Tobacco use, tobacco cessation and tuberculosis treatment outcomes: Need to connect the DOTS?

Tuberculosis (TB) and tobacco use are currently two formidable public health concerns and independently pose a considerable threat to global health, and India in particular. With nearly 2.6 million TB patients annually, India is the highest tuberculosis burden-country accounting for one-fourth (26 percent) of the global incidence. Every year, around a quarter of a million people die due to TB in India. That is 2 deaths due to TB every 5 minutes. Also, with over 260 million tobacco users, India has over a quarter of the world’s tobacco consumers. Tobacco use kills nearly a million users annually in India.

2021-03-24
cnbctv18.com

Bloomberg’s Millions Funded An Effective Campaign Against Vaping. Could It Do More Harm Than Good?

In September 2019, Michael Bloomberg, the billionaire philanthropist, and Matthew Myers, president of the nonprofit Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, unveiled a $160 million, three-year campaign to end what they described as an epidemic of e-cigarette use among kids. In a New York Times op-ed, Bloomberg and Myers attacked Big Tobacco for putting young people in serious danger by hooking them on addictive e-cigarettes, which are sold in kid-friendly flavors like cotton candy and gummy bear. Backed by a coalition of influential nonprofits, [...] they called for a national ban on flavored e-cigarettes.

2021-03-24
philanthropy.com

Survey of smokers and vapers in the U.S. during COVID

During the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), some people are at a higher risk of developing severe complications. Some of these include the elderly, those with underlying health conditions, and people with weakened immune systems. Previous studies have also tied cigarette smoking as a risk factor for SARS-CoV-2 infection. With concerns about cigarette smoking being a risk factor for severe illness from COVID-19, understanding nicotine and tobacco use patterns is essential for preventive efforts.

2021-03-24
news-medical.net

Vermont’s Dilemmas in Bid to Ban Both Flavored Vapes and Menthol Cigarettes

[...] It could serve as a metaphor for what’s currently happening in Vermont and across the country, as towns, cities and states continue to misunderstand the technological breakthrough of vaping and resume their battle against tobacco harm reduction. Stalled for a while by the pandemic, the Vermont state senate recently decided to reconsider prohibiting both flavored vaping products and menthol cigarettes. That bill, S24, is currently making its way through committees, having just landed in Economic and Development.

2021-03-24
filtermag.org

The Place for E-cigarettes is Outside

It took decades to understand the dangers of secondhand cigarette smoke. We’re ahead in learning about secondhand smoke from alternative nicotine devices such as e-cigarettes. Supporters erroneously claim they release only water vapor. Along with water vapor is acetone, formaldehyde and propylene glycol in addition to heavy metals nickel, tin, and lead. Exposure to secondhand aerosol is not safe. It’s why vaping should be kept outdoors. Who opposes indoor vaping? The American Medical Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, World Health Organization and Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

2021-03-24
flatheadbeacon.com

Democrats urge FDA to clear market of all flavored e-cigarettes

Dozens of Democratic lawmakers sent a letter to the head of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) urging the agency to take all flavored e-cigarettes off the market. The 43 House Democrats sent the letter to Acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock as the agency reviews premarket tobacco applications and flavored e-cigarettes. “Flavored e-cigarettes are putting a new generation of kids at risk of nicotine addiction and the serious health harms that result from tobacco use,” states the letter drafted by Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) and Diana DeGette (D-Colo.) and released Tuesday.

2021-03-24
thehill.com