News
Amy Whitehouse Emphysema Startles Experts
The shocking revelation by her father that 24-year-old British singer-songwriter
Amy Winehouse may have a mild form of emphysema leaves experts with more questions
than answers.
Winehouse collapsed at her north London home last Monday and was admitted into
a London hospital, where she had been all week under going tests.
Winehouse's
father, Mitch Winehouse, told the London Sunday Mirror that his daughter was
told she would have to wear an oxygen mask unless she stops smoking drugs and
cigarettes.
Dr. Norman Edelman, chief medical officer of the American Lung Association
said, "Generally, we don't really see emphysema until a person is in their
40s, but in a small number of people it could occur much earlier, especially
in someone who smoked a long time.
“Amy has been diagnosed with what he called "a small amount of emphysema." The soul singer's lungs do show a small amount of scarring, but her illness has not progressed "too far," her father said. "It's not irreparable. Really, she can't even smoke anymore, let alone that other thing. She's responding very well to treatment, she's flourishing," he said.
The singer's U.S. publicist, Tracey Miller, said that Winehouse is "showing early signs of what could lead to emphysema but is reacting well to treatment."
What is emphysema?
Emphysema involves damage to the air sacs or alveoli in the lungs, reducing
the amount of oxygen the body can take in. Symptoms typically include shortness
of breath and a chronic cough, according to the U.S. National Institutes of
Health. The most common cause is smoking. The disease, once entrenched, cannot
be reversed. The condition can be stabilized, however, if a person stops smoking.
Still, "lung units or alveoli do not come back," Horovitz said. Symptoms
can be treated with bronchodilators, steroids, inhalers and, in a worst-case
scenario, oxygen, Horovitz added.
If your interested in finding out more about emphysema take a look at website
below:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/medical_notes/456591.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/hi/health/newsid_7469000/7469955.stm
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Emphysema/Pages/Introduction.aspx?url=Pages/What-is-it.aspx
Stopping smoking is contagious
Smoking has always been a social habit, but researchers now believe that quitting may be a social activity too.
“Smoking may be addictive but quitting is contagious, according to a provocative study of why people give up the weed”, reported The Times. It says that the findings come from a 32-year study that collected data from more than 12,000 people. When people quit smoking it had a knock on effect on their families, friends and work colleagues. People whose spouses quit were 67% less likely to smoke, while friends of quitters were 36% less likely and siblings 25% less likely.
The research has used new methods to look at data from a previous study. The researchers assessed peoples’ smoking habits and looked at what effect quitting had on the chance that a husband, wife, brother, sister, friend or workmate would continue to smoke. This approach to looking at social influences on quitting provides reliable evidence and some measure of how groups of people can affect each other’s non-smoking habits. It sheds some light on what the researchers describe as the “the collective dynamics of smoking behaviour”.
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1808446,00.html
Cigarette lighters
Since March 2008, it has been illegal to sell cigarette lighters that are not child resistant or novelty lighters that appeal to children. This is great news as a number of serious fires have been started accidently by children playing with lighters
Families are being encouraged to change their old lighters for new ones that are child resistant. And to be wary of very cheap lighters for sale on market stalls or at car boot fairs as they may not be child resistant.
Smokers are warned that kids ‘wanna be like you’
A
new £5.2 million campaign has been launched that highlight’s the danger to
parents that their smoking will dramatically increase their children’s chances
of becoming a smoker too.
The new NHS Smokefree advertising campaign is currently running on TV, online, radio, ambient and outdoor media. The TV advertising is set to the music of ‘I wanna be like you’ from ‘The Jungle Book’ movie and starts by showing harmless examples of how young children copy their mums and dads as they go about their daily life – relaxing at home, doing household chores and even watching TV. The film then takes a sinister turn and ends with a little girl picking up a crayon to copy her mother as she takes a drag on a cigarette.
A hard-hitting poster campaign picks up this same theme, featuring a child’s crayon resting on an ashtray, along with press adverts showing childish artistic portrayals of their parents smoking.
Public Health Minister, Dawn Primarolo MP, said:
“This campaign highlights the fact that children absorb what is going on around
them - therefore habits such as smoking seem normal in young people’s eyes.
Stopping smoking is the best thing you can do for your own health but what
people may not realise is that it’s also an incredibly positive thing to
do for the futures of those closest to you.
In Adolescents, Addiction to Tobacco Comes Easy
Dire warning to all adolescents: You can get "hooked from the first cigarette."
Dr. Joseph R. DiFranza, a family health and community medicine specialist
states that "very soon after that first cigarette, adolescents can experience
a loss of independence over tobacco."
Dr. DiFranza, described a typical teenage smoker - a 14-year-old girl who smokes
only occasionally, about three cigarettes a week. She admitted to having failed
at several efforts to quit. Each time she tried, cravings and feelings of irritability
drove her back to smoking.
"We have long assumed that kids got addicted because they were smoking 5 or 10 cigarettes a day. Now we know that they risk addiction after trying a cigarette just once."
Even occasional teenage smokers can experience the same symptoms of nicotine withdrawal that prompt adult smokers to light up again and again.
These findings come at a time when the once steady decline in teenage smoking has leveled off, antismoking ads on television have all but disappeared and smoking in movies has risen to a near all-time high.
