Tobacco control
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From 2000 to 2006, moist snuff sales have increased and now account for 71% of the smokeless tobacco market. Previous research has shown that major manufacturers of smokeless tobacco products manipulated free nicotine, the form most readily absorbed, to promote tolerance and addiction. ⋯ A combination of factors including brand proliferation, control of free nicotine and product design has most likely resulted in the expanded consumption of moist snuff, particularly among young people.
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Of the chemicals identified to date in mainstream cigarette smoke with known toxicological properties, the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are considered the most hazardous group owing to their high abundance and toxicity. In this research we evaluate a recently introduced line of cigarettes that contain charcoal in their filters. The amount of charcoal in these filters ranged from 45 mg to 180 mg and were either dispersed among the filter material or contained in a small cavity in the filter segment. ⋯ While a brand with 45 mg charcoal reduces VOC delivery under ISO smoking conditions, charcoal saturation and breakthrough occur under more intense smoking conditions. Breakthrough is minimised for brands with the most charcoal. Overall, the brands with the most charcoal are effective at reducing VOC deliveries under even intense smoking conditions.
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Since the political transition in 1991, Russia has been targeted intensively by the transnational tobacco industry. Already high smoking rates among men have increased further; traditionally low rates among women have more than doubled. The tobacco companies have so far faced little opposition as they shape the discourse on smoking in Russia. This paper asks what ordinary Russians really think about possible actions to reduce smoking. ⋯ The majority of the Russian population would support considerable strengthening of tobacco control policies but there is also a need for effective public education campaigns.
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Multicenter Study
Indoor air quality in prisons before and after implementation of a smoking ban law.
To ascertain whether a new indoor smoking ban law in North Carolina correctional facilities was successfully implemented and whether the indoor air quality has improved as a result. ⋯ Laws banning tobacco use in correctional facilities can significantly reduce indoor SHS exposure among inmates, visitors and staff and potentially lead to reduced use. To date, 24 US states have enacted 100% smoke-free correctional facility policies for all indoor areas even though inmates and staff have much higher tobacco use prevalence rates than the general population. With an estimated nine million people incarcerated worldwide, prison smoking bans could have a substantial impact in terms of health outcomes and long-term costs if they can effectively reduce exposure to secondhand smoke.
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Nasal use of snuff is the predominant form of tobacco use among black South African women. This study examines the association between snuff use and chronic bronchitis (CB) among black South African women. ⋯ These data suggest that snuff use, in the form predominantly used in South Africa, increases the risk of CB. This challenges the idea that snuff may be a much less harmful alternative to smoking in South Africa.