Research

Quitting smoking tougher on women
A study found that women are more likely to experience withdrawal symptoms and give up on their cessation attempt. The study did not compare men’s quit attempts to women’s quit attempts but the report, published in the December issue of Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource but noted that after gaining an average of 5 to 10 pounds during withdrawal, some women start smoking again. Read more here.

Nicotine gum effective for gradual smoking reduction and cessation
The University of Pennsylvania and GlaxoSmithKline Healthcare have just completed the first study testing the efficacy and safety of using nicotine gum to assist smokers in cessation by gradually reducing their smoking. Nicotine gum has traditionally been used by those who attempt to quit abruptly. The study found that the odds of smokers achieving 24-hour abstinence were 40 to 90% higher using active gum, 2 to 4.7 times higher for attaining 28-day abstinence and at the end of 6 months, the odds of quitting were about 2 to 6 times greater for active gum users when compared to the placebo group. As for safety, the researchers reported no unexpected adverse effects. The study will be published in the February 2009 issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Click here to read the full article.

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Reports

International

Time to quit smoking, says BUPA (UK)
BUPA, a company in the UK has developed an application that can be utilized by smokers that are attempting to quit and are members of the online community, Facebook. The application called Quitclock allows users to download the clock to their profile. The Quitclock keeps track of the time since the last cigarette was smoked and the amount of money that has been saved from not smoking. Since the clock is visible to anyone who views the individual’s profile, it creates an online support system for users whose friends and family can also see how they are doing in their attempt to quit and offer messages of support. Click here to read more. Click here to access or download the Facebook application.

Lowest ever number of smokers after public ban and health campaigns (UK)
Fewer people than ever now smoke in Britain as the ban in public places and aggressive health campaigns encourage them to quit. Official figures show just 21 per cent of adults now light up cigarettes, down from 22 per cent the year before, while a record 59 per cent have now never taken up the habit. Experts say the lower rates of smoking show that the Government's ban on smoking in pubs and workplaces in July 2007, and the placing of ever more graphic warnings on cigarette packets, are working. To read more, click here.

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