No More Tobacco

China: Beijing Will Expand Non-smoking Policy For Olympic Games…originally reported by Medical News Today…With less than 200 days left before the “smoke-free Beijing Olympics” open. A Beijing official recently announced that “the provisions to ban smoking in public places in Beijing” will go into effect in Beijing office spaces, restaurants, and hotels.

The new smoking ban will affect at least 4 million smokers in Beijing. In China, there are approximately 350 million smokers; and more than 100,000 people die each year from second hand smoke. view full article

Many lives will likely be saved because of this new smoking ban.

Federal Government Receives Failing Grades on Tobacco Control in Annual American Lung Association Report…originally reported by the American Lung Association…
The American Lung Association’s State of Tobacco Control 2007 report, an annual report card on federal and state tobacco control legislation and policies, assigns only Ds and Fs to the federal government, but says 2008 presents an historic opportunity for Congress to make a dramatic impact on tobacco control across America by authorizing the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to regulate tobacco products. Strong, bipartisan legislation is pending in both the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives that would give the FDA authority over the manufacture, distribution, marketing and use of tobacco products. The report can be accessed online at www.stateoftobaccocontrol.org
“The Congress has an unprecedented opportunity in 2008 to pass this life-saving legislation,” said Bernadette Toomey, President and CEO of the American Lung Association. “We need leaders to stand up and enact national changes that will prevent lung diseases such as lung cancer and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis.” Tobacco-related diseases remain the number-one preventable cause of death in America, killing more than 438,000 Americans each year.  view full article

Secondhand Smoke Exposure Worsens Cystic Fibrosis… originally published by Medical News Today.

Researchers at Johns Hopkins have discovered the first genetic evidence that secondhand smoke can worsen lung disease. The report in this week’s Journal of the American Medical Association describes one gene variation that can weaken lung function as well as shorten the lifespan of those affected by cystic fibrosis and also are exposed to secondhand smoke.

“We’re really surprised that such a small genetic change can double the negative effects of secondhand smoke on lung function in these patients,” says Garry Cutting, M.D., a professor of pediatrics and medicine and member of the McKusick-Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine. “It’s always been suspected that secondhand smoke is detrimental to lung disease patients, and now we have a handle on one specific gene that clearly makes it worse for those with CF.”
view full article

Yet another reason not to smoke. It is so easy for your loved ones to breathe in secondhand, the won’t even realize it. If you smoke, stop smoking now.  There is help. If you know someone that smokes, try to help them quit. Guide them to the right resources. You can make a difference - turn a place into a smoke-free environment.

“Secondhand smoke exposure causes disease and premature death in children and adults who do not smoke. ”

I didn’t say it, the surgeon general did in a report in 2006, also noted was:

“Secondhand smoke contains hundreds of chemicals known to be toxic or carcinogenic (cancer-causing), including formaldehyde, benzene, vinyl chloride, arsenic, ammonia, and hydrogen cyanide.

• Secondhand smoke has been designated as a known human carcinogen (cancer-causing agent) by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Toxicology Program and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has concluded that secondhand smoke is an occupational carcinogen. “

So, bottom line, avoid the poison. We have to be smart enough to know better.  Help someone quit smoking. It could save both of your lives.

How Smoking May Damage Your Eyesight… as reported by Medical News Today… If you are a smoker not only is your risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD) greater, but also the risk of existing AMD progressing faster is also higher if you smoke. This is according to an article published in Archives of Ophthalmology (JAMA/Archives).

AMD is a leading cause of vision loss among older people, the authors explain. Previous studies had already demonstrated that smoking is one of the few modifiable risk factors for AMD. Smoking leads to higher AMD risk through several pathways – smoking reduces antioxidant levels, it lowers blood flow around the eye, and it may also affect the coloration (pigments) in the retina.   view entire story

Government agencies, as well as cancer organizations around the world stress that a safe cigarette is a myth, it does not exist. The only way to protect yourself from the health risks linked to tobacco smoking is not smoking, or quit now.

