Research

One drug may help people both lay down the drink and put out the cigarette
A recent study suggests that the popular smoking cessation drug, varenicline, sold under the name Chantix, significantly reduced the amount of alcohol that heavy drinkers consumed. Individuals in the group taking varenicline also reported fewer alcohol cravings and less intoxication when they did drink. The researchers found no adverse interactions when the drug was taken with alcohol in the dosage studied. Thus, varenicline has the potential to be highly effective for individuals attempting to quit both smoking and drinking. The study is published online in the journal Biological Psychiatry. Click here to read more.

Naltrexone can help social drinkers quit smoking
New medical research indicates that the alcohol dependence drug Naltrexone might help heavy social drinkers to quit smoking. The smoking cessation trial included participants without alcohol dependence or any other current substance abuse. In addition to Naltrexone, all participants in the intervention group received nicotine patches and behavioral counseling. Individuals in the intervention group who had heavier drinking patterns had better alcohol reduction outcomes and a higher smoking quit rate compared to lighter drinkers. As the study included only 78 participants, the researchers are currently replicating the study with a larger sample. The study will be published in the June 2009 issue of the journal Clinical & Experimental Research. Click here to read more.

Persistent electronic warnings push some smokers to quit
A new study suggests that nagging smokers about their health risks might increase their motivation to quit. The study included 119 current smokers, who were all provided with a personal digital assistant to carry for two weeks. Smokers in the intervention group received several messages each day, which focused on the negative health consequences of smoking and secondhand smoke exposure. The control group received messages that focused on various daily hassles including money and stress. Over 50% of the participants receiving the anti-smoking messages attempted to quit during the intervention compared to only 19% of the control group. Although the smokers were not directly asked to quit, with heightened concerns about smoking from the worrisome health messages, smokers were more likely to contemplate quitting. Click here to read more. Click here to read an abstract of the study in the journal Annals of Behavioral Medicine.

Patients who gave up smoking before surgery had half as many complications afterwards
Patients who participated in a smoking cessation program and quit smoking before a planned surgery experienced half as many complications compared to patients who did not receive smoking cessation help. The study randomized 117 patients scheduled to undergo surgery and who were smokers to an intervention group or a control group. The intervention group participated in a smoking cessation program four weeks prior to surgery that included weekly meetings or telephone counseling and free nicotine replacement therapy. The control group received standard pre-surgery care. Over 30% of the patients in the intervention group were able to quit smoking prior to surgery and almost all of those who had quit were still smoke-free after one year. The researchers noted a high refusal rate for participation in the study; many patients simply refused to give up smoking or declined to participate due to stress about the surgery. Click here to read more. Click here to read an abstract of the study in the journal Anaesthesia.

Reports

Investing in a tobacco-free future:  How it benefits your bottom line and community
The Partnership for Prevention and the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, with support from the United Health Foundation, have developed a toolkit to educate business owners on the impact of tobacco use on their bottom line. The toolkit also provides strategies to help companies improve their employees’ health and productivity by reducing tobacco use. These strategies include implementing company policies and programs, as well as community involvement and support of state and local smoke-free policies. The toolkit was recently distributed to all Fortune 500 companies, and is available online for distribution to other businesses. Click here to access the toolkit.

New anti-smoking ads tell doctors their patients are ‘all ears’: State health department campaign urges health care providers to do more to help patients quit (NY)
The new advertisement campaign, “Your Patients are Listening,” is part of the second phase of Don't Be Silent About Smoking, a social marketing campaign developed by the New York State Department of Health’s Tobacco Control Program. To remind healthcare providers of smokers’ receptiveness to anti-smoking messages, the ad features images of patients with oversized ears. Since the campaign’s launch in 2008, advertisements have been featured in medical websites, medical journals, newspapers, and other publications to remind clinicians that all patients who smoke should be offered cessation treatment. The TalkToYourPatients.org website complements the information in the advertisements by providing information and resources to help clinicians more effectively deliver tobacco cessation information to their patients. Click here to read more. Click here to visit the website.

Massachusetts pediatricians introduce program to help parents quit smoking
When Massachusetts kids visit a pediatrician, their parents can now take advantage of cessation help during their time with the doctor. A new statewide program is empowering pediatricians to give parents referrals for cessation counseling and nicotine replacement therapy prescriptions. Because pediatric healthcare appointments are usually more frequent than adults’ checkups, this program may offer parents more opportunities to receive cessation help. The model for the Clinical Effort against Secondhand Smoke Exposure (CEASE) program resulted from a collaboration between the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, medical groups, and health insurance companies. When parents are able to quit smoking, their children experience fewer health problems, and are less likely to become smokers themselves. Click here to read more.

Smoking hot line swamped (AR)
The tobacco cessation hotline run by the Arizona Health Department has experienced a dramatic increase in the number of calls following a 56 cent tax increase to cigarettes in 2009. Prior to the tax hike, the hotline had been receiving about 1000 calls per month. Since the tax hike, which will amount to nearly $86 million, quitline calls are ranging from 1000 to 2600 per week. Because of the increased call volume, the state was running out of funding for the cessation hotline. The Joint Budget Committee recently agreed to release $1 million in funds from the Tobacco Master Settlement Fund to cover the contract through June 30. The state’s Deputy Health Director says that plans will be presented to state legislators for additional tobacco cessation programs for Arizona citizens. Click here to read more.

International

Statistics on NHS stop smoking services in England, April 2008 to September 2008 (Q2-Quarterly report) (England)
England’s National Health Service (NHS) has released its quarterly report summarizing the results of the Stop Smoking Services from April to September 2008. The report focuses on the number of people who set a quit date and the number of people who successfully quit at a four month follow up. The report also presents detailed descriptions of the key measures provided by the service. Click here to access the full report.

The effect of retail cigarette pack displays on unplanned purchases: results from immediate post-purchase interviews (Australia)
To assess the influence of point-of-sale (POS) cigarette displays on impulse purchases, researchers in Australia conducted interviews with customers observed purchasing cigarettes from venues that had POS cigarette displays. The researchers interviewed 206 daily smokers between the ages of 18 and 76. Of the participants, 22% made unplanned cigarette purchases, and POS displays were more likely to influence unplanned purchases than planned purchases. Forty nine percent of smokers were supportive of bans on POS displays, and 28% agreed that cigarette display bans would make quitting easier. The researchers concluded that POS tobacco displays stimulate unplanned purchases and tempt smokers trying to quit. Click here to read an abstract of the study in the journal Tobacco Control.

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