November 10, 2007 - Are Swedes Using SNUS for Harm Reduction or as an Alernative When Smoking is Banned??

November 10, 2007 - -Are Swedes Using SNUS for Harm Reduction or as an Alernative When Smoking is Banned?? Dr. Brad Rodu, a strong proponent of the use of Snus by inveterate tobacco smokers, tells us Swedes have adopted the public health practice of "harm reduction," in this case substituting relatively safe smokeless tobacco for cigarettes. Dr. Lars E. Rutqvist, the Vice President for Scientific Affairs at Swedish Match (the world's second largest maker of snuff and chewing tobacco and market leader in Sweden - volume share of 90% at the end of 2006) tells us the drive in snus sales in Sweden has been in response to the smoking ban rather than the perceived advantage to user’s health. Comments of a Swedish American in Sweden: Another argument for the use of SNUS is that it keeps people from smoking, but I don't buy that argument. I know all kinds of Swedes who smoke whenever they get a chance but because of the ban on smoking indoors use snus when they are in the bar or at work or anywhere else they can't get their nicotine fix right away. The second they step outside though they light up.(10/5/2007) Another argument for the use of SNUS is that it keeps people from smoking, but I don't buy that argument. Margaretha Haglund, the Director of Tobacco Prevention for the Swedish National Institute of Public Health. 'I'm not a health fascist,' she added , 'but I don't believe the solution to the tobacco problem lies in a new product from the tobacco industry.'" Dr. Rodu has a web site entitled TobaccoHarmReduction.org that attempts to convince people that smokeless is the way to go using either moist snuff and even chewing tobacco. One of the two major headings on the first page of the site is entitled "Reduce the harm from Nicotine use: Go smokeless." A number of studies have shown that nicotine levels resulting from the use of smokeless tobacco are either the same or even higher than with tobacco smoking. (Maximum levels of nicotine were similar but, because of prolonged absorption, overall nicotine exposure was twice as large after single exposures to smokeless tobacco compared with cigarette smoking (Benowitz et al., Clin Pharmacol Ther. Jul;44(1):23-8, 1988)) Leading tobacco researchers have stated that there is no evidence smokeless tobacco can help people quit smoking. Read more...

The Art of Snusing..

November 10, 2007 - Snus is both smokeless and spitless. But in order to be spitless the packet (pouch, sachet) has to be placed properly in a particular location in the mouth between the upper lip and gums. The pocket if moved at all will result in more saliva being produced and the urge to spit will increase. Drooling can be a problem, especially for the inexperienced user and, of course, the juice that is swallowed contains lots of toxins including carcinogens. More and more studies are surfacing that indicate that Snus users are at an increased risk of developing pancreatic cancer. In addition, a lesion can form at the location in the mouth where the Snus is continually placed. Snus is very much a Swedish phenomenon and has been around for 200 years - the portioned packet was introduced into Swedish culture in the 1970s. Between the mid-1800s and the Great Depression, over a million Swedes immigrated to America, bringing with them their yearning for Swedish snus. The European Union had banned Snus but it is such a part of Swedish culture that they were able to write a provision that allowed Sweden to still sell Snus but still join the EU. The EU was afraid that Snus would be appealing to children. Certain public health professionals want inveterate (hard-nose, long established, deep-rooted) cigarette smokers to switch to Snus. But is this realistic - will inveterate smokers take time out to learn the art of Snusing. You can be sure - the group that will take time to experiment and learn the proper Snus sucking technique are young adults and youngsters. If we let this happen we will end up with another generation of nicotine addicts - never able to reach their full potential. The taglines for Skoal Dry, "No Smoke, No Spit, No Boundaries" and Camel SNUS, "Pleasure for wherever!!" add more encouragement to give it a try. Click on Image to enlarge.. (TobaccoWatch.org) Read more...

