Other
Research
Being tired in the morning may encourage smoking
Researchers in Germany found that people who have “social
jetlag,” meaning their body clocks are permanently
misaligned, are more likely to start smoking and to smoke
more heavily. This may be because the tobacco is aiding
them in staying awake. Click
here for more information on the study.
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Resources
State Tobacco Activities Tracking and Evaluation
(STATE) System Update
The State
Tobacco Activities Tracking and Evaluation (STATE) System
has been updated recently to include the following new data:
- Advertising Restrictions data from Office on Smoking
and Health (OSH), 1995 to 2002 (4th quarter data) and quarterly
data for 2003 through 2005.
- Preemption on Advertising data from Office on Smoking
and Health (OSH), 1995 to 2002 (4th quarter data) and quarterly
data for 2003 through 2005.
- Preemption Summary data from Office on Smoking and
Health (OSH), 1995 to 2002 (4th quarter data) and quarterly
data for 2003 through 2005.
- Legislative data on Excise Tax, Licensure, Preemption,
Smokefree Indoor Air and Youth Access Legislation from Office
on Smoking and Health (OSH), 2005 (4th quarter data).
- Tobacco Agriculture data from Economic Research
Service (ERS), 1970 to 2005.
- Demographics data from United States Census Bureau
(USCB), 2005.
- Federal and National Investment data from Office
on Smoking and Health (OSH), 2004 and 2005.
- Cigarette Sales data from Orzechowski and Walker
(OW), 1970 to 2004.
Report released on smoking-related fires
The US Fire Administration and the National Fire Protection
Association have released a report concluding that smoking
continues to be the number one cause of residential fire
deaths. The project recommends the use of general messages
and several specific messages aimed at specific audiences.
The recommended messages are:
- If you smoke, smoke outside.
- Wherever you smoke, use deep, sturdy ashtrays. Ashtrays
should be set on something sturdy and hard to ignite, like
an end table.
- Before you throw out butts and ashes, make sure
they are out, and dowsing in water or sand is the best way
to do that.
- Check under furniture cushions and in other places
people smoke for cigarette butts that may have fallen out
of sight.
- Smoking should not be allowed in a home where oxygen
is used.
- If you smoke, choose fire-safe cigarettes. They
are less likely to cause fires.
- To prevent a deadly cigarette fire, you have to
be alert. You won’t be if you are sleepy, have been
consuming alcohol, or have taken medication or other drugs.
View
the report for more information.
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States
Indiana:
Smoking rate goes up in Indiana
The rate of smoking in Indiana has increased since last
year, making the state second only to Kentucky in terms
of the percentage of adult smokers. The percentage of the
state's population who smoke increased to 27.3 percent in
2005. The percentage of Hoosiers smoking had fallen in the
two previous years, from a high of 27.7 percent in 2002
to 26.1 percent in 2003 and 24.9 percent in 2004. Click
here for additional information.
Minnesota:
BCBS Minnesota agrees to reimburse nonsmokers for
overpayments
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota has agreed to issue
reimbursements to nonsmoking policyholders who claim they
were charged the higher monthly premiums intended for smokers.
Nonsmokers receive a 25-35% discount, but policyholders
had been unaware they were not receiving the discount. Click
here for more information.
New York:
Number of smokers slowly rising in NYC
According to the New York City Department of Health and
Mental Hygiene, the number of smokers in the city rose slightly
last year. A survey commissioned by the city found that
18.9 percent of adults in the city smoked last year, compared
to 18.4 percent in 2004. This is still far lower than the
2002 rate of 21.6 percent. Click here
to learn more.
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