http://www.medindia.net/healthnews/Health-Hazards-of-Smoking-news.asp Medindia largest health website in india. en-us Copyright 2012. All Rights Reserved. Fri, 25 May 2012 06:10:58 GMT http://www.medindia.net/news/bared-to-tobacco-fumes-children-run-into-long-term-respiratory-complications-study-101643-1.htm Over three decades, researchers have cautioned of latent health risks linked to exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), mainly among children whose parents smoke. Now a new study conducted by researchers from the University of Arizona reports that those health risks persist well beyond childhood, independent of whether or not those individuals end up becoming smokers later in life. The study will be presented at the ATS 2012 International Conference in San Francisco. "This study ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/bared-to-tobacco-fumes-children-run-into-long-term-respiratory-complications-study-101643-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/kids-of-smoking-parents-prone-to-cardiovascular-risks-101639-1.htm Children who are exposed to passive smoking from their parents are more likely to develop serious cardiovascular health problems later in life, finds a study. The Menzies Research Institute in Tasmania collected data from a Finnish and Australian study following children first examined 20 years ago who are now aged in their mid-30s. It found that those exposed to passive smoke as youngsters have less elasticity in their arteries, an indicator of poor cardiovascular health. Study author ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/kids-of-smoking-parents-prone-to-cardiovascular-risks-101639-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/daily-dose-of-vitamin-c-by-smoking-women-may-help-newborns-101634-1.htm Daily intake of vitamin C may improve the lung function of the babies born to women who are unable to quit smoking during pregnancy. This is the conclusion of a new study at Oregon Health and Science University Doernbecher Children's Hospital. "Smoking during pregnancy is known to adversely affect the lung development of the developing baby, causing lifelong decreased lung function and an increased risk of asthma," said Cindy McEvoy, M.D., M.C.R., neonatologist and associate professor ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/daily-dose-of-vitamin-c-by-smoking-women-may-help-newborns-101634-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/genetic-marker-associated-with-smoking-quantity-identified-101628-1.htm In people of African ancestry, a genetic marker helps predict the smoking quantity, say researchers. The study's findings may help guide future public health decisions related to smoking, because the more people smoke, the higher their risk of lung cancer. The genetic variant, called rs2036527, appears to function as a marker of smoking quantity in African Americans, predicting the number of cigarettes smoked per day. It is on the same nicotine receptor gene, located on Chromosome 15, as ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/genetic-marker-associated-with-smoking-quantity-identified-101628-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/smoking-ban-extended-to-cafes-stadiums-in-bulgaria-101450-1.htm Changes to Bulgaria's health bill to ban smoking in stadiums and all enclosed public spaces such as cafes and restaurants as of June 1 have been approved by lawmakers. The small Balkan country, home to Europe's second-heaviest smokers after Greece, had already banned smoking in all government buildings, public transport, trains, cinemas, schools and kindergartens in 2005. The new changes approved Thursday would extend the ban to all enclosed public spaces including bars, cafes and restaurants....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/smoking-ban-extended-to-cafes-stadiums-in-bulgaria-101450-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/smoking-marijuana-does-help-relieve-pain-in-ms-101325-1.htm The belief that smoking marijuana can help relieve painful symptoms of multiple sclerosis has received scientific backing after a clinical trial found that such a practice does indeed ease up the painful cramps associated with the disease. The researchers conducted the study on a group of 30 MS patients who suffered from stiffness and involuntary muscle spasms, also known as spasticity which is a common symptom of MS. The participants were then divided into two groups, with one group being given ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/smoking-marijuana-does-help-relieve-pain-in-ms-101325-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/moscow-mulls-smoking-ban-in-restaurants-by-2014-100944-1.htm In an initiative to curb the rising smoking-related deaths, Moscow authorities have planned to ban smoking in restaurants and pubs by 2014. A draft plan published on the city's department of economic policy and development's website has revealed. "The ban on smoking in public places will be introduced gradually. In 2012, a total ban on smoking is planned in educational and healthcare facilities, places of culture, state offices and public transportation. In 2013-2014 the ban will be extended ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/moscow-mulls-smoking-ban-in-restaurants-by-2014-100944-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/smoking-during-pregnancy-may-augment-the-chances-of-autism-in-children-100916-1.htm Researchers claim that children might suffer from high functioning autism if their mothers resorted to smoking during pregnancy. Professor Amy Kalkbrenner, the lead author from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee's Joseph J. Zilber School of Public Health stated, "It has long been known that autism is an umbrella term for a wide range of disorders that impair social and communication skills." She further added, "What we are seeing is that some disorders on the autism spectrum, ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/smoking-during-pregnancy-may-augment-the-chances-of-autism-in-children-100916-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/more-and-more-young-adult-cigarette-smokers-use-marijuana-100873-1.htm bA recent anonymous internet survey report published in the journal Addiction Science (and) Clinical Practice, reveals that more than fifty percent of young adults aged between 18 to 25 years who use tobacco also use marijuana/b. The study claims that more and more youngsters are co- using bmarijuana/b than previously. The experts from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) are of the opinion that a big increase is noticed in the young adults using both btobacco/b ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/more-and-more-young-adult-cigarette-smokers-use-marijuana-100873-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/passive-smoking-worsens-asthma-in-kids-study-100807-1.htm Many asthmatic children harmed by secondhand smoke, reveals study. Results showed that 53 percent of children exposed to passive smoking were likely to make three or more visits to a physician or emergency department due to wheezing in the past year; sleep disturbed by wheezing one or more nights per week and restricted activity due to wheezing. "National asthma guidelines have advised avoidance of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS-passive smoking) for patients with asthma for decades, ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/passive-smoking-worsens-asthma-in-kids-study-100807-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/tobacco-smoke-subjected-to-neighboring-apartment-dwellers-often-100752-1.htm Some common downsides of apartment living are noisy neighbors and broken-down elevators. According to a research to be presented on Sunday, April 29, at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) annual meeting in Boston, you can also add unwanted tobacco smoke to the list of hazards. Studies have shown that tobacco smoke can seep from one apartment into another. The extent to which this happens, however, is unclear. Researchers from the American Academy of Pediatrics Julius B. Richmond Center ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/tobacco-smoke-subjected-to-neighboring-apartment-dwellers-often-100752-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/cigarette-pack-health-warnings-can-prevent-relapse-study-100701-1.htm Ex-smokers benefit from health warnings on cigarette packets, shows study published in Tobacco. The evidence to date suggests that health warnings on packs can deter non-smokers from starting to smoke and stop teens who dabble with cigarettes from becoming confirmed smokers. But it has not been clear whether they can actually help ex-smokers stay quit. The authors base their findings on responses between 2002 and 2009 from almost 2,000 recent ex-smokers to the annual International Tobacco Control 4-Country policy evaluation survey....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/cigarette-pack-health-warnings-can-prevent-relapse-study-100701-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/incidence-of-global-smoking-to-see-a-tad-drop-by-2030-without-resolute-action-100696-1.htm The latent impact of smoking control policies on prospective global smoking trends Online First doi 10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2011-050147. The global incidence of cigarette smoking with adults is set to drop by only 1.7 percentage points by 2030 if governments fail to do more to intervene, finds research published online in iTobacco Control/i. But if World Health Organization (WHO) measures are adopted, global prevalence would fall from just under 24% in 2010 to just over 13% by 2030, predict the researchers....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/incidence-of-global-smoking-to-see-a-tad-drop-by-2030-without-resolute-action-100696-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/tobacco-control-policy-initiated-by-who-could-save-millions-of-lives-100657-1.htm University of Michigan researchers say that applying the World Health Organization smoking reduction policy could prevent millions of smoking-related deaths by 2030. The researchers also claimed that the number of smokers could have been reduced by 34 percent had the WHO policy been implemented globally in 2010. They developed two sets of projections predicting smoking outcomes from 2010 to 2020 and then again to 2030, with or without the implementation of the smoking reduction policy. ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/tobacco-control-policy-initiated-by-who-could-save-millions-of-lives-100657-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/lung-cancer-risk-influenced-by-genetic-variants-and-tobacco-exposure-100646-1.htm Lung cancer risk is largely mediated by level of tobacco exposure as there is an association between the rs1051730-rs16969968 genotype and objective measures of tobacco exposure. These are the findings of a study published April 25 in the iJournal of the National Cancer Institute/i. The rs1051730-rs16969968 genotype is known to be associated with heaviness of smoking, lung cancer risk, and other smoking-related outcomes. Prior studies have generally depended on self-reported smoking behavior, ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/lung-cancer-risk-influenced-by-genetic-variants-and-tobacco-exposure-100646-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/in-india-tobacco-behind-7-percent-deaths-above-30-100630-1.htm Health and Family Welfare Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad told the Lok Sabha on Friday that tobacco caused 7 percent of all deaths above the age of 30 in India. Azad in a written reply cited data from the World Health Organization's 2012 Global Report on Mortality Attributable to Tobacco. "Seven percent of all deaths for age 30 and over in India are attributable to tobacco. The proportion of deaths was almost 12 percent for men and 1 percent for women," he said. "Tobacco was responsible ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/in-india-tobacco-behind-7-percent-deaths-above-30-100630-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/study-identifies-oral-cancer-causing-chemical-in-smokeless-tobacco-100623-1.htm A research in the US has, for the first time, identified a specific oral cancer-causing chemical in smokeless tobacco products, such as 'gutka' and similar products. Dr. Silvia Balbo of the Masonic Cancer Center at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, US, found after a study on rats that smokeless tobacco products contain a strong oral carcinogen -- a chemical called (S)-N'-nitrosonornicotine, or (S)-NNN. Dr. K.R. Thankappan, professor and head, Achutha Menon Centre for Health Science ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/study-identifies-oral-cancer-causing-chemical-in-smokeless-tobacco-100623-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/not-nicotine-but-smoking-curbs-rare-tumour-risk-100606-1.htm A link between smoking and a reduced risk for a rare benign tumour close to the brain is confirmed by researchers. But the addition of smokeless tobacco to the analysis indicates that nicotine is not the protective substance. The study using Swedish data suggested that men who currently smoke are almost 60 percent less likely than people who have never smoked to develop this tumour, called an acoustic neuroma. But men in the study who used snuff, which produces roughly the same amount of ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/not-nicotine-but-smoking-curbs-rare-tumour-risk-100606-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/kids-targeted-by-tobacco-packaging-100582-1.htm Tobacco companies resort to colorful and slick designs to lure young children into smoking, shows research. It said that the lengths to which the industry has gone to make its packs attractive to new generations of smokers as opportunities for promoting its products have been progressively reduced. Responding to last week's launch of a public consultation on tobacco packaging by the Department of Health, Cancer Research UK said the findings provided "a chilling insight" into the power ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/kids-targeted-by-tobacco-packaging-100582-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/large-section-of-population-still-ignorant-about-tobacco-and-secondhand-smoke-risk-100480-1.htm A large number of people are ignorant about the cardiovascular risks associated with tobacco use and secondhand smoke, a new study presented at the World Heart Federation World Congress of Cardiology in Dubai reveals. The report, entitled "Cardiovascular harms from tobacco use and secondhand smoke", was commissioned by the World Heart Federation and written by the International Tobacco Control Project (ITC Project), in collaboration with the Tobacco Free Initiative at the World Health Organization....