Adult Tobacco Smoking Rate in the United States has Stabilized

November 9, 2007 - Adult Tobacco Smoking Rate in the United States has Stabilized, although Cigarette smoking remains the leading preventable cause of disease and death in the United States, resulting in approximately 438,000 deaths annually . Center for Disease Control (CDC) analyzed data from the 2006 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). The report summarized the results of that analysis, which indicated that in 2006, approximately 20.8% (45.3 million) of U.S. adults were current cigarette smokers (80.1% (36.3 million) smoked every day, and 19.9% (9.0 million) smoked some days). This prevalence had not changed significantly since 2004, suggesting a stall in the previous 7-year (1997--2004) decline in cigarette smoking among adults in the United States. One reason for this leveling off may be a result of funding for state control and prevention programs decreased about 20% from 2002 to 2006 while tobacco industry marketing spending nearly doubled from about $7 billion to $13 billion between 1998 and 2005. One of the U.S. national health objectives for 2010 is to reduce the prevalence of cigarette smoking among adults to < href="http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5644a2.htm#top">Cigarette Smoking Among Adults --- United States, 2006 MMWR Weekly, November 9, 2007 / 56(44);1157-1161. Click on image to enlarge.. Read more...

Hookah is worse than smoking cigarettes..

November 7, 2007 - Hookah is worse than smoking cigarettes.. (Hookah, Shisha or Sheesha, and Narghile are all used to describe the same thing in different parts of the world. In the United States and Canada they use the word "hookah". In India and Pakistan they use "hooka" to describe the tobacco smoking water pipe. In Germany, France, and other Arab countries they use "Shisha". The hookah consists of three parts. A hollow glass (sometimes clay or brass) base filed with water, a vertical pipe topped with a clay bowl for the tobacco and coals and an attached hose to inhale through.) All across metropolitan cities in the Unites States especially in college town, American youth have picked up a new hobby called "smoking hookah". Barry Matthews a marketing expert has indicated there are 33 states with hookah bars. (Marcotty article)) Hookah smokers have always insisted that it is much safer than cigarette smoking. Now the French anti-tobacco agency (OFT), citing a national laboratory report, said one session with shisha produced 70 liters of smoke, which had 27 to 102 times the carbon tar of a cigarette, and 15 to 52 times more carbon monoxide, depending on the type of shisha smoked.The United Arab Emirates draft anti-smoking law may include ban on shisha smokng. Hookah comes in lots of flavors to mask the taste of the tobacco.

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Link Between Convenience Stores and Tobacco Use...

November 6, 2007 - With limits on where to advertise the tobacco industry spends more on in-store advertising then on all other forms of advertising combined. On the outside there are promotion signs at the entrance, on the walls and at the pump. The competition for space between companies like Philip Morris and RJ Reynolds (RJR) Tobacco is fierce. For example - the lowest price for a pack of cigarettes is set - the agreement with RJR is that the store will not sell a pack below the price of their Doral brand. Tobacco companies are in agreement for SNUS to catch on and be a strong seller it's going to require more public awareness and education. This most likely would include various forms of advertising NOT targeted at inveterate (hard-nosed, long-established, deep-rooted) cigarette smokers. But persuasive advertisement directed at young adults and any kids they can entice along the way. Free coupons or deep discounted prices using slogans liked the Bobcat slogan: "Prices get em, quality keeps em." Also stationing attractive people at various bars, say around college campuses to pass out free cans of snus along with other merchandise like t-shirts and related. Oh yes the Camel SNUS tagline. It has been stated that brands like Marlboro SNUS and Camel SNUS are sure to tempt children to try new smokeless tobacco. Dr. Gregory Connolly , director of tobacco-control research at the Harvard School of Public Health. "Like us - many health advocates see the new smokeless alternatives as an attempt to create a new generation of tobacco users." - WE AGREE. Let's eliminate all the advertising and put all tobacco products under the counter - see related news briefs: October 15, 2007 and June 6, 2007. Click on image enlarge. (TobaccoWatch.org) Read more...

General Tobacco (GT) could “potentially” come out with a snus product in the future.

November 4, 2006 - Ronald Denman, General Council and Vice President mentioned that General Tobacco (GT) could “potentially” come out with a snus product in the future. GT, is the sixth largest tobacco company in the U.S. with approximately $300 million in annual sales. Products include GT One, Bronco, Silver, 32 Degrees menthol cigarettes and Vaquero Little Cigars. Recently, GT has launched roll-your-own versions of it’s GT One and Bronco brands. GT is continuing with its plans to open a manufacturing facility in Rockingham County, North Carolina, near Charlotte. The new facility will replace the current manufacturing facility located in Colombia. ( "General Tobacco presses on toward opening of Rockingham County, NC tobacco factory" by David Williams, Tobacco Farm Quarterly, October 30, 2007)
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