Smoking is the inhalation of the smoke of burning tobacco encased in cigarettes, pipes, and cigars. Casual smoking is the act of smoking only occasionally, usually in a social situation or to relieve stress. A smoking habit is a physical addiction to tobacco products. Many health experts now regard habitual smoking as a psychological addiction, too, and one with serious health consequences.
New vaccine for nicotine addiction — Weill Cornell researchers develop novel anti-body vaccine that blocks addictive nicotine chemicals from reaching the brain – A single dose of novel vaccine protects mice, over their lifetime, against nicotine addiction. Researchers at Weill Cornell Medical College have developed and successfully tested in mice an innovative vaccine to treat nicotine addiction.
Secondhand smoke is linked to Type 2 diabetes and obesity – Adults who are exposed to secondhand smoke have higher rates of obesity and Type 2 diabetes than do nonsmokers without environmental exposure to tobacco smoke, a new study shows.
Study links smoking to increased all-cause mortality in older patients – An analysis of available medical literature suggests smoking was linked to increased mortality in older patients and that smoking cessation was associated with reduced mortality at an older age, according to a report published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, USA. Smoking is a known risk factor for many chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease and cancer, however, the epidemiological evidence mostly relies on studies conducted among middle-aged adults.
Smoking associated with more rapid cognitive decline in men – Smoking in men appears to be associated with more rapid cognitive decline or mental decline. Smoking is increasingly recognized as a risk factor for dementia in the elderly and the number of dementia cases worldwide, estimated at 36 million in 2010, is on the rise and is projected to double every 20 years.
Nicotine replacement therapies may not be effective in helping people quit smoking – Nicotine replacement therapies (NRTs) designed to help people stop smoking, specifically nicotine patches and nicotine gum, do not appear to be effective in helping smokers quit long-term, even when combined with smoking cessation counseling, according to a new study by researchers at Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) and the University of Massachusetts Boston.
Smoking causes stroke to occur — Smokers May Get Strokes 10 Years Before Nonsmokers — Does a stroke study change your attitudes about smoking? – Not only are smokers twice as likely to have strokes, they are almost a decade younger than non-smokers when they have them, according to a study presented today at the Canadian Stroke Congress.
Stopping smoking boosts everyday memory — Dr Tom Heffernan with Dr Terence O’Neill Smoking and Memory Loss – Giving up smoking isn’t just good for your health, it’s also good for your memory, according to research from Northumbria University.
New analysis indicates that risk of bladder cancer from smoking greater than previously reported – Current cigarette smokers have a higher risk of bladder cancer than previously reported, and the risk in women is now comparable to that in men, according to a study by scientists from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health.
Chantix associated with 72 percent increased risk of serious CV events — Popular smoking cessation drug significantly increases risk of hospitalization due to serious cardiovascular problems – Smoking cigarettes is a dangerous habit that many are struggling to break, but for the smokers who choose to use one of the most popular smoking cessation drugs on the market, new warnings about the risk of serious cardiovascular events are on their way. Use of varenicline ? marketed by Pfizer under the brand name Chantix ? is associated with a 72 percent increased risk of hospitalization due to a serious adverse cardiovascular (CV) event, such as heart attack or arrhythmia.
Smoking ban reduces emergency room admissions – Workplace smoking bans are gaining ground globally, and one study has shown that they may have significant health effects. The study, conducted by researchers in Dublin, found that emergency room admissions due to respiratory illness dropped significantly in Ireland after the implementation of a workplace smoking ban, compared to admissions that took place before the ban went into effect.
Smokers believe ‘silver’, ‘gold’ and ‘slim’ cigarettes are less harmful – Despite current prohibitions on the words ‘light’ and ‘mild’, smokers in Western countries continue falsely to believe that some cigarette brands may be less harmful than others.
New research shows genetic test for lung cancer risk prompts smokers to quit – New research shows a gene-based test for lung cancer risk assessment motivates smokers to quit or cut down, according to results of a clinical study presented today at the American Association of Cancer Research’s Ninth Annual Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research.