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/large-section-of-population-still-ignorant-about-tobacco-and-secondhand-smoke-risk-100480-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/omega-3-fatty-acids-may-combat-physical-effects-of-smoking-100336-1.htm Omega-3 fatty acids may help lower the physical effects of smoking, according to a new study. The study, carried out in Greece, assessed the effect of four-week oral treatment with 2 g/day of omega-3 fatty acids on the arterial wall properties of cigarette smokers. The results showed that short-term treatment with omega-3 fatty acids improves arterial stiffness and moderates the acute smoking-induced impairment of vascular elastic properties in smokers. "These findings suggest that omega-3 ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/omega-3-fatty-acids-may-combat-physical-effects-of-smoking-100336-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/tobacco-companies-challenging-new-packaging-rules-made-to-wait-by-australian-court-100332-1.htm Tobacco companies challenging the new packaging rules in Australia will have to wait for some more time to see whether they have been successful after an Australian court delayed their decision on a later date. Four cigarette companies, led by British American Tobacco (BAT), have contested the new law in a High Court hearing, claiming it infringes their intellectual property rights by banning brands and trademarks from packets. The government has said it is confident it will see off the ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/tobacco-companies-challenging-new-packaging-rules-made-to-wait-by-australian-court-100332-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/australia-ready-to-face-big-tobacco-firms-in-court-to-prevent-tobacco-deaths-100234-1.htm Australia is confident of facing the court challenge Tuesday posed by big tobacco firms over plain-packaging for cigarettes, in a test case being watched by governments around the world. Cigarette companies, led by British American Tobacco (BAT), are contesting the new law in a three-day hearing, claiming it infringes their intellectual property rights by banning brands and trademarks from packets. Attorney-General Nicola Roxon said the government believed it would successfully defend the ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/australia-ready-to-face-big-tobacco-firms-in-court-to-prevent-tobacco-deaths-100234-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/full-smoking-ban-in-bulgaria-from-june-1-100054-1.htm Bulgarian lawmakers have decided to impose smoking ban in all enclosed public spaces from June 1, which includes cafes, bars and restaurants, regardless of size. The small Balkan country, home to Europe's second-heaviest smokers after Greece, already banned smoking in all government buildings, public transport, trains, cinemas, schools and kindergartens in 2005. But bars, cafes and restaurants were allowed to have separate smoking and non-smoking sections, while establishments smaller than ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/full-smoking-ban-in-bulgaria-from-june-1-100054-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/health-warning-on-indian-cigarette-packs-to-drop-john-terry-picture-100010-1.htm An Indian health warning on cigarette packets that supposedly displays a picture of England footballer John Terry with a set of blackened lungs is to be withdrawn, officials said Wednesday. Terry's London-based lawyers have threatened to sue over the blurry photograph featuring the head and shoulders of a man closely resembling the former England captain and current skipper of Premier League side Chelsea. "Some people raised objections to the picture. We have asked the directorate of advertisement ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/health-warning-on-indian-cigarette-packs-to-drop-john-terry-picture-100010-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/england-enforces-tobacco-display-ban-99822-1.htm On Friday, England enforced a ban on tobacco displays in large shops and supermarkets. This ban means that such stores must hide cigarettes from public view. Under the new rules, all tobacco products must be kept out of sight except when staff are serving customers or restocking. The display ban applies to shops covering more than 280 square metres (3,014 square feet). Those in breach of the law could face a fine up to 5,000 ( (Dollor) 7,930, 6,070 euros) or even imprisonment. Smaller stores are exempt from the ban until 2015....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/england-enforces-tobacco-display-ban-99822-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/oral-cancer-perhaps-results-from-chemical-found-in-smokeless-tobacco-99702-1.htm Chemical (S)-N'-nitrosonornicotine or (S)-NNN, which is found in smokeless tobacco products, is a powerful oral carcinogen, aver scientists. Although smokeless tobacco products have long been linked with certain cancers, including oral cavity cancers and esophageal cancers, this is the first study to identify a specific chemical present in smokeless tobacco products that induces oral cancer in animals, according to Silvia Balbo, Ph.D., research associate at the Masonic Cancer Center of the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Minn....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/oral-cancer-perhaps-results-from-chemical-found-in-smokeless-tobacco-99702-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/link-between-estrogen-and-tobacco-smoke-99680-1.htm A recent research shows clear association between estrogen and tobacco smoke. The hormone estrogen may help promote lung cancer-including compounding the effects of tobacco smoke on the disease. The researchers found that estrogen is metabolized into toxic derivatives in the mouse lung. The level of these toxic metabolites increased when mice were exposed to tobacco smoke. The results suggest that new therapies which prevent estrogen from being converted into toxins could one day help treat-or even prevent-lung cancer, says Peng....