Research

Association of smoking with body weight in US high school students, 1999-2005
Researchers analyzed data from a national survey, the 1999-2005 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), on smoking habits, perceived body weight, and actual Body Mass Index BMI to evaluate the association between body weight and smoking among youths. The findings revealed that current smoking is associated with higher perceived weight and BMI. Over the study period, the association between smoking and perceived body weight and BMI became stronger. Click here to read the abstract of the article, which is to appear in the March-April 2009 American Journal of Health Behavior.

Experts say new tobacco product targets young adults
According to a new study from West Virginia University, a new smokeless, spitless tobacco product being sold in West Virginia convenience stores contains twice the nicotine content of an earlier version of the same product that was test-marketed elsewhere in the United States. The new product, Camel Snus, comes in youth-friendly flavors and brightly colored packaging, and has been marketed by R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. as a product that can be used in places where smoking is prohibited or socially unacceptable. The researchers also found that Snus contains much more nicotine than other brands of smokeless tobacco, putting users of this new product at a high risk for addiction. According to one of the researchers, it seems that the Reynolds is strategically marketing this product to areas where tobacco use is already prevalent, considering West Virginia’s already high rates of smoking and smokeless tobacco use, both among youths and adults. The authors of the study note that this is an example of tobacco companies’ ability to change a product’s nicotine content without informing consumers. Click here for more information.

Children of smokers tend to be more impulsive
Adolescent children of smokers are more likely to become smokers themselves. New research suggests that this may be partly due to the personality characteristic of impulsiveness that adolescents may share with their parents. Compared to mothers who are nonsmokers, mothers who smoke were more likely to choose a small immediate reward, rather than a larger reward at a later time. Similarly, children of mothers who smoke were more likely than their peers with nonsmoking mothers to respond to an immediate reward. Because the results of the study were not verified by a genetic marker of impulsiveness, no definite conclusions can be drawn about whether the shared characteristic of impulsiveness is due to genetic or environmental factors. However, the findings do suggest that tobacco cessation and prevention programs for youth should emphasize the immediate, short-term negative consequences of smoking, rather than the long-term effects, since at-risk children of smokers are more in tune with the short-term effects. Click here to read more about this study, which will be published in the January issue of Drug and Alcohol Dependence.

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Reports

MTV and truth® team up to challenge big tobacco
The truth® campaign will be featured during a special reality show competition on MTV, the Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Island. During the show, former Real World and Road Rules contestants will compete to survive and win a portion of a $300,000 “buried treasure.” MTV and truth® partnered to create four 60-second spin-off spots titled The Blaze which will illustrate the tobacco industry’s marketing tactics and the harms of tobacco use in plots that parallel the action on the show. Tobacco prevention messages are neatly integrated into the show’s content, bringing home the message that tobacco is a killer. According to Cheryl Healton, president and CEO of the American Legacy Foundation, “As a leader in driving youth culture, MTV has been and will continue to be a powerful force in helping to reduce the number of youth who start to smoke. Unfortunately, youth smoking reduction in the US has leveled off in recent years, and, without the continued efforts of truth® and our partners, could start to increase again.” Click here to read more.

West Virginia SSAC puts on its Game Face for Youth Tobacco Prevention (WV)
In its launch of a new antismoking youth program, the West Virginia Division of Tobacco Prevention has partnered with the West Virginia Secondary Schools Activities Commission (WVSSAC), which supervises middle school and high school bands and athletics and coaching programs. Coaches, school administrators, and sports officials are significant role models that are looked up to by students. The “Game Face” program has been developed to educate and encourage student outreach to help influence them to never start using tobacco, or to quit if they do use. Click here to read an article about “Game Face” that was published in WVSSAC's publication, The Interscholastic.

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