According to a new British study the smoking cessation drug varenciline (Chantix) does not increase the risk of suicidal tendencies or depression.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently mandated that a "black box warning" be carried by the drug's packaging, which would indicate to users that by using the drug they were at risk of experiencing "serious neuropsychiatric symptoms." This includes changes in behavior, hostility, agitation, depressed mood, suicidal thoughts and behavior as well as attempted suicide.
In this study, 660 men and women aged 18 to 95, who had been prescribed a product to aid smoking cessation between September 2006 and May 2008. Prescriptions included vareniciline, the antidepressant bupropion (Zyban) or nicotine replacement products, like patch, inhaler, gum, tablet or lozenge. Patients were followed over the period they were on the prescription and three months after they were off the last prescription.
The study reported that there was no clear evidence to show that varenicline or bupropion increased self-harm, suicidal thoughts or depression. But the researchers did add that "the limited power of the study means we cannot rule out either a halving or a two-fold increased risk."
Leaving the hopeful quitter without any real answer, it would be wonderful if there truly was a drug that could help smokers quit, or at least make the battle easier. Smokers should be given more information about smoking cessation than on the dangers of smoking, because this is what is truly productive.
[Via: ajc.com]
Researchers have recently stated that smoking bans in public places can reduce heart attack rates by about 36%, further supporting the effectiveness of smoking restrictions.
Widespread bans on smoking are encouraged in enclosed public places, to help improve general public health.
The author of the study James Lightwood of the University of California, San Francisco, said in a statement, "This study adds to the already strong evidence that second-hand smoke causes heart attacks, and that passing 100 percent smoke-free laws in all workplaces and public places is something we can do to protect the public."
Data was pooled from 13 studies on the smoking bans that have taken effect in the United States, Canada and Europe.
The researchers claimed that as soon as smoking restrictions were put in place, heart attack rates would fall immediately.
He said, "A well-designed smoking restriction law can significantly reduce heart attacks in the community and has a beneficial impact on public health."
Strangely (or not), no one talks about the freedom. If you were reading these studies without thinking, you would think that all those people who lived in the 70' and 80' are dead by now. Stupid…
According to a new study the levels of nicotine in a smoker's car are much higher than those in a non-smokers's car. In fact, the nicotine levels are even higher than those in public places where smoking is permitted.
The Johns Hopkins Bloombersg School of Public Health did the research on nicotine levels in cars and they found them to be 50% higher than those in restaurants, bars and other places where smoking is legal. But the research on bars and restaurants was done by other groups.
The senior author of the project Dr. Patrick Breysse says the focus of the project is to find out how non-smokers are affected by travelling with smokers.
The car has become the new environment to attack for smoking. Slowly region by region and state by state, even smoking in cars is being banned, whether this research is viable or not…
[Via: visitbulgaria.info]
A new study has found that nearly 6 million people in the world will die from tobacco use in 2010. Next year tobacco users around the world will pass away due to cancer, heart disease, emphysema and many other illnesses, according to cancer experts.
The World Lung Foundation and the American Cancer Society have estimated that tobacco use will cost $500 billion worldwide, in medical expenses.
A committee has been set up by the Food and Drug Foundation to guide and oversee cigarettes and other tobacco products.
Wealthy countries like the United States, Britain and Japan have seen a decrease in smoking rates, while poorer countries are seeing a rise. With the economic state of the world it seems obvious that this is not going to change in the near future…
[Via: straitstimes.com]
The dangers of smoking are not few and far apart, and now researchers have proven that smoking also causes a loss of taste, making food a bit less enjoyable.
Young men in Greece were tested for this study, both smokers and non-smokers. The shape and number of their taste buds was tested as well as their sensitivity to taste. It was found that smokers had flatter taste buds than non-smokers, and the number of taste buds was found to be the same for both groups.
Pavlidis Pavlos, the leader of the research project says, "Statistically important differences between the taste thresholds of smokers and non-smokers were detected." However, researchers have more work to do on this topic as they were not able to explain the fact that a few of the smokers were still sensitive to taste in the same way as non-smokers…
[Via: WebMD]