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/link-between-estrogen-and-tobacco-smoke-99680-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/tobacco-blamed-for-surge-in-squamous-cell-cancer-in-india-99483-1.htm A leading cancer expert has expressed concern over rise in squamous cell cancer, a type of esophageal cancer, in India as more people are getting addicted to tobacco. "Squamous cell cancer - which is one of the types of esophageal cancer - is rising in India. The main cause of this type of carcinoma is tobacco smoking and heavy alcohol. In India smoking and tobacco usage is at a peak so the cases of squamous carcinoma are also rising," said US-based cancer specialist Tom Ryan DeMeester. The ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/tobacco-blamed-for-surge-in-squamous-cell-cancer-in-india-99483-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/link-between-smoking-and-schizophrenia-risk-99348-1.htm Smoking boosts the effect of a schizophrenia gene, say researchers. Schizophrenia has long been known to be hereditary. However, as a melting pot of disorders with different genetic causes is concealed behind manifestations of schizophrenia, research has still not been able to identify the main gene responsible to this day. In order to study the genetic background of schizophrenia, the frequency of particular risk genes between healthy and ill people has mostly been compared until now....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/link-between-smoking-and-schizophrenia-risk-99348-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/dissolvable-tobacco-products-lees-hazardous-99212-1.htm ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/dissolvable-tobacco-products-lees-hazardous-99212-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/slacking-anti-tobacco-fight-by-cigarette-firms-99134-1.htm Cigarette firms` alleged `interference` in public health policies is slackening a UN-backed global campaign against tobacco use and health risks linked to it, a report said on Tuesday. The report by the civil society group Framework Convention Alliance said major cigarette firms continue to run circles around key provisions of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), the global tobacco treaty. The tobacco industry is a major revenue earner and employer in some countries, but its use comes with major health risks....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/slacking-anti-tobacco-fight-by-cigarette-firms-99134-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/smoking-may-help-regain-self-control-study-99070-1.htm Smoking may help people restore self-control, by improving smokers' positive mood, suggest researchers. When researchers at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Fla., deplete smokers' self control, they found that smoking a cigarette helps restore their self-control. The study exposed a test group and a control group - totalling 132 nicotine dependent smokers - to an emotional video depicting environmental damage. One group in the study expressed their natural emotional reactions (no ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/smoking-may-help-regain-self-control-study-99070-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/effect-of-tobacco-control-programs-98883-1.htm Anti-smoking efforts have saved nearly 800,000 US lives, reveals study. The research is based on scientific models that counted how many people smoked up until 1970 and projected how many would have died of lung cancer between 1975 and 2000 if not for a concerted US effort to cut back. "This is the first attempt to quantify the impact of changes in smoking behaviors on lung cancer mortality based on detailed reconstruction of cigarette smoking histories," said lead author Suresh Moolgavkar ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/effect-of-tobacco-control-programs-98883-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/trial-against-big-tobacco-98706-1.htm A groundbreaking trial gets underway against three leading tobacco companies which face a (Dollor) 25 billion lawsuit for allegedly failing to adequately warn smokers of the dangers of cigarettes. Plaintiffs have filed two separate class actions in what is Canada's biggest-ever civilian lawsuit, against Imperial Tobacco, JTI-Macdonald and Rothmans Benson (and) Hedges in the Superior Court of Quebec. The first class includes 90,000 current and former smokers in Quebec who say they have fallen ill ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/trial-against-big-tobacco-98706-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/sitting-too-long-as-bad-as-smoking-98413-1.htm Researchers have said that sitting for long hours may increase risk of death from cardiovascular disease. A doctor at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., calls it the "sitting disease," likening the ill effects of inactivity that doctors are still discovering to the discovery of the side effects of smoking. Dr. James Levine helped initiate a new study at a small company in Minneapolis. "Work-fit" stations replaced 30 desks, so employees can now sit or stand while working, the Discovery News reported....