Tobacco.org

'Third-hand smoke' awareness may curb home smoking 

A new study suggests that making the public aware of the dangers of "third-hand smoke" -- the toxic gases and particles that linger on smokers and on furniture -- may motivate people to enforce a strict no-smoking policy at home.

Researchers behind the study, published in the January edition of the journal Pediatrics, are believed to be the first to have coined the term "third-hand smoke."

The study says children are especially susceptible to third-hand smoke exposure because they breathe near, crawl and play on, touch, and mouth contaminated surfaces.

It says children exposed to low levels of tobacco, such as through third-hand smoke, have "the steepest slope in the decrement in reading levels" -- suggesting that compounds in tobacco smoke can be poisonous to nerve tissue, even at extremely low levels.

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'Third-hand smoke' danger  

What were the results of the study?

1,478 adults completed the survey, and almost a fifth of these people were current smokers. About one quarter of participants lived in a house with a smoker.

The majority of participants (93%) believed that second-hand smoke was harmful to children, but only 61% believed that third hand smoke was harmful. About a fifth of people reported that they did not know if third-hand smoke was harmful for children, compared with only about 3% not knowing if second-hand smoke was harmful.

A strict smoking ban in the home was more common among non-smokers (88%) than among smokers (27%). People with a strict home smoking ban were more than twice as likely to report that third-hand smoking was harmful than those who did not have such a ban.

What interpretations did the researchers draw from these results?

The authors concluded that there is an association between the belief that third-hand smoke is dangerous and strict home smoking bans. They suggest that “emphasising that third-hand smoke harms the health of children may be an important element in encouraging home smoking bans”.

What does the NHS Knowledge Service make of this study?

This large survey highlights the fact that a considerable proportion of people are not aware of the dangers of lingering toxins from cigarette smoke. There are some points to note when interpreting this research:

* The survey was carried out in 2005, and beliefs may have changed since then. . . .

Contrary to The Daily Telegraph’s message (which highlights the dangers of smoking even outside the house), the main conclusion of the authors of this paper is that that knowledge about the dangers of third hand smoke is associated with home smoking bans. They say that informing people about the dangers may motivate them to take the positive step of having a smoking ban in their homes.

The authors acknowledge that toxins may still be found on clothes, or enter via windows and doors, and that a home smoking ban should ideally be accompanied by efforts to stop smoking altogether.

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Smoke-free casino tops tourist destination study 

BILOXI, Miss. (AP) - When it comes to developing a new tourist destination on the Mississippi Gulf Coast most respondents in a recent study say they would prefer a smoke-free casino.

The study was commissioned by the Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau. However, officials warn the study will probably not give a boost to any smoking ban proposal.

That's because casinos in Atlantic City, Colorado and Illinois say they have lost millions of dollars due to smoking bans. Atlantic City's casinos tried it for one month, but with the sluggish economy, city officials repealed the ban.

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Only 60% of smokers aware they are addicts: Pfizer poll  

Seventy-one percent of smokers are nicotine addicts requiring medical treatment, but only 60 percent of them are aware of their addiction, according to a recent survey by Pfizer Japan Inc., a major drug manufacturer based in Tokyo.

The survey found that by prefecture, the percentage of smokers aware of their nicotine addiction was highest in Osaka at 79 percent, while it was lowest in Tokushima at 49 percent.

The online survey of 9,400 smokers -- 100 men and 100 women in each of the 47 prefectures -- was conducted prior to World No Tobacco Day on May 31.

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A Resolution That May Stick - Spending Less in ’09  

Nelson Murphy, a maintenance worker at a Manhattan hospital, is determined that 2009 will be the year he finally gives up smoking -- it is bad for his health, and, at $9 a pack, his wallet. . . .

The annual Marist College end-of-year resolution poll showed that 12 percent of Americans nationwide are vowing to spend less, the third most popular response after losing weight (20 percent) and quitting smoking (16 percent). Economic pressures are so heavy that "spend less money -- save more" replaced "be a better person," which dropped to seventh place in the survey of 1,003 people nationwide during the second week of December.

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Smoke-free casino favored in Mississippi 

-- When it comes to developing a new tourist destination on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, most respondents in a recent study said they would prefer a smoke-free casino.

The study was commissioned by the Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau. But officials said the study probably will not boost any smoking-ban proposal.

That is because casinos in Atlantic City, Colorado and Illinois have said they have lost millions of dollars because of smoking bans.

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Study: People continue smoking in bad economy  

Financial stress doesn't push people away from smoking. A study shows people are more likely to smoke than quit during an economic downturn.

A survey from the American Legacy Foundation found that 77 percent of current smokers are stressed by the national economy. This stress is causing some people to delay their attempt to quit smoking, and some are smoking more cigarettes than before.

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Cigarette butt hut catches the holiday spirit  

Cigarette smokers like fa-la-la-la as much as the next person. Need proof? Check out the Christmas lights on the cigarette-smoking tent outside of Boston's Bistro and Pub, 7500 N Main St.

Photo of Boston's smoking tent taken by Cathy Mong

Cigarette butt huts have popped up outside of area bars every winter since the Ohio enacted its indoor smoking ban approved by voted in November 2006.

