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A new review by researchers from University College London and the University of Oxford have found that people who switched from cigarettes to heated tobacco had lower levels of exposure to harmful chemicals than those who kept smoking. However, these switchers still had higher levels of exposure to toxins than those who stopped using tobacco altogether.
Lower exposure to harmful chemicals was found across several harmful substances linked to cancers, heart disease, and respiratory problems, meaning that switching from cigarettes to heated tobacco could reduce the chances of developing these diseases, although more data is required to confirm this hypothesis. The results lend support to the idea that it is inhaling toxic chemicals when burning tobacco that generate most of the harmful effects of cigarettes.
The review did not consider any studies in which giving smokers heated tobacco products actively helped them to stop smoking, but it did consider two Japanese studies which showed that cigarette sales fell more rapidly after the launch of IQOS heated tobacco on the Japanese market. The authors also compare heated tobacco to e-cigarettes as a harm reduction device, noting that whilst heated tobacco remains harmful and is dominated by the tobacco industry e-cigarettes are a much safer alternative to tobacco cigarettes that can be used to aid quitting.
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New research published in The Lancet Public Health journal has found that more than 153 million people could have dementia by 2050, a rise from 57 million in 2019. The researchers cited ageing and growing populations as principle causes for the predicted rise but also cited obesity, diabetes, and smoking as accounting for more than six million cases of the projected increase by 2050.
The study predicted that cases of dementia in the UK will rise from just over 907,000 to almost 1.6 million and in Western Europe from almost eight million to nearly 14 million. Cases in eastern sub-Saharan Africa are predicted to rise from nearly 660,000 to more than three million, mainly driven by population growth. In North Africa and the Middle East, cases are expected to rise from almost three million to nearly 14 million. In the Asia Pacific region, the rise is expected to be from 4.8 million to 7.4 million.
The study looked at 195 countries. The authors said that improved access to education in countries around the world meant they reduced their projected figure for 2050 by 6.2 million. Lead author Emma Nichols from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, pointed to the need for prevention and control of risk factors, like scaling up programmes to support stopping smoking, healthier diets, more exercise, and better access to education.
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A new study led by the University of Pennsylvania has found that offering financial incentives for smoking cessation is highly cost-effective for both society and employers.
The study evaluated the cost-effectiveness of a randomized trial of financial incentives conducted with employees of CVS Caremark in the US. The financial incentives, which ranged from $800 (£590) to $1,940 (£1,432), led to much higher quit rates at six months. The researchers then estimated life expectancy gains (in life-years) and quality of life gains (in quality-adjusted life-years) and then health care costs and employer costs. The study then compared two perspectives for the benefits of smoking cessation: the societal perspective and the employer perspective.
The study found that incentive programmes were particularly cost-effective from a societal point of view, costing $3,200 (£2,363) - $6,500 (£4,800) per life-year and $2,500 (£1,846) – $5,100 (£3,766) per quality-of-life-year. From an employer perspective, the cost of funding incentive programmes was higher, standing at $256,600 (£189,470) - $1,711,100 (£1,263,450) and $65,300 (£48,220) - $128,800 (£95,112) per quality-of-life-year. Given the huge payoff for quitting smoking, these costs were both highly cost-effective, though the study authors noted the shorter-term thinking of employers may be a barrier to implementation for them.
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A poll conducted by Swiss national broadcaster SRG has found that about two-thirds of Swiss people expect a vote to protect children and young adults from tobacco advertising to pass next month. Pollsters say that the vote is too close to call, though they say that approval is most likely.
In Switzerland, unlike in many other developed countries, tobacco advertising is still allowed, with some restrictions. The new initiative aims to ban ads anywhere children and adolescents might see them, for example in the press, at kiosks, or events. The same rules would apply to e-cigarettes.
Source: Bloomberg, 7 January 2022
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ASH has published a webpage bringing together all of the reflections and resources as ASH celebrated its 50th birthday in 2021. The page includes a recording of the ASH 50th anniversary event, a commemoration reel celebrating some of the lives lost to smoking, and a video reflecting on 50 years of ASH. You can check out the webpage below.
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Respiratory Futures and the British Thoracic Society (BTS) have launched a joint project to support clinicians and those who provide smoking cessation services within hospital acute trusts to implement and improve tobacco dependence treatment.
The three-year project will be complementary to the delivery of the NHSE&I Long Term Plan to offer NHS-funded tobacco dependence treatment within acute, mental health and maternity services. This new project will support sharing, supporting, disseminating and updating information throughout the life of the Long Term Plan smoking cessation project.
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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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