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/sitting-too-long-as-bad-as-smoking-98413-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/new-zealand-optimistic-to-wipe-out-smoking-by-2025-98357-1.htm New Zealand intends to eradicate smoking all over the country by 2025. Health researchers have said the government must set a date to stop commercial sale of tobacco in order to achieve the goal. In an article published in the international Tobacco Control journal, researchers from the University of Otago said "clear goals" and "detailed planning" were critical to achieve the government's aim. "Research indicates that incremental efforts are not enough to reduce smoking to near zero by 2025....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/new-zealand-optimistic-to-wipe-out-smoking-by-2025-98357-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/maharashtra-to-introduce-tobacco-awareness-course-in-schools-98292-1.htm The Maharashtra government has decided to introduce tobacco awareness course as a subject in schools, says Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. The topics dealing with tobacco's ill-effects on public health and related aspects will be included in the school curriculum for Classes 5-10, according to Pawar. He made the announcement while chairing a high-level meeting on the issue with top officials and representatives of Salaam Bombay Foundation and Maharashtra United Against Killer Tobacco Campaign....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/maharashtra-to-introduce-tobacco-awareness-course-in-schools-98292-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/its-official-central-government-schools-to-become-tobacco-free-98274-1.htm Officials have confirmed that all Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVs) across India have been directed to ensure they are tobacco-free. The Kendriya Vidyalya Sangathan (KVS) has directed all the 1,087 schools across India under it make their campuses and surroundings tobacco-free. The order has been issued by U.N Khaware, joint commissioner (academics), KVS, to the deputy commissioners of all regional offices. "The order directs the deputy commissioners to ensure that KVs functioning under their ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/its-official-central-government-schools-to-become-tobacco-free-98274-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/rs90-lakh-of-tobacco-fine-collects-delhi-98251-1.htm Fine over violation of tobacco rules in Delhi amounted to a total sum of Rs.90 lakh, state Health Minister A.K. Walia said on Tuesday. While 140,000 people were fined for smoking or using tobacco products in prohibited places, action was taken against 6,200 vendors for sale of tobacco products in places where it is not allowed. Launching a Hindi website under Tobacco Free Delhi campaign, Walia drew attention to its harmful effects. "Tobacco use is the major cause of lung disease, heart ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/rs90-lakh-of-tobacco-fine-collects-delhi-98251-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/smoking-cessation-efforts-may-be-helped-by-nicotine-quick-fix-mouth-spray-98218-1.htm A new study has revealed that nicotine spray may be the latest replacement therapy for those who want to quit smoking cigarettes. Researchers in Denmark found that the fast-acting spray relieves cravings without the side effects of patches or pills, the New York Daily News reported. According to Reuters Health, a fast-acting nicotine spray, applied directly into the mouth, has shown success in clinical tests in helping people kick the cigarette-smoking habit. The spray isn't available ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/smoking-cessation-efforts-may-be-helped-by-nicotine-quick-fix-mouth-spray-98218-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/smoking-cessation-drug-improves-walking-function-in-patients-with-ataxia-97968-1.htm Varenicline - a drug approved for smoking cessation improved walking ability in patients suffering from an inherited form of ataxia, reveals study. The randomized controlled clinical trial investigated the effectiveness of varenicline (Chantix (Regd) ) in treating spinocerebellar ataxia type 3, or SCA3. The findings were published online earlier this month in INeurology,/I the journal of the American Academy of Neuroscience. Lead author Dr. Theresa Zesiewicz and colleagues at the USF ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/smoking-cessation-drug-improves-walking-function-in-patients-with-ataxia-97968-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/social-smoking-common-among-young-adults-97883-1.htm Social smoking has increased among young adults, finds study. "Introducing smoke-free outdoor bars could reduce social smoking by removing cues that stimulate this behaviour and changing the environment that facilitates it," said Janet Hoek, professor at the University of Otago, who led the study. The study authors carried out in-depth interviews with a group of social smokers, aged between 19 and 25 years, who were recruited through Facebook, posters in cafes, supermarkets and on community notice boards....