Research

Number of cancer cases to rise worldwide
According to the Association for International Cancer Research (AICR), if the current trend continues, the number of people developing cancer will rise at an alarming rate. The World Health Organization predicts that cases of cancer will increase by approximately 50% worldwide, and that by 2020, ten million people will be dying from cancer. Even though factors such as diet, poverty, and infections are to be taken into account, the organization considers tobacco to be “public enemy number one". Click for more information.

Stroke risk remains high for former smokers
Researchers in cardiovascular medicine at Johns Hopkins Hospital found that years after smoking cessation, levels of atherosclerosis were significantly higher in former smokers compared to people who never smoked. These results challenge the belief that the long-term cardiovascular risk for ex-smokers declines throughout the years until it equals that of nonsmokers. Click for more information.

American Cancer Society reports decrease in U.S. cancer deaths
A recent report by the American Cancer Society states that the actual number of Americans who died of cancer dropped below the count for the previous year, based on records from 2003 and 2002, the most recent data available. This drop in actual cancer deaths comes in spite of a larger and older population. This is the first time a decrease in cancer deaths has ever been reported since the society began its record-keeping in the 1930s. Click for more information.

Smoking exacerbates effect of alcohol on brain
Researchers studying the interplay between smoking and drinking have found that alcohol and nicotine work on the same inhibitory amino acids in the brain. This makes it more likely that individuals who engage in one of these behaviors will engage in the other. This may be reason for treating both addictions simultaneously in alcoholics who are also smokers. Click for more information.

Research demonstrates that smoking hurts eyes
Researchers at the Institute of Ophthalmology in London and the University of Cambridge have found that nonsmokers living with a smoker for five or more years had an increased risk for age-related macular degeneration, which can cause a brown or black spot of blindness. This is because smoking narrows blood vessels, including those that go to the eyes. Click for more information.

Smoking during pregnancy causes congenital digital anomalies in babies
A study published in the January 2006 issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery finds that pregnant women who smoke increased their risk of having a child born with a toe or finger defect, including polydactyly, syndactyly, or adactyly. Click to view the abstract.

Relationship between psychiatric disorders and smoking
Individuals with psychiatric diagnoses account for a disproportionate amount of smokers in the U.S. Whereas approximately 23% of the population smokes, 50% of individuals with depression, 80% of alcoholics, and 90% of schizophrenics smoke. Researchers posit multiple explanations for these higher rates of addiction, from a genetic predisposition to an easing of symptoms through nicotine consumption. Click for more information.

Researchers examine causes of pulmonary emphysema related to cigarette smoking
Researchers at the Harvard Medical School in Massachusetts are attempting to understand the underlying cellular mechanisms thought to be involved in pulmonary emphysema caused by cigarette smoking. Finding answers will one day help contribute to possible emphysema therapy. Click for more information.

Asymptomatic former smokers should consider CT screening
Researchers at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center suggest that smokers and former smokers should be screened for lung cancer even if they do not have symptoms. The findings are based on the largest clinical trial of lung-cancer CT screening ever conducted, where for the first time, tumor size and lung cancer stage have been linked in an asymptomatic population. Click for more information.

Cannabis smoking more damaging to lungs than tobacco
A report from the British Lung Foundation finds that smoking marijuana does more damage to the lungs than tobacco, with three joints a day causing damage equivalent to 20 cigarettes. The increased damage is caused by inhaling more deeply and holding the smoke in the lungs for longer amounts of time. Smoking cannabis and tobacco together intensifies the damage even further. Click for more information.

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Online tool available to develop action plan to reduce cancer risk
A survey conducted by the American Cancer Society found that 47% of adult Americans think they have little or no control over reducing their cancer risk, even though there are proven ways to do so. The organization is asking the public to participate in their Great American Health Check, which is an online interactive tool that people can use to develop a personalized health action plan. According to the website, half of all cancers can be prevented or detected early. The Great American Health Check is an easy, confidential, online health assessment tool available year-round to raise national awareness of early cancer detection tests and the benefits of following a healthy lifestyle.

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Health insurers continue trend of charging smokers more for insurance
An increasing number of private and public employers are requiring employees who use tobacco to pay higher premiums. Hoping to lower health care costs for the companies and their workers, employers are also offering smoking cessation classes to help them quit. The increased amounts range from an additional $25 to $50 a month. In Alabama, Auburn University employees are concerned about a new health insurance surcharge being implemented for smokers which will add $20 to their monthly bill, and in Ohio, Meijer employees who smoke will be paying an extra $25 per month. Click for more information.

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