Smoking is a habit that is difficult for anyone to kick, but it is hard to imagine where someone living on the streets would find the inspiration to quit.
That said, Burrell Behavioural Health has started up a program to help the less fortunate quit smoking. It's already in place at a shelter called Bill's Place, where anyone can come in, take a shower, get a cup of coffee or just get in from the cold.
Sue, a smoker for 32 years, is taking part in this program, "I've been wanting to quit. I've quit two times before, but I always have gone back. I think through prayer and a friend and the support group has helped me. I can't say it's going to help everybody, but it has helped me."
This is probably the part of society that needs the most help, with the high cost of cigarettes these days, quitting probably means the difference between getting off or staying on the streets.
[Via: ksmu.org]
The Pentagon has reassured troops that tobacco products will not be banned on the war front, as was previously believed. That is, for now, officials aren't planning to ban smoking yet. Fears over such a ban arose when a study was released recommending that smoking in the army banned within the next 20 years.
However, at a news conference for the Pentagon, press secretary Geoff Morrell clearly stated that Defense Secretary Robert Gates will not ban the use of cigarettes, chewing tobacco or any other such products for those troops who are working in war zones.
With regards to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Morrell said, "He knows that the situation they are confronting is stressful enough as it is. I don't think he is interested in adding to the stress levels by taking away one of the few outlets they may have to relieve stress."
But the goal of having a smoke-free force remains. This is quite an ironic situation as soldiers go into war facing impending death, their health is probably the last thing on their minds, and relieving stress the first.
[Via: AP]
The LSU Health Sciences is putting on an exhibit "Not a Cough in a Carload" to show how tobacco companies used to advertise to attract new smokers.
By the beginning of the 20th century there was already research to show that smoking was harmful to health. But tobacco companies were on their toes, and they immediately launched a campaign to counter this data.
Deidra Woodson, worked on hanging up the ads for the exhibit, and she did not fail to miss the irony of the friendly doctor holding a pack of cigarettes in one of the advertisements. These kinds of images were used make people feel that smoking was safe and healthy.
But the creators of the exhibit found that there was no evidence that doctors ever supported or endorsed this habit. It was rather the stars of Hollywood that signed deals to promote cigarettes as early as the 1920's. The exhibit even holds a deal signed by Sylvester Stallone in 1983…
[Via: shreveporttimes.com]
The American Medical association has revealed a plan to bring shame to those movie studios that depict smoking in their movies. The name of the effort is, "Which Movie Studios Will Cause the Most Youth to Start Smoking This Summer?"
They have already started a scorecard on Facebook. The number of tobacco images will be tallied in films that are rated G, PG and PG-13 from May to August. The greatest offending studio will appear on billboards in September.
The American Medical Association Alliance will be operating the page on Facebook. The site has already included complaints about "X-Men Origins: Wolverine," from teenagers who were apparently offended by the images of tobacco use.
The president of the American Medical Association Alliance, Sandi Frost says, "It's incomprehensible for studios to defend their promotion of tobacco products in the youth-rated films when you hear from teenagers directly that they are taking notice - and offense - to this on-screen promotion."
It is a fact that images like these should not be included in films for children, but it should not be banned altogether. Smoking is a fact of life and it is not possible to deny it - it is part of our history and some films just need to depict such images.
[Via: NY Times]
Experts say that the best way to stop underage teen-smoking is through education. Based on this idea, the Jackson County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition is teaming up with teens in the area to teach store-clerks the proper way to sell tobacco.
16-year-old Kacy Cameron of Jackson said, "I've learned a lot through the coalition, and it helps out in the community. I believe it (education on tobacco) prevents sales."
Retailers are given legal age-limit stickers that have been updated. They are also given materials through which they can educate their employees about the proper ways to sell tobacco. In addition, they are given the information about the fines they can receive for selling tobacco to children who are underage.
This is only fair because huge fines are being placed on store owners for under-age tobacco sales and many of their employees haven't got a clue as to what the laws surrounding tobacco are.
