Research

Intensive smoking-cessation program can double quit rate in cardiac patients
Research suggests that cardiac patients are twice as likely to successfully quit smoking if they receive intensive in-hospital counseling in addition to follow-up support, compared to only receiving minimal in-hospital counseling. The study emphasizes the importance of counseling and the major impact it could have on health and healthcare costs. Unfortunately, cardiologists often neglect counseling their patients about quitting smoking. The study was published in the June 2009 issue of the Canadian Medical Association Journal. Click here to read more.

Pill to make smokers forget their craving
Researchers are currently conducting a study that tests whether a blood pressure pill might help people quit smoking. The theory suggests that one type of blood pressure pill, called a beta blocker, works on certain brain chemicals to help erase memories associated with the habit or addiction. The pill does not obliterate the memory, but instead dulls the emotional response the memory provokes. Animal studies have shown that beta blockers can weaken memories of fear. A clinical trial to test the use of beta blockers to prevent relapses after smoking cessation is currently ongoing, and the results will be watched with interest. Read more here.

New study shows many unplanned quit smoking attempts are successful
Results from a recent study show evidence that setting an advance quit date for smoking may not be as necessary as once thought. The research found that in a sample of U.S. adults, 52.4% of ex-smokers’ last quit attempts were successful despite being unplanned. The researchers explore various reasons for these results, and recommend that smokers who make an unplanned quit attempt improve their chances of quitting by getting help and support from proven cessation tools such as therapeutic nicotine products. Click here to read more. Click here to read the abstract of the study, which was published in Nicotine & Tobacco Research.

Quit smoking: Pre-cessation patch doubles quit success rate
A study has found that quit rates are doubled when smokers use nicotine replacement therapy prior to quitting smoking. The improved cessation rate was primarily achieved among smokers with a lower level of dependence. The randomized controlled trial involved four groups of smokers, who received either a nicotine patch or a placebo patch for two weeks before their planned quit date, and either smoked their usual brand until their quit date, or switched to low-tar and nicotine cigarettes. After the quit date, all smokers received nicotine patches. In light of the findings, the researchers suggest that the current labeling of the nicotine patch, which recommends use only after quitting, be reexamined. Click here to read more, or click here to read the abstract of the research in Nicotine & Tobacco Research.

Kicking the habit in pregnancy better for babies
Pregnant women who are able to quit smoking during the first trimester have no more risk of delivering premature or small babies than women who never smoked during pregnancy, according to a recent study. Women can also decrease their risk by quitting during their second trimester, but the benefit was not as great. An age-stratified analysis showed that the benefit of quitting during the first trimester was greater for older women. The researchers base these conclusions on an analysis of self-reported smoking cessation data on birth certificates from 915,441 births during 2005. Click here to read more. Click here to download the article from the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology.

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Reports

Suicide warnings for 2 anti-smoking drugs
The Food and Drug Administration has ordered Pfizer and GlaxoSmithKline to add “black box” warnings, the most serious type of FDA warning, to the packaging of two smoking cessation drugs, Pfizer's Chantix and Glaxo's Zyban. The FDA has also strengthened its warning regarding accidents and serious injuries related to side effects of Chantix, which include loss of consciousness, mental confusion, dizziness, and muscle spasms. Because of reports of depression, suicide attempts, and suicides related to the two drugs, the FDA is requiring both companies to conduct clinical trials to assess the drugs’ mental health risks. The FDA has stressed that the warnings are not intended to scare smokers away from the drugs, but rather to encourage careful monitoring of patients. Read more here.

Case study: Helping young adults live tobacco free, the Job Corps Initiative
This case study from the Health Education Council outlines how a successful tobacco cessation program was integrated into the Sacramento Job Corps.  Learn how the tobacco cessation program was developed, and what works best for the at-risk 18-24 year old population. Discover that working with your local Job Corps can be a great way to reach this population! Click here to download the PDF of this document, or visit www.healthedcouncil.org to learn more.

Stressed, broke smokers struggle with habit
Between the bad economy and recent state and federal cigarette tax increases, smokers are struggling to pay for their cigarettes. The cost of their habit has given many a needed push to quit. Unfortunately, despite the increased demand for cessation services, many states have been forced to make cuts to their tobacco control programs due to budgetary issues. According to a study conducted by the American Legacy Foundation last November, economic stress has led smokers to smoke more, which could further threaten low-income smokers’ economic instability. State and federal lawmakers should be aware that lowering the cost of cessation treatment makes quitting more accessible, and can lower tobacco-related healthcare costs in the long run. Click here to read more.

Idaho again offers help to smokers looking to quit (ID)
After running out of free nicotine replacement therapy in May and June, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare's Project Filter is again offering free four-week supplies of nicotine patches, gum and lozenges. The program ran out of money earlier this year because of an unprecedented amount of demand for cessation help following the federal cigarette tax increase in April. The state legislature recently approved $700,000 in funding for Project Filter for fiscal year 2010. Click here to find out more.

Ambitious goal set to reduce tobacco use in Okla. (OK)
A state committee has developed a plan toward its goal of decreasing the number of Oklahoman smokers by 200,000. To reach this goal, the Tobacco Use Prevention and Cessation Advisory Committee are encouraging state residents to make their homes and cars smoke-free, asking legislators to promote smokefree policies and tobacco use prevention programs, and urging healthcare providers to refer their patients to smoking cessation resources. Although the state smoking prevalence has decreased from 28.7% in 2001 to 24.7% in 2008, a recent federal study found that Oklahoma had the fifth-highest rate of tobacco-related deaths in the country. Click here to read more.

State launches new campaign to help pregnant smokers go tobacco-free (PA)
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Health (PDH), approximately 28% of pregnant women smoke in Northwestern Pennsylvania. The PDH and the Northwestern Pennsylvania (NWPA) Tobacco Control Program are launching a new smoking cessation program in efforts to help pregnant women quit smoking not only during their pregnancy, but for life. All services are offered free of charge and include support for family members seeking cessation support. The program offers a free quitline number as well as the website, www.DeterminedToQuit.com. Read more here.

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International

Smoking cessation: intentions, attempts and techniques (Canada)
Researchers used data from the 2006 Canadian Tobacco Use Monitoring Survey to examine intentions to quit smoking, quit attempts, use of cessation aids, and receipt of cessation advice from health professionals. One-third of Canadian smokers aged 15 or older reported intentions to quit within the next 30 days, and almost half had tried to quit in the past year. Half of smokers who had visited a doctor during the past year reported having been advised to reduce or quit smoking. Click here to read the results of the study.

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