Scientists Identify Top 3 Effective Strategies to Quit Smoking

A team of scientists, including a University of Massachusetts Amherst public health researcher, has conducted a major review of evidence and identified the three most effective strategies for quitting smoking: varenicline, cytisine, and nicotine e-cigarettes. The review, published in the journal Addiction on September 4, was led by the non-profit Cochrane Tobacco Addiction Group (CTAG) and authored by senior author Jamie Hartmann-Boyce, assistant professor of health policy and management at the UMass Amherst School of Public Health and Health Sciences, and lead author Jonathan Livingstone-Banks, a University of Oxford researcher in England. Read more

Study Reveals E-Cigarettes as Effective as Chantix in Smoking Cessation

,

A landmark clinical trial published in JAMA Internal Medicine has found that e-cigarettes are just as effective as varenicline, the gold-standard pharmaceutical drug, in helping people quit smoking. The study, conducted by researchers at Lapland Central Hospital in Finland, has the potential to reshape the debate surrounding the use of e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation tool.

Read more

Smoking with Kids in Cars: Which States Still Allow It?

,

Exposing children to secondhand smoke is a dangerous practice, yet many parents and adults continue to light up in vehicles with young passengers present. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns that there is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke, which can lead to both short- and long-term health risks in children.

Read more

US States with the Highest and Lowest Cigarette Prices

, ,

Smokers in Minneapolis will face some of the highest cigarette prices in the United States after the City Council unanimously voted to set a minimum retail price of $15 per pack. This move aims to promote public health by discouraging smoking, particularly among youth.

Read more

Canada First to Require Individual Cigarette Warning Labels

Canada has made history by becoming the first country to require individual health warnings on cigarettes. The groundbreaking regulation, which took effect on Tuesday, mandates that manufacturers print warnings about smoking-related harms—such as cancer, impotence, and organ damage—directly on each cigarette. Retailers have until July 31 to ensure all cigarette packs comply with the new rules.

Read more

West Virginia Passes Bill Banning Smoking in Cars with Children Under 16

,

The West Virginia Senate has passed Senate Bill 378, which prohibits smoking in vehicles when children under the age of 16 are present. The bill, set to take effect on June 5, recognizes a lit tobacco product as any lighted pipe, cigarette, cigar, or other device containing a tobacco-based product that can be smoked.

Read more

Idaho Lacks Laws Banning Smoking in Cars with Children

,

As of 2023, Idaho does not have any legislation in place that prohibits smoking in cars when children are present. This means that parents and caregivers who choose to smoke while driving with young passengers face no legal repercussions for their actions, even though the health risks associated with secondhand smoke are well-documented and widely acknowledged.

Read more

Norway to Ban Menthol and Click Cigarettes, Flavored E-Cigarettes in 2024

,

Norway, one of the few European countries that still allows menthol and click cigarettes, is set to implement a ban on these products in 2024. The ban, which is part of the EU Tobacco Directive, will also prohibit the sale of flavored e-cigarettes, making Norway’s tobacco regulations more closely aligned with those of its European counterparts.

Read more

Smoking in Cars: A Patchwork of Regulations Across Europe

As concerns about the dangers of secondhand smoke continue to grow, particularly for vulnerable populations like children and pregnant women, many European countries have taken steps to regulate smoking in private vehicles. However, the landscape of these regulations varies widely across the continent.

Read more

Germany Plans Ban on Smoking in Cars with Children Protecting Health

,

Germany’s Health Ministry is proposing a ban on smoking in vehicles carrying children and pregnant women, including the use of e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, and cannabis. Health Minister Karl Lauterbach is leading the charge for this ban to protect minors and pregnant women from secondhand smoke exposure. The draft proposal, which will undergo coordination with other ministries before being presented to the Cabinet, is an expansion of the existing Non-Smokers Protection Act. In this article, we will explore the details of the proposed ban and its potential impact.

Read more