Tobacco update

Even with many new threats to our health, such as terrorism, SARS, HIV, RSV, and lots of other new “initials”, tobacco remains the number one cause of preventable disease and death in the USA. Most people think of tobacco as just causing lung cancer, but do not realize that most smokers die from heart disease. In addition, a very large percentage of smokers die from strokes, blood clots (leading to pulmonary embolus), other lung diseases (like chronic bronchitis and emphysema), and many other types of cancer.

There are several exciting new areas in tobacco prevention, especially in preventing exposure to second hand smoke. Many new laws are being passed that restrict smoking in areas where innocent people are exposed to the harmful effects of smoke, such as airplanes, public buildings, stores, and restaurants. Sadly, Kentucky is lagging far behind the other states in passing such laws. This is one reason why Kentucky has been consistently in the top three states for rates of lung cancer, heart disease, and stroke.

Another important advance in tobacco prevention is the development of highly effective programs to help smokers to quit the habit. Quitting can reduce the risk of dying within a relatively short period of time. Within 5-15 years of quitting, smokers have no greater risk of dying from heart attack, stroke or cancer than the rest of the population. Smokers are 7 times more likely to get lung cancer, and twice as likely to die from a heart attack, than non-smokers.

The Cooper/Clayton Program is one of the best new quit-smoking methods, and is available free of charge at all area hospitals and at the Wellness Center at the Greenwood Mall. The program uses nicotine replacement therapy, weekly educational sessions, and weekly support groups. Most people attending the program can expect to be completely tobacco-free in about 3 months.

A new web site for teens has been developed: GottaQuit.com. This is teen oriented with great graphics and up-to-date info. It also offers on-line chat with experts on quitting smoking.

Another website is Quitnet.com. This is a free service from the Boston University School of Public Health. Thousands of Americans have been successful using this service.

There is a national hot-line to help get started: 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669).

Patch Worries Limit Use
6/13/2005

Fear about the safety of nicotine-replacement therapy (NRT) products often discourages smokers from using patches, gums, and similar products to help them quit, the BBC reported June 10.

Researchers at the U.K. National Smoking Cessation Conference reported that only 14 percent of smokers who intended to quit planned to use nicotine patches, gum, or lozenges. Two-thirds of smokers surveyed said they believe that NRT products are as harmful to health as smoking.

Further, the survey found that two-thirds of smokers incorrectly believed that nicotine causes cancer, heart attacks, and lung disease.

Among those who knew that NRT products were less harmful than cigarettes, one-third planned to use such products when trying to quit.

"These misconceptions are preventing smokers from choosing one of the most successful ways to quit," said researcher Alex Bobak. "Instead, many smokers are going cold turkey, which is the hardest and least effective way of kicking the habit."

Amanda Sandford, research manager for the Action on Smoking and Health, added, "This research suggests that there is a need for more and better consumer information about nicotine and the safety of NRT as an aid to stopping smoking. Anyone wanting to quit should have access to the facts about the dangers of smoking and the huge benefits of quitting using safe aids such as NRT."

It has been well established that thousands of spouses of smokers develop lung cancer (every year!), even if they never smoked. New data shows that even the children of smokers have higher risk of lung cancer when they grow up, even if they never smoke!

New evidence reported in the Journal of the AMA (JAMA) shows a link to children's dental cavities from second hand smoke. It is thought that the damage to the immune system that they get from second hand smoke allows cavity-causing bacteria to thrive in their mouths. Younger children were affected more than older children, the same way younger children get more colds and ear infections when exposed to second hand smoke.

The Save Our Kids Coalition is a new organization designed to curb tobacco and other drug abuse in Bowling Green. Check out the new web page at www.SaveOurBGkids.org !!