These findings suggest that new strategies are needed to combat smoking by
youngsters, which typically leads to a lifetime of smoking.
Drag queen: Atomic Kitten Liz has wrinkly makeover to show how smoking damages the skin
Pop
beauty Liz McClarnon looked old and haggard as she helped promote an anti-smoking
campaign in Liverpool.
The Atomic Kitten singer was raising awareness of the dangers of smoking by having liquid latex applied to her face to show what years of smoking does to the skin.
Liz, 26, had one half of her face transformed by a professional latex artist and the other by a glamour make-up girl.
The
D-MYST smoking campaign is run by young people in Liverpool and targets smoking
in films and the media.
Ex-smoker Liz, who has been offered two big screen roles, reckons she would turn them down if they required her to smoke.
Liz said: "I can't understand why anyone would smoke and risk doing this to themselves.
"I smoked for four years and my skin was spotty and grey-looking and I thought it was my diet.
"Everyone knows the damage smoking does to you so why does society carry on doing it?"
"I could never be with anyone who smokes no matter how much I loved them."
"I just could not bring myself to kiss them."
Nicotine patches for children approved"
NICE, the official advisory body in England says that children as young as 12 should receive nicotine patches if they have a serious smoking problem.
The recommendation comes in a set of guidelines by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) which are intended to advise health authorities on helping people give up smoking.
Those aged between 12 and 17 should be provided with information, advice and
support, and NRT "when there is clear evidence of nicotine dependence".
Professor Peter Littlejohns, clinical and public health director of NICE said, "Smoking
is still the main cause of preventable morbidity and premature death in England.
Most smokers want to quit and in this guidance we aim to ensure that the right
services are put in place to help them to stop."
Anti-smoking group ASH welcomed the new policy, noting that "smoking cessation is one of the most cost-effective forms of health intervention".
Deborah Arnott, director, said, "The guidance is also important in recognising that many young people need help in stopping smoking."
"Addiction can occur very quickly after starting to smoke and young people deserve the same level of support in quitting as older smokers."
Source: BBC
News
Step-parents influence teenage smoking behaviour
A Cancer Research UK study published has found that smoking by a step parent is as influential as smoking by biological parents in determining whether their teenager smokes.
Researchers based at Cancer Research UK's Health Behaviour Research Centre at University College London, interviewed 650 teenagers from 36 schools in South London who reported living in step-families. The students were participating in a five-year 'Health and Behaviour in Teenagers Study' (HABITS) and were assessed annually from age 11-12 to age 15-16.
Lead researcher, Jennifer Fidler, said: "The influence of smoking by parents on whether their children smoke is well known. Teenagers with one or more parent who smokes are much more likely to smoke than those with no smoking parents.
She added, "Our findings confirm the importance of social influence on whether young people start to smoke, and suggests that step-parents, as well as parents should play a role in smoking prevention."
Jean King, Cancer Research UK's director of tobacco control, said: "Smoking is a serious problem among young people, 16 per cent of boys and 24 per cent of girls aged 15 are regular smokers, so we welcome any new research that looks at why teenagers may start to smoke."
"Children whose parents smoke are much more likely to become adult smokers, greatly increasing their risk of cancer in later life, so we hope this research will encourage both parents and step-parents to try and quit smoking altogether."
Source: Cancer
Research UK
Teenage girls less likely to quit smoking
Teenage girls are ignoring health advice and continuing to smoke.
Figures today suggest that almost 22,000 Londoners gave up smoking just before
and after the smoking ban was introduced last July.
GP Sam Everington, who manages a healthy living centre in Tower Hamlets, estimated
the number quitting had doubled.
He said: "The ban has been an enormous success. Its introduction was a historic moment which has had a major impact on people's health. But teenagers, especially girls, were the least accepting of help on giving up."
He said: "They are the group that believes in immortality so are the least motivated. It is also very difficult because of the size zero issue, young girls fear they will put on weight if they quit."
Source: thisislondon
Youth Cabinet members discuss smoking
Tahrema Chowdhury and fellow youth cabinet member James Davies met with councillors and officers of Wealden District Council and told them firsthand of the concerns about the level of smoking among young people.
Taking action to alert young people to the dangers of smoking is one of three priorities for the East Sussex Youth Cabinet.
Tahrema, a pupil at Hailsham Community College, said, "We don't want
to preach to people to stop smoking; we realise it is down to personal choice.
"But we do want people to realise the significance of what they are doing."
The youth cabinet is producing a DVD which will feature young people's views on smoking. It is hoped to screen the DVD at schools and colleges in the district and on the internet.
Source: Eastbourne
Herald
Smoking ban prompts 800,000 people to quit
It has been revealed that England's smoking ban in public places prompted 800,000 smokers to try and kick the habit last year.
The ban came into force on July 1st 2007 and prohibited smoking in premises including offices, restaurants and bars.
Surveys conducted each month from November 2006 to January 2008 found that the ban was one of the main reasons why smokers tried to quit.
The biggest motivation for quitters however was New Year's Eve, when more than one million smokers tried to stub out for good.
In total more than 40 per cent of smokers tried to quit last year.
Professor Robert West, director of tobacco studies at Cancer Research, said his findings are very encouraging.
"It can take many attempts to stop smoking for good, but the more times you try, the more likely you are to succeed in the end," he added."
