National

Report: U.S. adult smoking rate dips to 18 percent
According to a recent report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), fewer U.S. adults described themselves as current smokers in a 2012 survey than in recent years. Data from the 2012 National Health Interview Survey show that the prevalence of current smoking among adults aged 18 and over has steadily decreased since 1997. While a decrease in smoking prevalence seemed to stall around 20 to 21% in recent years, the 2012 survey indicates an 18% smoking rate. Health officials have not concluded why the rate has dropped in recent years. To read more about the findings from the report, click here. Click here to view the full report.

It's Camel's 100th Birthday: A Century of Death and Disease Is Nothing to Celebrate
The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids recently launched a microsite titled, “A Century of Death and Disease Is Nothing to Celebrate,” to commemorate the 100th birthday of tobacco company R.J. Reynolds’s Camel cigarette brand. The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids is asking visitors to share an “unhappy birthday card” to Camel with friends via social media. Each card has statistics relating to smoking-related costs, health effects, and deceptive marketing tactics employed by R.J. Reynolds. The microsite also houses fact sheets and a slide show highlighting the history of Camel cigarettes. To view the microsite, click here.

Primary and dual users of little cigars/cigarillos and large cigars: Demographic and tobacco use profiles
A study published in Nicotine & Tobacco Research uses data from Legacy’s Young Adult Cohort to examine the prevalence of large cigar (LC) and little cigar/cigarillo (LCC) use and the demographic profile of users. Researchers divided a sample of 4,125 adults aged 18-34 into three cigar-use profiles (users of LCs, users of LCCs, and users of both product types) and measured demographic characteristics and tobacco use behavior among each group. Researchers found 37.9% of the sample had used cigars of any type, and of those, 21.5% had used only little cigars/cigarillos, 32.3% had used only large cigars, and 46.2% were dual users. Findings from the study add to a growing body of evidence suggesting future interventions should be tailored based on demographic and tobacco use patterns. Click here to read the study abstract.

Smoking employees cost $6,000 a year more, study finds
A recent study in Tobacco Control reports on the estimated cost of a smoking employee in the U.S. Researchers estimated the excess annual costs that a private employer in the U.S. will spend employing a smoker as compared to a nonsmoker using measures of absenteeism, presenteeism (attending work while sick), smoking breaks, healthcare costs and pension benefits. Findings of the study indicate an annual excess cost of $5,816.00 to employ an individual who smokes. These results indicate significant excess costs on private employers and may help to inform employer decisions and policies regarding tobacco and smoke-free environments. To read more about the study, click here, or view the abstract of the study here.

Americans miss mark on many healthy behaviors
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released “Health Behaviors of Adults: United States, 2008-2010” in May. The annual report examines data from the National Health Interview Survey to monitor the prevalence of five key health behaviors for U.S. adults including alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking, leisure-time physical activity, body mass index (BMI), and hours of sleep. Key findings from this year’s report were that nearly two-thirds of adults reported drinking, one in five (20.2%) adults was a current smoker, and 62% of adults were overweight or obese during the period 2008-2010. The report identified significant differences according to demographic characteristics such as sex, age, and race/ethnicity. Click here to read coverage of the report, or click here to view the full report.

Is Big Tobacco back as a big advertiser?
Three of the largest U.S. tobacco companies are entering the electronic cigarette market, as reported by Ad Age. R.J. Reynolds announced that marketing for its VUSE e-cigarette product will begin in July, while Altria, the parent company of Philip Morris, announced its MarkTen e-cigarette at a June 11th press conference. Electronic cigarettes remain unregulated by the Food and Drug Administration, and e-cigarette manufacturers can implement advertising and marketing tactics that are illegal for traditional cigarette brands. The electronic cigarette industry is projected to double its size from a $500 million market in 2012 to a $1 billion market in 2013. Read more about electronic cigarette advertising here. Click here for more information about the new R.J. Reynolds product, or click here for information on the new Philip Morris product.

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International

Canada's war on smoking turns 50 (Canada)
This month, Canada celebrates fifty years since Canada’s Minister of National Health and Welfare, Judy LaMarsh, declared cigarette smoking is a cause of lung cancer and may be associated with chronic bronchitis and coronary heart disease. Minister LaMarsh’s announcement marked the first time evidence was sufficient to state causation between smoking and lung cancer, and led to several important milestones in Canada’s smoking culture such as public awareness campaigns, a smoking ban on airplanes, and a smoke-free Olympics. Next year will mark the fiftieth anniversary of the 1964 U.S. Surgeon General’s report that identified the connection between smoking and lung cancer in men. To read more, click here.

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