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Coronavirus: People warned not to smoke after French researchers suggest nicotine could protect against infection
Scientists have warned people not to smoke after French data suggested smokers could be less likely to get symptomatic coronavirus, due to the effects of nicotine. French researchers have suggested nicotine may help prevent and control a coronavirus infection, and said they plan on doing a trial using nicotine patches. However, public health experts have warned smoking remains a risk factor for the virus taking a more serious turn.
Professor John Britton, the director of the UK Centre for Tobacco & Alcohol Studies, told The Independent smokers who contract coronavirus are more likely to end up in intensive care than non-smokers with the virus. “Nicotine could protect you and the trial is really interesting,” the professor of epidemiology at the University of Nottingham said. “But the message to smokers should be exactly the same, which is stop.”
Professor Linda Bauld from the University of Edinburgh said: “If people already have a smoking-related disease, we know they are going to get worse outcomes from Covid-19.” She said people who smoke can also react less well to ventilators and can take more time to recover after a stint in hospital. “There has never been a better time to quit smoking in the face of a respiratory pathogen like Covid-19,” she said. “But nicotine might be an interesting medicine to investigate to see if it helps amongst other treatments.”
These findings could be down to people laying off cigarettes due to suffering with coronavirus, which affects breathing and lung function, according to Dr Lion Shahab, an associate professor in health psychology at University College London. “The low proportion of current smokers might be because people cannot actually smoke when they have the disease,” he told The Independent. He said the “jury was still out” as to whether nicotine could protect people against the disease.
Following the hospital data, the head of France’s national health agency said there was no concrete evidence yet that nicotine helped stave off the disease, and warned that smoking remains France’s number one killer.
Source: The Independent, 23 April 2020
See also:
NO EXCUSE Nicotine patches given to coronavirus patients as trial treatment – but docs say it’s NOT a reason to smoke (The Sun, 23 April 2020)
ASH says that these reports suggesting that the percentage of smokers attending hospital for Covid-19 is less than we might have expected are "uncertain" and rely on people being able to report on their smoking and healthcare professionals having the time to record it.
Deborah Arnott, chief executive of ASH, added: "The UK symptom tracker data is now showing that smokers are at an increased risk of developing symptoms of Covid-19 (fever and a persistent cough).There is also evidence that smokers in hospital who have coronavirus are at a higher risk than non-smokers of severe illness and death. Furthermore, there are many other reasons to quit for Covid, as smokers are also much more at risk of range of serious health problems requiring them to be admitted to hospital.
"The reports of a trial in France to see whether nicotine patches can help prevent or help lessen symptoms of Covid-19 should not put smokers off trying to quit, but encourage them to use alternative sources of nicotine to help them stay quit. Smokers are much more likely to succeed in quitting smoking if they use alternative forms of nicotine, such as patches, gum and e-cigarettes which are much less harmful than smoking."
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Opinion: The tobacco industry is trying to get cigarettes classified as an ‘essential’ item during lockdown
Ian Hamilton, lecturer at the Department of Health Sciences at the University of York, writes about how the tobacco industry is capitalising on the current health crisis:
“Without a puff of irony, British American Tobacco announced earlier this month it was making progress in its research towards developing a vaccine for Covid-19. If successful, this move might well save the lives of many of their customers – who could then carry on killing themselves.
“Vaccine development in a time of international crisis is the public-facing image the tobacco industry now wants to project: an altruistic business putting people before profit. Nothing could be further from the truth, as the World Health organisation revealed when it investigated behind-the-scenes activity in the industry. WHO reported that the tobacco lobby is applying pressure on governments during Covid-19 to have tobacco retailers listed as “essential”, and even offered to deliver cigarettes and other tobacco products to people in quarantine.
“Far from viewing the coronavirus pandemic as a problem, the tobacco industry thinks it is an opportunity to establish relationships with key policy makers around the world. The largest tobacco company in India developed a contingency fund that facilitates collaboration with district level decision makers. Building these connections and relationships is normal and crucial for any business. But for the tobacco industry this type of activity not only enhances their reputation for social responsibility, it gives them direct access to those responsible for the regulatory environment in which they work.