Did you know? If you smoke, you have a higher risk of developing:     

•  A myriad of health problems – view a nice list here
• One in two long-term smokers will die prematurely as a result of smoking
• Quiting smoking now greatly reduces your chances of dying
• Quit now!

On November 7, 2006, Ohio became completely smoke free, thanks to voters passing the state wide smoking ban. Ohio is really good at enforcing these laws as well.  The small places that you wouldn’t expect to be law abiding, actually are, thanks to hefty fines for a non compliant establishment. In the rare event you are in Ohio and find a public establishment with ashtrays for the patrons or see an unlawful smoking act you can conact someone to take care of the issue. All public establishments must dispaly a sign with a telephone number on it to report violators. If you see such a violation, or know of one, please call 1-866-559-OHIO (6446). It is truly a pleasure to visit towns across the state and know that any establishment entered will be completely smoke-free. We believe all states should follow their buckeye friends and implement a smoking ban. Think of the lives that could be saved by showing people they CAN go in their favorite restaurant/bar and have a good time, without cigarettes.

National No Smoking Day 2008…March 12, 2008, mark your calendar, set a reminder. The second Wednesday in March. If you are still smoking, here is the perfect chance to join the rest of the smoke-free world. National No Smoking Day was set in place to make a stand against tobacco use. If no other good comes out of this than just one person putting tobacco down and not picking it back up, then that is a life saved, a priceless gift to the world. Make March 12, 2008 the day that saves your life if you are still smoking, it will be the best move you have ever made. If you live in the UK, they celebrate No Smoking Day on March, 9, 2008. Maybe one of these days, a smoke free world.

Smoke-Free Workplace Laws, and Rising Cigarette Taxes…WashingtonPost.comreported on January 10 that anti-tobacco campaigns registered some significant gains in 2007, with more states banning smoking in public places. But there’s still too little federal and state funding for smoking-prevention and cessation programs, and many states haven’t increased their cigarette taxes. That’s the conclusion of the American Lung Association’s State of Tobacco Control 2007report card, released Thursday. “Tobacco remains the number one preventable cause of death in America,” Bernadette Toomey, the lung association’s president and CEO, said during a Tuesday teleconference. “Diseases related to tobacco kill more than 438,000 Americans each year. If effective policies were implemented, this dreadful toll would be greatly reduced.” Tobacco control policies work, Toomey added. “But what we need is the political will on the part of our leaders to implement these proven policies,” she said. On the federal level, Toomey called on Congress to pass the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, which would give the U.S. Food and Drug Administration the power to regulate tobacco products. For the full story: click here. 

Federal and State Government Implementing Anti-Tobacco Policies…MSN reported on January 10 that federal and state governments are forging ahead with tougher anti-tobacco policies, from increased cigarette taxes to smoking bans in public spaces, according to a major report released today by the American Lung Association. The report, State of Tobacco Control 2007—which assigns each state four letter grades—explains that overall state spending on prevention is on the rise, and that half the states now have a deterrent cigarette tax of $1 or higher. The ALA also lauds Congress for taking action on several anti-smoking measures, and proudly notes that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi banned smoking in the U.S. Capitol building. Still, many challenges remain in efforts to curb smoking, according to the report, which the ALA issues annually to evaluate steps taken to control tobacco use through laws and policies. Several proposals around the nation have stalled or been vetoed and, from the anti-smoking organization’s perspective, far too few tax dollars are freed up for the fight. “Congress and the administration have not yet implemented policies that will stem the nation’s tobacco epidemic,” writes the ALA. And, of course, when states push anti-smoking legislation forward, Big Tobacco pushes back. State lawmakers often find themselves squeezed between the public’s health interests and the powerfully wealthy tobacco lobby. Here’s an interesting statistic for an election year: According to research quoted in the report, two tobacco companies alone were responsible for $90 million of the $96 million total received in state-level campaign contributions during 2005 and 2006. For the full story: click here.