Nicotine & tobacco research : official journal of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco
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SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, gains entry into the host cell when its Spike protein is cleaved by host proteases TMPRSS2 and furin, thereby markedly increasing viral affinity for its receptor, angiotensin-converting enzyme-2(ACE2). In rodent and diseased human lungs, tobacco cigarette(TCIG) smoke increases ACE2, but the effect of electronic cigarette vaping(ECIG) is unknown. It is unknown whether nicotine (in both TCIGs and ECIGs) or non-nicotine constituents unique to TCIG smoke increase expression of key proteins in COVID-19 pathogenesis. ⋯ This is the first human study to report a marked increase in proteins critical for COVID-19 infection, including ACE2, TMPRSS2 and ADAM17, in immune cells from healthy tobacco cigarette smokers without lung disease compared to e-cigarette vapers and non-smokers. These findings warrant additional investigation to determine if switching to electronic cigarettes may be an effective harm reduction strategy in smokers addicted to nicotine who are unable or unwilling to quit, The increase in proteases in electronic cigarette vapers remains concerning.
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Adherence to smoking cessation medications remains suboptimal, particularly among low-income smokers. Guided, experiential sampling of nicotine replacement therapies (NRTs) may increase NRT adherence and smoking cessation over gold standard counseling plus NRT. The present pilot study aimed to examine feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of a novel experiential intervention. ⋯ Medication adherence remains a significant impediment to the successful smoking cessation. The results of this study suggest that guided sampling of NRT products improves adherence among low-income smokers. Additionally, this approach yielded greater improvements in smoking behavior compared with gold standard smoking cessation treatment. This intervention shows promise as a feasible smoking cessation treatment for low-income smokers.
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Provision of alternate livelihoods to smokeless tobacco (SLT) supply chain (SC) actors can help in curtailing SLT business and its consumption. We explored the reasons for SC actors' engagement in Naswar (SLT used in South Asia) business and their willingness to switch to other alternatives. ⋯ This study highlights that good profit margins in the Naswar business, lack of awareness of tobacco-related health harms, and absence of the government's support are key detriments to switching to alternative businesses among Naswar SC actors in Pakistan. These findings are the first to come out in the context of both Pakistan and Naswar product, making a case for policy interventions focusing on tax increases, awareness campaigns about tobacco-harms, and a proactive role by the government to provide support for the security of livelihoods to those tobacco SC actors who want to switch to other alternatives.