Elspeth Lee, Cancer Research UK's head of tobacco control, commented: "It's good news that the smokefree legislation, as well as protecting people from secondhand smoke, encouraged some smokers to quit."
"But with about ten million smokers in the UK, half of whom will die from a smoking related disease, we cannot be complacent. We need the government's continued commitment to reducing smoking rates and stopping future generations from starting to smoke."
Source: View London, 28 April 2008
I love my smokefree childhood - Celebrate World Cancer Day
A global campaign to protect children against the dangers of secondhand smoke will be launched to mark World Cancer Day (4 February). The 'I love my smokefree childhood' campaign is calling upon adults and parents to actively support smokefree environments for children.
In the UK, 42% of children live in households with a least one smoker. However, as smoking rates are closely related to deprivation, children living in low income households are far more likely to live with parents who smoke. Smoking prevalence is significantly higher in Stoke on Trent (33%) than the national average (24%) it is, therefore fair to presume more children are being exposed to tobacco smoke than the UK average.
So what can you do to make your home smokefree - Check out our factsheet
Smokers kicking habit after ban
Nearly 165,000 people in England gave up smoking with the help of the NHS last summer, when lighting up was banned in enclosed public spaces. This is a 28% increase in the number of people successfully using the Stop Smoking Services compared to 2006. Although these findings only relate to those using the NHS service, they are the first figures on quitting to emerge since the smoking ban was introduced. "It's great news that so many smokers have been able to quit, preventing serious health problems and complications. It's not easy to overcome a nicotine addiction so it's clear that the NHS Stop Smoking Service is providing a vital service," said Public Health Minister Dawn Primarolo.
Article 29/1/08
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7214849.stm
Cigarettes leave deadly path by purging protective genes
Scientists have discovered that toxins in cigarette smoke wipe out a gene that plays a vital role in protecting the body from the effects of premature aging. Without this gene we not only lose a bit of youthfulness but the lungs are left open to destructive inflammation and diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer.
"You can be 45 years old and look great on the outside, but if you are a smoker or former smoker, your lungs can easily be 60 years old because of the chemical assault." said Irfan Rahman, associate professor and an investigator of the the University of Rochester's Lung Biology and Disease Program.
Article 24/1/08
Full article http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080123150522.htm
Ireland: Cars carrying under 16 year olds may face smoking ban
Children are at a greater risk of inhaling cancer-causing chemicals and developing illnesses such as asthma when they are travelling in a smoky car than they are from passive smoking at home.
ASH Ireland, said passive smoke in a vehicle is 23 times more toxic than it is in buildings or open spaces. The group is calling for a ban on smoking in cars carrying children under 16. ASH chief executive Dr Angie Brown said the workplace ban protects adults from the harmful effects of passive smoking, and it is now time to focus attention on protecting children. Smoking in cars carrying children has been banned in parts of Australia, Canada and the USA.
Article 29/1/08
Low Tar Cigarettes may cause more harm
In an effort to quit smoking, many people buy special aids, while those who find that too difficult smoke "low-tar,'' "mild'' or "light'' cigarettes. However, recent research shows these methods could actually do more harm to the body, let alone not help one quit smoking. Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs conducted a survey on 443 male and 57 female smokers and found "people tend to smoke more and inhale deeper when smoking low tar cigarettes.'' About 63 percent of the respondents said they smoked "mild'' cigarettes, thinking this would be safer for their health. With 59 percent of the 316 low tar smokers said the number of cigarettes they smoked increased after switching to the lighter brand. The research suggested that could lead the nicotine content in their bodies to increase even more. "Low tar cigarettes increase addiction to nicotine, making it easier to smoke but harder to quit. We need to put more regulations on their production and marketing while holding more campaigns to let people know the reality of what they are smoking,''.
Article 4/2/08
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2008/02/113_18503.html
Bollywood stars told to put their cigarettes out
Indian Health Minister is campaigning to ban smoking on screen because he is worried about the number of young Indians becoming addicted to tobacco. And he is urging two of Bollywoods top stars - Shah Rukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan - to stop setting a bad example to young Indians by smoking. "I would like to make an appeal not only to Mr Shah Rukh Khan but also to Amitabh Bachchan and to all the other personalities. Children are being affected. There shouldn't be any smoking scenes in movies because we have statistics showing that 52 per cent of children have their first puff of cigarette due to movie celebrities." The exchange marked a rare public debate about smoking in India, where at least 250 million people smoke or chew tobacco and 2,200 people die daily from tobacco-related diseases. The Government outlawed smoking in public places and banned advertising for tobacco products in 2004, but is struggling to reduce addiction rates. The Government's efforts have also been undermined by Indian films, which regularly show male stars smoking while surrounded by beautiful women and fast cars or motorbikes.
Article 29/1/08
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article3266918.ece
Call for a ban machine cigarette sales
Cigarette vending machines could be banned from pubs, clubs and hotels to stop children buying tobacco illegally. Labour MP David Taylor is introducing a Private Member's Bill that would outlaw unsupervised tobacco sales, after concerns were raised that children were using vending machines to buy cigarettes, in defiance of the ban on sales to under-18s.