What do you think of smoking tents? Make a comment below.

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Smoking tolerance low after ban 

Smokers and non-smokers have become less tolerant of each other since banning laws were introduced, research has revealed.

As around one in eight addicts plan to quit in the New Year, it emerged smokers are less prepared to put up with increasing numbers of households banning cigarettes.

Almost a million homes have stopped people lighting up indoors since the July 2007 legislation, leaving only 2.6 million still allowing smoking inside, according to SpareRoom.co.uk.

As a result, 98% of smokers have said they would only live in smoking households, an increase of 3.5% from 2007.

Just one in 10 households were happy for guests or residents to light up in the house in 2008, compared with 13.6% ahead of the smoking ban in 2007, the research said.

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BUCKLEY: What New Yorkers Should Dread in the New Year  

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The 2003 public-area smoking ban will be lifted in order to promote early urban mortality.

This sure-to-be-controversial move, which sources say will be announced early in the new year by the City Council, is expected to bring about "significant" savings to the city budget in the area of extended elderly care. Council Speaker Christine Quinn, who reportedly clashed with Mr. Bloomberg over his intention to serve as mayor until 2048, is said to be exerting "fierce" pressure upon the mayor to personally launch a "Light Up, New York!" campaign.

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Three Feathers Tobacco Complaints - Scam and cheating 

This is a Native American cigarette manufacturer/seller, and I've been a customer for a year or two. This situation is very disheartening not only due to my $ loss but because I was happy with them and their personal contact ... and I recommended them to friends.

I always order 20 cartons at a time and did so this time. When the order was received, I realized it was six (6) cartons short. Wrote immediately and then continually for each following business day. Though the company has always been extremely friendly with almost immediate response to correspondence, not one acknowledgment from them has been received.

They are completely ignoring this matter, and I'm out approximately $100 with no recourse. BEWARE!

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Raising the cigarette tax 

In five cities across the state this fall, members of the Mississippi Health Advocacy Program (MHAP) conducted community forums or dialogues to gauge support for a $1 tax increase for a pack of cigarettes.

What they found was an overwhelming majority of those people who attended the discussions in Hattiesburg, Gulfport, Tupelo, Greenville and Meridian supported the increase that would fund the state's failing Medicaid system.

"There's a disconnect between public opinion and public policy," said Roy Mitchell, the program's executive director. "Mississippians overwhelmingly support adding a dollar."

Surveys done by the Mississippi Social Science Research Center showed 72 percent of Mississippians favor raising the cigarette tax by $1; nearly 85 percent favor putting the tax into a special fund for Medicaid.

But Gov. Haley Barbour is supporting a 24 cent cigarette tax increase. Regardless, Mitchell and the MHAP are determined to push for the $1 tax increase

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71% Say Tobacco Companies Not Liable for Smoker Health Problems  

The Supreme Court on Monday opened up another avenue for smokers to sue tobacco companies, but 71% of U.S. voters say the companies should not be held liable for health problems that current smokers develop.

Twenty-two percent (22%) say the companies should be held liable, and eight percent (8%) are undecided in a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey taken Monday and Tuesday nights.

Among smokers themselves, 34% say the companies should be held liable, while 62% say they should not be. Seventy-one percent (71%) of former smokers say the cigarette companies are not to blame, but 21% disagree.

These numbers are nearly the same as those in a survey in February 2007. Thirty-four percent (34%) of African-Americans believe the tobacco companies should be held liable, compared to 19% of whites. . . .

Voters are more evenly divided over the new high court ruling itself. Forty-five percent (45%) disagree with the Supreme Court decision that smokers could sue tobacco makers for advertising claims over so-called “light” cigarettes that they claim are fraudulent.

But 42% agree with the ruling, with 12% undecided.

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22% Say Smoking Should Be Against The Law  

Over one-out-of-five U.S. voters (22%) say the federal government should outlaw tobacco smoking, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.

Seventy percent (70%) disagree, and nine percent (9%) are undecided.

That support should come as good news for the 15% of voters who currently smoke -- unless, of course, they’re trying to quit.

Only 14% of smokers think tobacco smoking should be against the law. Eighty percent (80%) are opposed, and five percent (5%) aren’t sure.

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Teen Tobacco Use In NC Dropped Among Most Age Groups  

According to a study from UNC at Chapel Hill, researchers conclude NC is making huge strides in tobacco use prevention.

The report says that many of the gains made in the last year are models for other states across the U.S.

"According to a recent report from the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids marking the 10th anniversary of the Master Settlement Agreement, most states are not spending enough of their money on tobacco prevention," said Dr. Adam Goldstein, UNC program director. "But relative to other major tobacco-producing states, our evaluation shows North Carolina's investment in youth tobacco prevention is substantial, and the positive outcomes that have resulted are truly encouraging."

The UNC report's findings and highlights include:

- In 2007, teen tobacco use among North Carolina youths dropped to the lowest levels ever recorded. Cigarette use among middle school students declined to 4.5 percent from 5.8 percent in 2005, and cigarette use by high school students also dropped to 19 percent from 20.3 percent in 2005.

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