Tobacco control
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Relationship of worksite smoking policy to changes in employee tobacco use: findings from COMMIT. Community Intervention Trial for Smoking Cessation.
To report data on the impact of worksite smoking policies on employee smoking behaviour from a large and heterogeneous sample of smokers and worksites in 22 different communities across North America participating in the COMMIT trial. ⋯ These data, from one of the largest and longest smoking cessation studies to date, add support to the conclusion that smoke-free worksite policies help employees to reduce or discontinue use of tobacco.
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Comparative Study
Comparison of recent trends in adolescent and adult cigarette smoking behaviour and brand preferences.
To compare trends in smoking behaviour and use of cigarette brands by adults and adolescents. ⋯ Smoking prevalence rates have increased among teenagers, but have dropped among adults in the same communities. Among adolescents who smoke, and buy their own cigarettes, the three most heavily advertised brands--Marlboro, Camel, and Newport--have a substantially higher market concentration than among adult smokers.
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To examine the effect of cigarette taxes, limits on public smoking, laws regulating access to tobacco by young people, and exposure to pro-tobacco and anti-tobacco messages on smoking participation and the intention to smoke among ninth-grade students (aged 13-16). ⋯ Policies limiting access to tobacco by young people, increasing education about the effects of tobacco use, and a sharp and sustained increase in real cigarette excise taxes are likely to be most successful in accomplishing the US Food and Drug Administration's goal of cutting the smoking prevalence of adolescents in half over the next seven years.
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Litigation and regulatory assaults on the tobacco companies may create a willingness among tobacco manufacturers to bargain resources and acceptance of public policy changes for limitations of liability, as has been seen by the recent settlement with the Liggett Group. Two elements absolutely critical to any plan are the elimination of tobacco advertising and promotion and the removal of addiction as a reason for tobacco use. ⋯ That participation requires articulation of the core elements essential to an acceptable agreement. If resolution of the public health issues surrounding continued sale of tobacco products can be reached in the United States, it may provide a model for similar resolution in other countries.
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Comparative Study
Workplace smoking policies in the United States: results from a national survey of more than 100,000 workers.
To determine the prevalence of smoking policies in indoor work environments as reported by a nationally representative sample of workers in the United States. ⋯ Although nearly half of all indoor workers in this survey reported that they had a smoke-free policy in their workplace, significant numbers of workers, especially those in blue-collar and service occupations, reported smoke-free rates well below the national average. If implemented, the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration's proposed regulation to require worksites to be smoke-free has the potential to increase significantly the percentage of American workers covered by these policies and to eliminate most of the disparity currently found across occupational groups.