Source: This is London, 11th October 2007
Article link http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/
1,000 homes in Salford sign up to Smokefree Homes campaign
With over 1,000 homes across Salford signing up to the Smokefree Homes promise, Households in the city are breathing easier. The service which is run by local social enterprise, Community Health Action Partnership (CHAP) was set up in July this year in partnership with Salford City Council and the Primary Care Trust, with the aim of reducing people's exposure to smoke and to raise awareness of the consequences of exposure to secondhand smoke. six Smokefree Homes advisors, all local people go out into the community and proactively encourage residents across the city to sign up to either a bronze, silver or gold promise. These graded levels show increasing commitment towards making their homes free of harmful cigarette smoke. With over 1,000 households signed up to the Smokefree Homes service already, this figure has smashed initial targets and massively exceeded expectations.
If you're interested in smokefree Homes project in Stoke-on-Trent please contact Kim Knight on 01782 298052 or email kimberley.knight@stokepct.nhs.uk
Source: Salford City Council, 8th October 2007
Article link http://www.salford.gov.uk/council/pressreleases/
Under 16s: one in five smoke
A major survey by trading standards officers in Bury found that one in five under 16s are smoking and half of them buy their own cigarettes from local shops. Inspectors say they will use the results to crack down on shops who break the law and fines can reach £2,500. The new age of sale law also includes tobacco related sales, such as cigarette papers. The survey also revealed that many young people buy cigarettes with foreign health warnings, an indication of illegal imports and one in four said they had purchased counterfeit cigarettes. The figures come from a survey of nearly 12,000 schoolchildren in the North West, the largest of its kind ever carried out in Europe. The aim was to identify how and where young people obtain cigarettes to help plan intelligence led operations. The Department of Health says that someone who starts smoking at 15 is three times as likely to die from cancer than someone who starts smoking in their mid-20s. Dr Peter Elton, Bury's director of public health, added: "It is vital that fewer children take up smoking. Everything we can do to make it more difficult for young people to get hold of cigarettes will help prevent them from getting addicted before they reach adulthood."
Source: Bury Times, 27th September 2007
Article link http://www.burytimes.co.uk/news/burynews/
Australia: Internet promoting teen smoking
A health expert says that popular internet sites including YouTube, Facebook and MySpace are being used to promote smoking to teenagers. University of Sydney public health professor Simon Chapman welcomed new figures showing that rates of youth smoking were down, but warned the internet was becoming the new battleground for new teen smokers. About seven percent of schoolchildren aged 12 to 15 smoked, rising to about 18 percent of 17-year-olds. The interactive internet sites were "being used to promote smoking to teenagers", he said. About 15,000 people died in Australia each year from active and passive smoking.
Source: The Daily Telegraph, 27th September 2007
Article link http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,22490168-5006505,00.html
New research shows that smoking can cause acne
New research shows that smoking can cause acne, especially among women. The condition which was identified as 'smokers acne' by researchers at the San Gallicano Dermatalogical Institute in Rome leaves smokers with blocked pores and spots.
Women are particularly vulnerable to the condition. According to a report in the British Journal of Dermatology a study of 1,000 women aged 25 to 50 revealed that 42 per cent of smokers had acne, compared to only 10 per cent of non-smokers.
Additionally, smokers who had suffered from acne in their teens were found to be four times more likely to suffer from acne as an adult than non-smokers who had also experienced teenage acne.
Dr Colin Holden, president of the British Association of Dermatologists, added: "Dermatologists have long associated smoking with premature ageing of the skin, wrinkles and a leathery complexion. However, scientists are now increasingly linking smoking with acne. For people who suffered acne as teenagers, the probability of also suffering with acne in adulthood is four times higher in smokers than non-smokers. This suggests that smoking could be a major contributing factor for adult acne if you are already predisposed to the disorder.
Ads warn of smoking age change
An advertising campaign to inform people about the change in age for tobacco sales has begun today. In one week the age at which people can buy tobacco will rise from 16 to 18 as part of attempts to reduce the number of young people taking up smoking.
Evidence from Northern Ireland has shown that such a rise is successful at discouraging teenagers.
From Monday October 1st retailers will have to display a notice informing customers about the new legislation. The new age limit follows a ban on smoking in public places in England implemented in July.
Research from YouGov released to coincide with the new advertising campaign shows that the majority of adults support the new buying age, with 69 per cent of adults saying it makes sense.
"The legislation has been introduced to stop young people becoming addicted to nicotine," said Fiona Andrews, Department of Health tobacco policy manager.
"The younger a smoker starts the more likely they are to be killed by their addiction, and someone who starts smoking at 15 is three times as likely to die from cancer due to smoking as someone who starts in their mid-20s."
British Medical Association calls for pack ban to reduce teenage smoking
The British Medical Association wants to make it harder for teenagers to start smoking. Doctors have called for 10-packs of cigarettes and tobacco vending machines to be banned to tackle teenage smoking.
The BMA said that most smokers begin in adolescence, with evidence suggesting that the younger someone starts smoking, the less likely they are to give up. Young people often buy cigarettes from vending machines because of the lack of age checks or they buy packs of 10 because they are cheaper.
The BMA proposals also include a ban on cigarettes being displayed at the point of sale in shops, and for long-term investment in preventing teenagers taking up smoking, and helping those already smoking to give up.
