiveness of media literacy training to prevent tobacco use among adolescents

(Disponible en anglais seulement.)

Findings from this theory-based evaluation in Washington State imply that in general, the impact was each different for participants who had used tobacco and who had not used tobacco. Furthermore, all participants increased their knowledge and skill to resist smoking influences.

http://www.leaonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10410230701283306?

Comment: Considering the new and unregulated media 'sources' such as youtube, media literacy is an important skill for youth to possess to decipher the various and conflicting messages they receive every day.

An empirical investigation of the social market for cigarettes

(Disponible en anglais seulement.)
Social provision and acquisition of cigarettes among teens are widespread, reciprocal behaviours. This study examined the importance of social sources of cigarettes to teenagers, using data from the Youth Risk Behaviour Survey. Results show that high cigarette prices and smoking restrictions influence teens to borrow cigarettes from peers.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/hec.1215


Comment: Youth access to cigarettes is always a hot topic. Youth who smoke will always find ways to get access to cigarettes. It would be interesting to find out what these authors suggest in order to limit future youth access to cigarettes.

Health and social impacts of tobacco production

(Disponible en anglais seulement.)

Summarizes current knowledge about the health and social effects of tobacco production to individuals, families and communities, and describes the research needed to better understand these deleterious effects.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1300/J096v11n03_08

Comment: What are alternative crops to tobacco? And who will help tobacco-dependent farmers make the transition?

The effect of chewing gum on tobacco withdrawal

(Disponible en anglais seulement.)

The authors assessed smoke craving and nicotine withdrawal in 20 smokers, half of whom were given free access to chewing gum during an enforced period of abstinence. They found that chewing gum does reduce craving and helps with withdrawal when a nicotine-dependent person cannot smoke.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0306-4603(96)00072-X

Comment: Hopefully this coping technique for short-term abstinence can be translated into one for successful cessation.

Aniqsaattiarniq = Breathing Easy

(Disponible en anglais et inuktitut seulement.)

Features resource materials (posters, leaflets, newsletters, school kits, reports) created for the the Aniqsaattiarniq - Breathing Easy campaign, aimed at tobacco use prevention and reduction among Inuit peoples in Canada. Many of the resource materials can be downloaded (Adobe Acrobat reader required) and printed from this website.

http://pauktuutit.ca/tobacco/english/index.html

Comment:With extremely high prevalence rates, this is an incredibly important community to reach.

The ethics of requiring employees to quit smoking

(Disponible en anglais seulement.)

A physician and a lawyer look at the ethical issues involved when an employer required employees to quit smoking and penalized those who did not.

http://virtualmentor.ama-assn.org/2007/01/msoc1-0701.html

Comment: Weyco, a Michigan-based insurance consulting company , gave employees 15 months to quit. In the end, 20 employees quit and 4 who wouldn't, were fired. Was the Boss justified?

An in-depth analysis of male adolescent smokeless tobacco users : interviews with users and their fathers

(Disponible en anglais seulement.)

In relation to such factors as onset, patterns of use, social influences, attempts to quit and indications of addiction, they found that smokeless tobacco use appeared to be similar to cigarette smoking.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00844878

Comment: This 1989 article also states that 73% of the parents knew about their sons using smokeless tobacco but appeared tolerant. Would a similar analysis today show changes since this one was done?

Waterpipe smoking and nicotine exposure : a review of the current evidence

(Disponible en anglais seulement.)

Reviews six studies that measure the cotinine or nicotine levels in waterpipe smoking in four countries (Lebanon, Jordan, Kuwait, and India). Analysis of human data reveals that everyday waterpipe use created a nicotine absorption rate equal to that of smoking 10 cigarettes/day and a 24-hr urinary cotinine level of 0.785 µg/ml.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14622200701591591

Comment: Yet another study that demonstrates that waterpipe smoking is not a harmless, social pastime. Information about the hazards of waterpipe smoking needs to get out there.

Smoke-free long-term care homes project manual

(Disponible en anglais seulement.)

Introduction - Policy - Implementation: education and communication - Smoking, second-hand smoke, and quitting - Appendix 1: Literature review - Appendix 2: CCACs and SFOA - Appendix 3: Case studies.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1090198102239259

Comment: This was an emerging issue at the 5th National Conference. I think this manual might be useful across the country, if not now, then soon.

A content analysis of web sites promoting smoking culture and lifestyle

(Disponible en anglais seulement.)

A content analysis of photographs from websites advertising smoking culture and lifestyle to determine age of the individuals in the photographs, amount of nudity and smoking. Almost all photographs showed smoking and contained women; however, few contained total or partial nudity. The tobacco control community and health educators should perform more research and have increased awareness of smoking on the Internet.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1090198102239259

Comment: As this study was published in 2003 and used Yahoo! as a search engine, it would be interesting to see what changes have occured since then.

From social taboo to "torch of freedom" : the marketing of cigarettes to women

(Disponible en anglais seulement.)

Briefly discusses the evolution of female tobacco use from a social taboo to a "torch of freedom". Explores the specific marketing of tobacco as a form of rebellion and independence to women and the subsequent increase in female tobacco use.

http://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/9/1/3

Comment: For those who are interested in history, this article certainly gives an insight into the marketing practices of the tobacco industry and how they targeted women to start smoking.