Research

Smoke and mirrors
The National Cancer Institute has developed a “fast-track” research policy to handle research on the health effects of new “alternatives” to smoking such as snus and hookahs. The public health community is still in the research process to determine more definitively whether these products are truly safer alternatives that promote cessation, or whether these products tempt youths into tobacco addiction.  The fast-track policy is an attempt to prevent cigarette companies from misleading the public regarding the health effects of these new products, as they did when light cigarettes were introduced.  For more information, click here. 

Hookah smoking as tough on lungs as cigarettes
A study that measured carbon monoxide on the breath of students who smoked found that hookah smokers exhaled 42 parts per million (ppm) of carbon monoxide, compared to 17 ppm from cigarette smokers.  Hookahs have become popular in recent years, especially among students.  Though only one chemical hazard of smoking was measured, these results imply that hookah use carries a significant health risk.  For more information on the hazards of hookahs, click here.  To read more about the rise in popularity of hookahs, click here for an article in the U.S. News and World Report. .

Smokeless tobacco:  Harm reduction debatable
While the British Royal College of Physicians (RCP) reports that smokeless tobacco is a potential option as a harm-reduction strategy to help heavy smokers quit, the American Cancer Society argues that smokeless tobacco has not been scientifically proven safe.  The RCP cites Swedish studies on the use of snus to replace and reduce smoking as a harm reducer because it has been linked to fewer health detriments than cigarette smoking.  However, smokers who switch to snus have a high risk of relapse, and there is no certainty that snus will become popular among ex-smokers rather than youths.  To read the full article in the Cancer Journal for Clinicians, click here. 

Cigarette Smoke Could Reduce Immune Response To Pathogens
Several recent studies have shown that cigarette smoke has a detrimental effect on the immune system.  One study looked at a model of the immune system’s response to bacteria, and found that the immune system is harmed by oxidants in cigarette smoke, rather than nicotine itself.  A second study compared blood samples of smokers versus nonsmokers, and found that among smokers, an immune process related to the development of COPD was affected.  A third study found that babies exposed to secondhand smoke from their mothers have lower leukocyte counts, potentially harming their bodies’ defenses against illness.  Click here to learn more, or click here for the abstract of the article. 

Smoking Linked to Domestic Violence
A population-based study in India from the Harvard School of Public Health found that female victims of domestic violence experience a 20-40% increase in their odds of smoking.  This is an important finding, as domestic violence is highly prevalent in India.  Forty percent of Indian women report physical abuse during their marriages.  Furthermore, the results showed that the victim of the violence is not the only person at risk for smoking; any adult living in a home with domestic violence had increased odds of smoking. The study was published in the December 2007 issue of the journal Tobacco Control.  Read more here. 

Smoking related to long-term risk and progression of age-related eye disease
A recent study showed that smokers have a 43% increase in their odds of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a common cause of blindness among elderly Americans.  The study followed adult smokers and nonsmokers aged 43-84 for fifteen years to determine whether they would develop AMD.  Not only were smokers at a greater risk for developing AMD over time, but the condition also emerged earlier in life among smokers than nonsmokers or former smokers.  Click here to read the report. 

Healthy living 'can add 14 years'
A ten-year study of 10,000 adult participants in the English county of Norfolk measured the life-saving effects of a healthy lifestyle. Healthy study subjects were followed over time, and those who did not smoke, drank moderately, ate five or more fruits and vegetables each day, and exercised at least 30 minutes a day were four times less likely to die during the follow-up period of the study than those who adopted none of these healthy habits.  Also, a 74 year old who engaged in all four of the healthy habits had the same risk of death as a 60 year old who engaged in none of the healthy behaviors—in essence adding 14 years of life with a healthy lifestyle.  Click here to read a summary, or click here for the full journal article in PLoS Medicine. 

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