The Scottish Government is to raise the legal age for buying tobacco from 16 to 18 next month.
Dr Andrew Buist, a member of the BMA's Scottish Council, said “The age increase is only one step in reducing young people's access to tobacco. We must do all we can to stop youngsters getting hooked in the first place. Addressing these two issues would significantly reduce the availability of cigarettes to young people."
A spokeswoman for anti-smoking group Ash Scotland welcomed the proposals, saying: "It can't just be education - you have to cut off the supply." "You have also got to make sure there are services available to young smokers to help them stop smoking as soon as possible."
Hand-rolled cigarettes more carcinogenic: study
It has been found that smokers of hand-rolled cigarettes tend to consume less tobacco, but face a greater risk of developing lung cancer than those who smoke manufactured cigarettes, a study on Norwegian lung cancer patients has found.
While smokers of hand-rolled cigarettes "consumed (fewer) cigarettes, and statistically had fewer years of smoking, hand-rolled cigarettes were more carcinogenic (cancer causing), resulting in a higher incidence of lung cancer development," the study by Heidi Rolke, of Norway's Sorlandet Hospital, said.
Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world, with more than 570,000 people in Asia dying from it each year or 1 every minute. Globally, it kills 1.3 million people each year.
UK to lead the way with picture warnings on tobacco packets
Graphic images showing the devastating effects that tobacco can have on health will be printed on all tobacco packets from next year, Health Secretary Alan Johnson announced today.
15 images will used were chosen following a consultation in 2006. The UK is the first country in the EU to introduce such visual warnings on all tobacco products aimed at raising awareness, helping smokers who want to quit and further reducing smoking related illnesses.
Alan Johnson said "Picture warnings are the next vital step in reducing the number of people who smoke. We are committed to continuing to drive down smoking rates in the UK as smoking remains the number one cause of ill health and early death. Today's announcement, together with the introduction of the smokefree law last month and our plans to raise the legal age of sale for tobacco products will potentially save thousands of lives and others will be spared the misery of watching family and friends die prematurely from smoke related illnesses."
If you would like to see the chosen picture warnings visit
www.dh.gov.uk/tobaccopackwarnings
Candy cigarettes prime US children to smoke
New research suggests that playing with candy cigarettes may favourably set the minds of some children towards becoming future cigarette smokers. The study, reported in the July issue of Preventive Medicine, shows that in a nationally representative sample of 25,887 US adults, the percentages who had never consumed candy cigarettes were 12% in current and former smokers vs. 22% in never smokers, and the corresponding percentages of adults who had regularly (often or very often) consumed candy cigarettes were 22% in current and former smokers versus 14% in never smokers.
Dr. Klein the corresponding author explains “Candy and gum look-alike products allow children to respond to tobacco marketing and advertising long before they are old enough to smoke a cigarette. The continued existence of these products helps promote smoking as a culturally or socially acceptable activity.”
Do you like Candy cigarettes? How do you feel
Source: EurekaNet, 20 June 2007
Article link: http://tinyurl.com/3yomma
Disney hotels go smokefree
Walt Disney World said it will ban smoking
in guest rooms at more than 20 of its hotels and time share resorts beginning
June 1.
Disney says it is the largest single site resort complex to institute
this type of smoking policy change.
In January 2000, Walt Disney World theme and water parks allowed smoking
only in designated areas. However the new policy applies to all guest
rooms, patios and balconies and smoking has been banned in lobbies, common
areas, restaurants and convention space.
It also designates outdoor smoking areas at all resorts affected by the
change.
The Central Florida resort says that during the last five years, demand
for smoking rooms at the Walt Disney World Resort have been steadily
declining, with less than 3.5 percent of Walt Disney World's 24,000 on
site rooms allowing smoking. Requests for non-smoking rooms, Disney says,
have increased.
Source: Biztoday,
Article link: http://tinyurl.com/2fbg88
Passive smoking killed our telly
A couple were told their £1000 telly had gasped its last - after falling victim to passive smoking.
David and Karen Benzies were stunned when an engineer blamed nicotine
as the source of the problems which have plagued their two-year-old set.
A fan which kept components cool sucked in their cigarette smoke and
coated the circuit boards of the TV.
The couple was left fuming after they were told their three-year guarantee does not cover damage from cigarettes. David said: "I couldn't believe it. The engineer checked it out and said nicotine was covering its circuit boards and sensors. I've never heard of nicotine damaging a television”.
Smoking during youth increase women's risk of developing breast cancer
An international research team reports that the breast cancer promoting
effects of cigarette smoking may be strongest in young women who have
not had children.
“Our results are consistent with the biologic data indicating that the
female breast is sensitive to tobacco carcinogens before the first childbirth,
and may be especially sensitive before menstruation begins,” said Dr.
Mina Ha of Dankook University College of Medicine in Cheonan, Korea
The research suggest that the risk may be lower after having a child,
because cells in the breast have finished developing and are thus less
vulnerable to carcinogens (cancer causing).
Source: American Journal of Epidemiology and Reuters, 17 July 2007
Article Link: http://tinyurl.com/22uqs2
US films blamed for youngsters taking up smoking
American films showing
smoking are encouraging youngsters across the globe to take up the habit,
according to a new report in the journal Paediatrics
Three out of four American films had smoking scenes and researchers estimate
that, in the United States alone, with the number of youngsters aged
ten to 14 watching this equates to 13.9 billion smoking images. The research
found that 61 per cent of smoking scenes were in youth-rated films and
that just 30 actors, primarily lead males, delivered a quarter of the
images of smoking.