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/social-smoking-common-among-young-adults-97883-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/smokeless-tobacco-could-reduce-risk-of-fatal-disease-97797-1.htm Scientists have revealed that replacing smoking products with e-cigarettes or spit-free smokeless tobacco can greatly reduce risk of disease and death in smokers. These products provide a much safer alternative for those smokers who are unable or unwilling to quit smoking because they continue to deliver nicotine without the harmful effect of smoking. That is the message of Brad Rodu, D.D.S., professor of medicine at the University of Louisville (UofL) School of Medicine and the Endowed ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/smokeless-tobacco-could-reduce-risk-of-fatal-disease-97797-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/smoking-ban-outside-bars-may-help-reduce-trend-of-social-smoking-97793-1.htm New research suggests that extending the smoking ban outside bars could help curb "social smoking." The study is published online in iTobacco Control/i. The international evidence suggests that while the prevalence of smoking per se has decreased, social smoking - smoking intermittently or only in given situations - has increased among young adults, say the authors. The authors carried out in-depth interviews in 2011 with 13 "social smokers," aged between 19 and 25, who were recruited ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/smoking-ban-outside-bars-may-help-reduce-trend-of-social-smoking-97793-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/electronic-cigarette-explodes-in-mans-mouth-97636-1.htm A 57-year old man in Florida suffered local burns after his electronic cigarette exploded in his mouth. Tom Holloway had turned to electronic cigarettes for his nicotine fix after deciding to kick the habit two years ago. The 57-year old was smoking in his study when the cigarette exploded in his mouth. His wife revealed that the sound was similar to a fire cracker exploding in the house and she heard him scream. The explosion started a fire inside the room and all of Holloway's teeth were knocked out and burnt a part of his tongue....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/electronic-cigarette-explodes-in-mans-mouth-97636-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/smoking-may-increase-risk-of-oral-diseases-by-killing-good-bacteria-in-the-mouth-97634-1.htm Apart from increasing the risk of lung cancer, smoking has also been found to increase the risk of oral disease as it kills off the good bacteria in the mouth. Researchers from Ohio State University collected oral biofilms of 30 healthy participants, 15 of whom were regular smokers. The samples were collected two, four and seven days after professional cleaning. The researchers found that the disease causing pathogens were largely absent in the mouths of non-smokers and the presence of cytokines ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/smoking-may-increase-risk-of-oral-diseases-by-killing-good-bacteria-in-the-mouth-97634-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/gm-tobacco-plant-to-fight-malaria-97523-1.htm Israeli scientists have developed a genetically modified tobacco plant that can fight drug-resistant malaria. Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have found that tobacco plant can be altered to produce "artemisin", an active component in malaria treatment. Artemisin, a natural compound that comes from the sweet wormwood plant, can fight drug-resistant malaria, but due to its small quantities and high price, millions of people cannot get access to this remedy, the researchers said....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/gm-tobacco-plant-to-fight-malaria-97523-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/smoke-free-laws-cut-home-smoking-97471-1.htm Anti-tobacco laws don't drive smokers to light up more at home, reveals study published in the journal Tobacco Control. Doctors pored over a survey into smoking habits in France, Germany, Ireland and the Netherlands, both before and after bans on smoking in the workplace, restaurants and bars took effect in the last decade. The trends in those countries were compared with Britain, which at the time did not have smoke-free legislation. After the laws took effect, the percentage of ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/smoke-free-laws-cut-home-smoking-97471-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/relapse-to-smoking-linked-to-low-dopamine-levels-97402-1.htm Low dopamine levels that occur as a result of withdrawal from smoking actually promote the relapse to smoking, says a new study. Dopamine is a brain chemical messenger that is critically important in reward and motivation. Some research suggests that one of its central roles is to send a signal to the brain to 'seek something enjoyable'. Indeed, dopamine is released during many rewarding experiences, including taking drugs, smoking, having sex, and eating food. This signal seems to ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/relapse-to-smoking-linked-to-low-dopamine-levels-97402-1.htm