“Another tactic used by the tobacco industry, historically and during this pandemic, is to create doubt and confusion. When early data shows a mismatch between the proportion of smokers contracting this virus compared to non-smokers, suggestions are made that nicotine provides a form of protection against the virus. Even if that were subsequently found to be true (we cannot yet know; it is too early to have clear research findings), it conveniently distracts attention from the elevated risk of dying that smokers face when they contract Covid-19. Smoking compromises respiratory functioning […] Having optimal lung function is a critical when contracting this virus, marking the difference between survival and death – a point the WHO has repeated and made clear for the avoidance of doubt.
“Globally public health organisations, such as the UK’s Public Health England, are not well funded and no match for the resources available to big tobacco. The fight is not just economically uneven; it is morally and ethically unequal. Imagine the difference that could be made to population health if this business applied the same energy and resources that it currently employs in encouraging smoking towards reducing the habit? Instead, considerable time and money is spent on how regulation can be circumvented or manipulate policy in their interest.
“This crisis has highlighted some genuinely social-minded business and some morally bankrupt practice, the tobacco industry viewing this pandemic as an opportunity for growth is a true leader in corporate deviancy.”
Source: The Independent, 24 April 2020
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USA: Virus outbreak delays government review of e-cigarettes
Electronic cigarette companies will have four additional months to submit their products for US government review because of delays tied to the coronavirus outbreak. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said yesterday (Thursday 23 April) that a federal court accepted its request to push back the 12 May 2020 deadline to submit vaping product applications to 9 September 2020.The agency said the COVID-19 pandemic has caused delays for the companies and FDA staff.
After a surge in underage vaping, health advocacy groups successfully sued the FDA last year to speed up its review of vaping products, part of attempts to regulate the vaping industry. The court ordered the FDA to set the 12 May application deadline.
FDA Commissioner Dr. Stephen Hahn said in a statement that e-cigarette companies have reported problems completing their research because of travel restrictions and limited laboratory access. Hahn also explained that many FDA staff who would have reviewed the applications are assisting with the pandemic response.
Source: Medical Xpress, 23 April 2020
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South Africa: Cigarette ban lifted as SA moves to level four lockdown
President Cyril Ramaphosa announced yesterday (Thursday 23 April) that certain lockdown measures will be relaxed. He announced that the sale of cigarettes will once again be permitted, as well as outdoor exercise under “very strict conditions”.
The alcohol and cigarette industries had threatened to take the matter to court to overturn the restrictions on sales
Source: The South African, 24 April 2020
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Webinar: Smoking in pregnancy and COVID-19
The Smoking in Pregnancy Challenge Group is hosting a webinar on smoking in pregnancy and COVID-19 on Tuesday 5th May, 10:00 – 11:00. The webinar is an opportunity for maternity professionals to find out about new resources developed for the #QuitforCovid campaign, and to discuss some of the key challenges related to supporting pregnant women to quit during the COVID-19 lockdown.
The webinar will include:
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A brief overview of the resources and information developed as part of the #QuitforCovid campaign. This includes tailored resources for maternity professionals working to reduce smoking in pregnancy.
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An update from Public Health England on how localities are managing NRT supply and distribution.
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A presentation from Lisa Fendall, Freelance Consultant and National Trainer, who will address some of the key challenges related to supporting pregnant women to quit during the COVID-19 lockdown.
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Q&A session
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Webinar: Smoking and COVID-19 for local authorities
On Thursday 7th May 2020, ASH is hosting a webinar for local authority public health professionals and councillors on the importance of tobacco control as part of local COVID-19 strategies. The webinar will run for 1 hour (11:00-12:00) and will include:
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Overview and importance of tobacco control in COVID-19 responses (Deborah Arnott, Chief Executive ASH)
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Smoking and COVID-19 clinical risks and evidence (Dr Nick Hopkinson)
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#QuitforCovid campaign overview and resources (Scott Crosby, Breath 2025 & Andy Lloyd, Head of Media and Communications, Fresh)
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Case study: Sheffield City Council’s approach to tobacco control during the COVID-19 crisis (Greg Fell, Director of Public Health & Sarah Hepworth, Health Improvement Principal, Sheffield City Council)
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Q&A (All speakers)
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ASH Daily News is a digest of published news on smoking-related topics. ASH is not responsible for the content of external websites. ASH does not necessarily endorse the material contained in this bulletin.
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