Further studies in Germany and Mexico have found a link between smoking
imagery in films and the likelihood of young teenagers to smoke - with
US blockbusters the worst offenders.
Stop smoking campaigners are calling for tighter regulations on the industry,
including banning the depiction of cigarette brands, requiring anti-smoking
ads to be shown prior to the films and giving films showing smoking an
adult rating.
The UK campaign group ASH has called for actors to pressurise producers
not to include smoking scenes unless it is vital to the plot.
Deborah Arnott, director of ASH , said: "Popular actors can exert
a huge influence on young minds. If more actors refused to play smoking
characters ... children would be less likely to see smoking as a desirable
activity."
The Scotsman, 8 May 2007
http://news.scotsman.com/entertainment.cfm?id=709912007
Also reported in:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20070508/hl_hsn/uskidshavewatchedstarssmokingbillionsoftimes
Skin to benefit from smoking ban
People who quit smoking following the ban on lighting up in public places in England will get a fresh "glow" to their skin, dermatologists claim.
Non smokers currently exposed to smoky
atmospheres in clubs, bars and restaurants will also reap the health
benefits of the ban, they added.
Tobacco smoke causes the skin to age prematurely, and recent studies
suggest that passive smoking also leads to wrinkles.
Dr Colin Holden, president of the British Association of Dermatologists, said: "When we think of the impact of smoking on the body, we obviously concentrate on the risks of lung cancer and heart disease.
Article - http://www.tobacco.org/news/249896.html
Smokefree Law
On the 1st July 2007 at 6am all workplaces and public places in England became smokefree law. Get the low down on what that means here.
What is the aim of smokefree legislation?
We know that breathing in other people tobacco smoke can increase a person’s risk of getting lots of nasty illness. The new law will protect people who work or play in almost all indoor public places and workplaces, including many work vehicles, from the harmful effects of secondhand tobacco smoke.
What does the new law do?
The smoking law means that almost all indoor public places and workplaces will become smokefree. This includes pubs, restaurants, offices, schools, youth clubs and leisure centres.
It is now a crime to smoke in smokefree premises or vehicle and a crime for the managers of a smokefree premises or vehicles to allow others to smoke.
Is secondhand smoke really that harmful?
Secondhand smoke kills. Many very clever scientists and medics have found that breathing other people’s cigarette smokes can increase a person’s risk of getting:
- lung cancer
- heart disease
- asthma attacks
- childhood asthma and other lung and chest problems
What sort of smoking will smokefree legislation cover?
The law covers the smoking of tobacco or anything that contains tobacco. This means that people can’t smoke cigarettes, hand-rolled cigarettes, pipes, cigars, herbal cigarettes or water pipes (including shisha, hookah and hubble-bubble pipes) in a smokefree place.
Will my home be required to be smokefree?
No. Private homes do not have to be smokefree, except for parts of homes that may be used as a place of work by more than one person, although you may wish to encourage parents to smoke outside to protect you from breathing in their smoke (see the smokefree homes promise)
Who's going to make sure people don’t break the law?
Environmental Health Officers that work for the local councils will be able to issue fines to people that break the law.
What will happen if someone is caught smoking where they shouldn’t?
If you are seen smoking in a smokefree area you will be committing a criminal offence and can be fined £50.
If you have anymore questions about the smokefree law you can email us at info@s1sb.com
Where can I smoke once the ban starts?
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/6583865.stm
Secondhand Smoke: The "Invisible Killer"
New NHS campaign highlights hidden dangers of secondhand smoke.
Secondhand smoke is an "invisible killer", according to a shocking new advertising campaign, launched by Public Health Minister Caroline Flint today. Nearly 85 per cent of tobacco smoke is invisible and odourless, but causes just as much harm to people's health.
Whilst most smokers and non-smokers believe secondhand smoke can cause harm, a new survey released to support the campaign shows over half of smokers continue to smoke in front of adults that don’t smoke, and a further quarter will still smoke when they’re near their children.
Secondhand smoke contains around 4,000 different chemicals. It can increase your chance of developing lung cancer and heart disease and can also cause a variety of serious health conditions including respiratory disease and cot death in children. It’s made up of both side stream smoke from the burning tip of the cigarette, and mainstream smoke exhaled by the smoker. Side stream smoke accounts for nearly 85 per cent of the smoke in a smoky environment and contains a much higher concentration of toxins, such as hydrogen cyanide, ammonia and carbon monoxide
Launching the new campaign Public Health Minister Caroline Flint said:
"Smoking is harmful not just to smokers but to the people around them. What this new campaign brings home very clearly is the full impact of secondhand smoke. 85 per cent of smoke may be invisible and odourless but it is still damaging people's health. Wafting and blowing away smoke may seem like the right thing to do but in reality, it makes little difference to the amount of secondhand smoke inhaled by people around you.
The best way to protect your family and other adults from secondhand smoke is to stop smoking. For further information call the North Staffordshire Stop Smoking Service on 0800 085 0928. Or if they’re 14 or older, then they can get support to quit through information packs, text messages, emails or phone calls – just get them to visit www.gosmokefree.co.uk, then click on the Together Programme.
