News and Research
We have compiled both local and national news stories for your use. Please feel free to use this information:
Maryland Tobacco News
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The Maryland Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan (MCCCP) was released by the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH) on July 26th, 2011. The MCCCP offers a detailed strategy—with measurable objectives—for reducing the negative impact that cancer has throughout the state. The plan was written with the help of multiple public and private stakeholders, and includes sections on nutrition, tobacco-use prevention and cessation, early detection of various cancers, as well as other topics relevant to cancer control. Click HERE to view the Full Plan. Click HERE to view the Executive Summary. Click HERE to view the Tobacco Use/Cessation and Lung Cancer Chapter. Click HERE to view the DHMH Press Release. |
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In response to a recent campus-wide survey, in which 78.5% of students and 87.7% of staff were found to be in support of instituting a smoke-free policy on campus, Howard Community College (HCC) has become a smoke-free and tobacco-free campus. This policy--effective as of May 31, 2011--prohibits smoking and the use of tobacco products on all HCC-owned, leased, and controlled properties (including parking lots and garages, inside vehicles parked on campus, and at all HCC-sponsored events). Violators will be issued a $50 citation by campus security, and may be subject to additional fines imposed by Howard County. |
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Due to the decline in smokers, Maryland is receiving less Cigarette Restitution Fund money. As a result of this and recent budget cuts, cancer research and substance abuse programs are being forced to find alternative funding options. |
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With recent increases in Maryland's tobacco taxes have come an increase in tobacco smuggling. Surrounding states, primarily Virginia, have significantly cheaper taxes, making access to cheaper tobacco products almost effortless. While total numbers are difficult to accurately estimate, the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, a pro-markets think tank suspects that about half of the cigarettes smoked in Maryland are contraband. |
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The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation recently announced the creation of a national Public Health Law Network to support legal and policy solutions to today's public health challenges. The University of Maryland School of Law was named the regional headquarters of the network for the Eastern Region and houses expertise in the areas of injury prevention, environmental health and food safety. |
National Tobacco News
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In a recent article published in The New England Journal of Medicine, Drs. Michael Fiore and Timothy Baker highlight the important role physicians play with regard to encouraging and supporting tobacco cessation among individuals who smoke. Given that a vast majority (70%) of smokers in the U.S. visit a primary care physician each year, physicians are in a ideal position to provide effective interventions to tobacco users. According to the article, which presents a number of formal guidelines and recommendations for addressing smoking in the health care setting, effective interventions include a combination of FDA-approved cessation medication and counseling (for those who are ready to quit), as well as motivational interviewing and/or “five R’s” counseling (for those who are not ready to quit). The authors suggest that clinicians refer all patients who smoke to the national tobacco-cessation quitline (1-800-QUIT-NOW) in addition to online smoking-cessation resources (i.e.,www.smokefree.gov). |
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A study recently published in Nicotine & Tobacco Research highlights the benefits of physician cessation counseling among smokers with drug, alcohol or mental disorders. The study—which included 1,356 smokers—found that individuals with substance use disorders and mental illness who received smoking cessation counseling from their primary care physician were five times as likely to quit smoking (with 31.3% quitting) in comparison to those who did not receive counseling (with only 6% quitting). Elevated quit rates in response to counseling were also found among smokers without substance use or mental disorders—with 34.9% of those receiving counseling quitting, and 10.5% quitting without counseling. |
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Two studies recently published in the journal Cancer suggest that—in comparison to individuals who wait over an hour to smoke after waking—smokers who have their first cigarette within an hour of waking have an increased risk of developing lung and head and neck cancers. Specifically, these studies found that smokers who had their first cigarette within 30 minutes of waking had a 79% increased risk of developing lung cancer and a 59% increased risk of developing head and neck cancer in comparison to those who waited at least an hour to smoke. Those who had their first cigarette between 31 and 60 minutes of waking were found to have a 31% increased risk for developing lung cancer and a 42% increased risk for developing head and neck cancer relative to those who waited at least an hour to smoke. |
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In an effort to improve upon the quality of care in hospitals, the Joint Commission has developed a new tobacco measure set. Collectively, these measures are meant to ensure that participating hospitals screen all inpatients (aged 18 and older) for tobacco use, provide counseling and pharmacologic treatment to tobacco users, and provide limited follow-up after discharge. To download these measures, use the following four links : TOB-1 TOB-2 TOB-3 TOB-4 |
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According to a recent study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, the smoking cessation drug Chantix® (generically known as “Varenicline”) may significantly increase the risk of heart attack among middle-aged smokers with no history of heart disease. Specifically, across the 14 clinical trials—involving 8,200 participants—reviewed in the study, the risk for cardiac events requiring hospitalization was found to be 72% higher among smokers who took Chantix in comparison to smokers who did not take the drug (and were, instead, given a placebo). The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has requested that Pfizer, the company responsible for Chantix®, conduct additional analyses on the drug’s safety. |
