State

Report: More cancer, smoking upstate (NY)
The incidence of smoking-related cancers has been reported to be higher in upstate New York compared to New York City, and the American Cancer Society has released a new report that attributes New York City’s lower cancer rates to higher cigarette taxes and aggressive anti-tobacco media campaigns. Approximately 25% of deaths in the state are from lung cancer, with lung cancer being the largest disparity in cancer case rates between upstate and New York City. There are various factors as to why cancer rates are higher in other counties across the state, but tobacco use is at the top of the list. The report concludes that more money needs to be spent on anti-tobacco programs, campaigns, and cancer screening for the uninsured in order to reduce the smoking-related cancer rates New York State. Click here to read more. Click here to read the full report.

top

National

CDC report: Cigarette smokers switch to cigars and pipes to save money
A report published in a recent release of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) states that U.S. adults’ use of smoked tobacco products has been declining over the past eleven years overall, but consumption of certain forms of tobacco has increased in the past year. Researchers at the CDC examined tobacco excise tax data from the U.S. Department of Treasury's Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) and tobacco consumption data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), reporting that between 2010 and 2011, adult use of smoked tobacco products decreased by 0.8% and cigarette consumption decreased by 2.5%. Conversely, within the same timeframe, there was a 17% increase in consumption of other types of smoked tobacco products, including roll-your-own tobacco. Public health efforts to prevent tobacco use and promote quit attempts through excise tax increases and changes to tobacco regulations may have been negated due to prices of pipe tobacco and other cigarette-like cigars remaining lower than cigarette prices. Read more here, or click here to access this report. Click here to read the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids’ statement regarding this report, which highlights the problem of tobacco companies’ mislabeling of roll-your-own tobacco as pipe tobacco in order to reduce the price of tobacco and avoid taxes. Click here for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network's statement.

Flavored Cigar Smoking Among U.S. Adults: Findings from the 2009–2010 National Adult Tobacco Survey
An analysis of American adults’ use of flavored cigars finds that use is less common among older adults with higher education levels and more popular among young adults ages 18 to 24. Data gathered from the 2009-2010 National Adult Tobacco Survey state that 6.6% of adults in the U.S. smoke cigars, and 43% of cigar smokers use flavored cigars. Variations in the prevalence of flavored cigar use were identified among various population subgroups by gender, race, socioeconomic status, and sexual orientation. Flavored cigars have similar negative health effects as cigarettes, and these products are increasing in appeal to young people. Click here to read the study abstract published in Nicotine & Tobacco Research. Click here to read the statement from the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) on this report. Click here to read the American Lung Association’s recent statement regarding the increasing popularity of flavored cigar use as stated in this report.

Progress toward a healthier nation
A report titled “Ending the Tobacco Epidemic: Progress Toward A Healthier Nation” from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) describes progress in achieving national tobacco control goals. This report is based on benchmarks for implementation of the plan outlined in a previous report, “Ending the Tobacco Epidemic: A Tobacco Control Strategic Action Plan,” and working toward achieving the objectives for Healthy People 2020. The four goal areas addressed are leading by example, improving the public’s health, engaging the public, and advancing knowledge. This report details how the HHS has achieved success in putting these goals into action. Click here to read more. Click here to access the full report.

top

International

Largest-ever tobacco study finds 'urgent need' for policy change
The largest study to date on tobacco use around the world reports that half of the men in developing nations use tobacco, and that women in the same regions are smoking at earlier ages then in the past. The Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) was conducted between 2008- 2010, and analyzed data from about three billion people around the world, making it the first study of this magnitude. The data indicate that smoking rates are decreasing in developed nations while the opposite trend is occurring in developing nations. Based on these findings, the writers state that there is an urgent need for stronger tobacco control policies in low- and middle-income countries. Click here to read more. Click here to read the study abstract published in The Lancet.

About 1,260 hospital admissions a day due to smoking, new figures show (United Kingdom)
A report released by the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) finds that about 460,000 hospital admissions in England in 2010-2011 were smoking-related. The study was conducted among admitted patients 35 years of age and older, and the findings state that one in twenty of all admissions is due to smoking. The numbers of smoking-related disease diagnoses such as respiratory disease, circulatory disease, and cancer have been continuously rising since 1996-1997. Click here to read more about this report titled “Statistics on Smoking: England 2012.” Click here to access a summary and the full report.

top

Back to Table of Contents