Got any comments about this article email and let us know.
Smoking ban hit Big Brother house
Smoking is to be stubbed out in the Big Brother house — after health chiefs declared it a workplace.
Producers could be fined up to £2,500 if housemates flout the no-cigs rule when it becomes law in England on July 1 — less than half way through the show’s run.
A source on BB, set to kick off next month, said: “The kind of people we sign up are often the type of people who like a fag. If they are banned from smoking, the atmosphere could get pretty tense.”
The decision comes as the council that covers Elstree, Herts, told producers Endemol that the house is a working studio and NOT a home.
Catherine Feast, of Hertsmere Council, said: “We will implement the ban to protect the people working in that environment.
“If contestants do smoke in the house we will warn the producers — our aim is to educate, not enforce. But if it carries on we’ll have to decide if further action is needed.”
Under the legislation, smoking is banned in all public places including pubs, offices and public transport.
But it is allowed in private homes — plus places described by Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt as “like homes”, such as army barracks and prisons.
Housemates will be allowed to light up in the garden.
Endemol said: “We will ensure the show is compliant with legislation.”
The Sun 3 April 2007
Young People Take Action on Tobacco Giant in Marathon Campaign
The unequal struggle between teenagers and Big Tobacco took a dramatic new twist. Less than a week before British American Tobacco have their annual shareholders meeting at London's Mermaid Conference Centre, and on the day a Department of Health spokesman disclosed radical plans to clamp down on tackle tobacco sales to teenagers, teen tobacco activists turned the tables on the Goliath of British tobacco industry at the London Marathon.
Angry at the use of "buzz marketing" to promote tobacco products to a youth market they parodied the tactics with their own "Unlucky Strike" branded Ice Cream Van handing out red and white lollies, reflecting the colours of BAT's Lucky Strike cigarettes which have become an icon of cool to young people in the UK and around the world. The young protesters are drawing attention to the fact that while BAT claims to only target over 18 year olds its tobacco marketing strategies are highly effective in recruiting younger teens.
BAT is the world's second largest tobacco company and it still uses sport and glamour to promote their brand to young people in many developing countries.
Protester Alex Percival said, "They get rock stars and movie stars to be seen with their brand and then act all surprised when Lucky Strike turns out to be the brand for teenagers. If you don't believe me go on You Tube. They've made their brand the coolest in school without a single advert; in fact, because you can only really get them in the flash bars it is even better. It's like James Dean for my generation. It is Pete Doherty in a soft pack"/
Head of Policy and Campaigns at ASH, Martin Dockrell said, "Sporting events are the classic marketing opportunity for tobacco companies like BAT to recruit young smokers. I dare say they would love to sponsor an event like the London Marathon. But it's not just through sports sponsorship that BAT is targeting young people. BAT has an arsenal of marketing techniques at its disposal each one geared to fit the specific //target market no matter where in the world."
Want a say! Let us know your thoughts on the issue.
Hook Campaign
This
campaign is all about making smokers more aware about just how addictive
cigarettes are, and just how much they are ‘hooked’ on cigarettes.
Smokers often think that smoking is just a habit that they can control, but usually it’s the habit that’s controlling them!
Professor Robert West explains:
“Smoking is not just a habit – for many smokers it’s a complex and powerful addiction. The nicotine in cigarette smoke can be as addictive as heroin and crack cocaine!”
“Although most smokers believe that cigarettes help them cope, the evidence shows that it makes things worse, as smokers have higher stress levels than non-smokers and ex-smokers. This is because smokers are constantly having to go through a cycle of withdrawal symptoms (because they need nicotine) and then having to smoke to relieve these symptoms.”
So the campaign is trying to encourage people to quit cigarettes and get ‘unhooked’, so that they can get back their control and free themselves from their addiction.
If you or anyone you know smokes and wants to get ‘unhooked’, then they can call the North Staffordshire Stop Smoking Service on 0800 085 0928. Or if they’re 14 or older, then they can get support to quit through information packs, text messages, emails or phone calls – just get them to visit www.gosmokefree.co.uk, then click on the Together Programme.
New Years Resolutions: Quitting Smoking
Now is the time of year for setting New Years Resolutions, so if you smoke and you want to quit, then why not make 2007 the year that you actually do it?! Or if your friends and family smoke, then why not encourage them to quit for the New Year?
It’s a really good time to try and quit smoking because the smoking ban is coming in to force on the 1st July 07 (which means that people won’t be able to smoke in bars, restaurants, factories, shops, bowling alleys and loads of other places from the 1st July onwards). This is brilliant news as it makes sure that everyone can work and socialise in places free from tobacco smoke – so everyone will be able to breathe in nice clean air!
Top Tips
It’s really important that people prepare themselves as much as possible for quitting smoking, because it’s not easy. But those people who do actually spend some time preparing themselves are more likely to be successful quitters – so it is worth it!
One thing people can do to help them prepare for quitting is by setting a quit date, and it doesn’t necessarily have to be New Years Day! This is because they are probably going to be nursing a hangover then anyway – so they shouldn’t make it harder for themselves by trying to quit then as well – maybe set it for the day after.
