How to measure potentially damaging free radicals in cigarette smoke

ACS: Smoking cigarettes can lead to illness and death. Free radicals, which are atoms or groups of atoms with unpaired electrons, in inhaled smoke are thought to be partly responsible for making smokers sick. Now researchers report in ACS’ journal Chemical Research in Toxicology a method for measuring free radicals in cigarette smoke that could help improve our understanding of the relationship between these substances and health.

Advantage for picture-based cigarette pack warnings over text warnings

Chapel Hill: A University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill analysis published today in the journal Tobacco Control synthesized the results of 37 different experiments comparing picture-based and text warnings, finding that picture-based warnings were more effective than text warnings on 20 of 25 different outcome measures. Pictures illustrating the dangers of cigarette smoking were more effective at strengthening people’s intentions to quit smoking than text warnings, a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill analysis of multiple research studies has found.

Cigarette Smoke Makes Superbugs More Aggressive

UCSD: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), an antibiotic-resistant superbug, can cause life-threatening skin, bloodstream and surgical site infections or pneumonia. Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine now report that cigarette smoke may make matters worse. The study, published March 30 by Infection and Immunity, shows that MRSA bacteria exposed to cigarette smoke become even more resistant to killing by the immune system.

Cigarette packs unrecognisable to next generation

British Heart Foundation: Current cigarette packs will be “unrecognisable to the next generation of children” following a vote by the House of Lords to introduce standardised packaging. MPs voted last week to approve regulations on standardised tobacco packaging and following the vote the law will come into force in May 2016.

The new legislation will see tobacco products stripped of their colourful packaging in a bid to prevent future generations from taking up smoking.

Neuroscientist reveals that women crave cigarette more strongly during their periods

Montreal University. CAN: The menstrual cycle appears to have an effect on nicotine cravings, according to a new study by Adrianna Mendrek of the University of Montreal and its affiliated Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Montréal. “Our data reveal that incontrollable urges to smoke are stronger at the beginning of the follicular phase that begins after menstruation.

National mass media anti-smoking campaign exceptionally cost-effective

CDC. US: The 2012 Tips From Former Smokers campaign spent only $480 per smoker who quit and $393 per year of life saved, according to an analysis by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The results of the study were published today in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

Teen prescription opioid abuse, cigarette, and alcohol use trends down

NIH. US: Use of cigarettes, alcohol, and abuse of prescription pain relievers among teens has declined since 2013 while marijuana use rates were stable, according to the 2014 Monitoring the Future (MTF) survey, released today by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). However, use of e-cigarettes, measured in the report for the first time, is high.