Another thing they can do is to do a diary of when they smoke (and they
can also write down how strong their urges to smoke are). This can help
them figure out when their worst times of the day are going to be for craving
cigarettes, so they can have an action plan ready for it e.g. if they really
crave a cigarette after their dinner, then their action plan could be to
go and do the washing up or take the dog for a walk to take their mind
off smoking.
Good luck to anyone who is planning to quit smoking! You can do it!
James Bond Gone Smoke Free!
If you’re a James Bond fan, you’re soon going to notice that in the new Bond film - Casino Royale, James Bond has gone smoke free!
Movie bosses have decided that it’s no longer cool to have a suave and sophisticated character like James Bond puffing away on fags and cigars! Smoking is obviously soooooo last year, and obviously such an old fashioned, dirty habit – so why would they want a classy and dangerous man like Bond to be a smoker?!
In any case, if James Bond was a smoker – he would definitely not be able to do all that mad dashing around chasing the baddies! (Smokers are less fit then non smokers as the carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke robs their bodies of oxygen!) And Bond would definitely not be a hit with the ladies if he smoked – because really, which girl in their right mind would want to snog an ash tray!
So the new non-smoking James Bond has changed from 007 into 00Heaven! Yummy!
Sweet flavours added to cigarettes to try and improve their taste
Researchers have just found out that some of the big cigarette makers are adding additives to their cigarettes to try and make them taste nicer!
Apparently they have been adding things like honey, maple syrup and plum juice, as well as sugar and sweeteners to their cigs to make them taste better.
Who do you think might like to try these sweet tasting cigarettes that disguise the taste of normal cigarettes? Hmm, let’s think – adults? No, maybe not – they already put up with the taste of normal cigs as they’ve been smoking for years. Young people? Bingo!
It’s been suggested that tobacco companies are adding these additives as they want to get teenagers like YOU to smoke! And why is that? Is it maybe because the people they normally sell their cigarettes to die early (because of smoking!), so they need to replace them with lots more young people who will become addicted to their cigarettes?
And if lots of young people like you keep buying their cigarettes, who do you think makes a huge profit? That’s right – tobacco companies do!
Please – don’t make tobacco companies any richer than they already are!
Festive Fun
Have a go at these festive fun ideas to keep you entertained over Christmas time…
Play the Arctic Antics Game:
http://games.zeeks.com/game_arctic_antics.html?g=9017
Have a go at this Christmas Wordsearch:
http://www.topmarks.co.uk/Christmas/Activities/wordsearch.pdf
Have a laugh at these Christmas Jokes:
http://www.kidsjokes.co.uk/jokes/other/christmas.html
Help Santa find his sledge:
http://www.topmarks.co.uk/Christmas/Activities/maze.pdf
Have a go at this Christmas Crossword:
http://www.topmarks.co.uk/Christmas/Activities/crossword.pdf
Scary Halloween facts about how smoking affects your looks!
Do
you like celebrating Halloween? Do you think that scaring the socks off your
mates or your younger brothers and sisters with creepy crawlies and ghosts
and ghouls is lots of fun? Too right!!
Well, how would you feel if you looked like a wrinkled up pumpkin – with dodgy shrivelled up skin? Well, if you smoke – this is how you might end up looking! Nice!
This is because the chemicals in fags stop the oxygen getting to your skin – which makes your skin look old, grey, dull and wrinkly! So if you think that smoking makes you look older and more grown up – it does, but only because of these reasons!
Smoking can also make your teeth look minging as well! This is because smoking wears away the enamel on your teeth, which makes it more likely that you will get stained yellow teeth from all the tar your are inhaling. And it takes more than a whitening toothpaste to get rid of those stains!
Smelly hair, smelly clothes. Need I say more? Cigarette smoke smells disgusting, and it takes more than a squirt of perfume to cover it up!
Smoking can even affect your hair – as the carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke can starve you hair of oxygen and make it look really dull, brittle and limp. Hairdressers can see a smoker coming a mile off!
After these ghoulish facts are you in the mood for celebrating Halloween?
Think you’re getting a good deal if you buy fake cigarettes – think again!
An investigation undertaken by ‘The People’ found that fake cigarettes that have been smuggled from abroad are even more poisonous than genuine brands – putting smokers even more at risk!
The fake fags are made with the lowest grade tobacco (the really rubbish stuff – even tobacco that is rotten) in disgusting, dirty conditions in illegal factories in China, Eastern Europe and South America. They are then put into fake cigarette packets that look exactly like normal brands and then they’re smuggled over to Britain.
When they’re over here, the fake fags are sold really cheaply at car boots, markets and by street traders – and people snap them up thinking they’re getting genuine cigs for a really good deal!
But here’s the catch…
These fake fags contain:
ELEVEN TIMES more Lead, Arsenic and Cadmium than genuine cigs – these ingredients all cause cancer.
Over TWICE as much sticky Tar and poisonous Carbon Monoxide.
Nearly DOUBLE the amount of Nicotine (the thing that makes cigarettes addictive) than normal cigarettes.
Genuine cigarettes are bad for your health, but these are even worse! You might save yourself a few quid by buying them – but is it really worth it? I don’t think so!
The answer – don’t waste your money on them. Or even better – quit smoking, then you won’t have to keep wasting your money on something that will probably end up killing you!