Nicotine & tobacco research : official journal of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco
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Tobacco use among college students increased substantially during the 1990s. Better understanding of college smokers is warranted to develop interventions specific to the needs of this population. We examined sociodemographic and tobacco-use characteristics associated with self-identification as a regular smoker and intentions to quit smoking among college students who smoke cigarettes. ⋯ Students who self-identified as a regular smoker smoked more cigarettes before starting college, smoked a greater number of cigarettes the prior 30 days, smoked more cigarettes per day, and were more likely to smoke within 30 min of waking up, compared with students who were current smokers but did not consider themselves regular smokers. Females, older students, and those who had decreased the amount they smoked since coming to college were more likely to want to quit "very much." Females and students in early college years were more likely to be planning to quit before graduation, as were students who had decreased the amount they smoked since coming to college. Interventions should target students who are in their early college years, given that habits prior to college, changes in smoking habits while in college, and year in college are associated with students' self-identification as a regular smoker, desire to quit smoking, or plan to quit smoking while in college.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Controlled Clinical Trial
Pilot study on lower nitrosamine smokeless tobacco products compared with medicinal nicotine.
Smokeless tobacco (ST) products have the potential to be used as a harm reduction method for cigarette smokers. These products can deliver significantly less toxicants than cigarettes, although they are not toxicant free nor harmless. It is important to examine potential health risks and benefits of these products. ⋯ With the exception of medicinal nicotine products, low-nitrosamine ST products have the greatest potential to result in reduced toxicant exposure compared with other combustible reduced exposure products and have promise for reducing individual risk for disease. However, the population effect of marketing of such products as reduced exposure/reduced risk is unknown. The need for further research in this area and regulation of tobacco products is evident.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Controlled Clinical Trial
Treating smokers before the quit date: can nicotine patches and denicotinized cigarettes reduce cravings?
The present study investigated whether treatment with the combination of denicotinized cigarettes and 21-mg nicotine patch for 2 weeks before a designated quit date could lessen cravings for smoking, thereby helping smokers abstain from smoking. The study was a randomized controlled clinical trial conducted at Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, New York, in 2004 and 2005. Patients included 98 adult heavy smokers (using 20 or more cigarettes/day). ⋯ Self-reported withdrawal symptoms and quit rates did not differ significantly between the groups. The use of a denicotinized cigarette combined with the nicotine patch appears to lessen cravings to smoke in the immediate postcessation period. A larger, better-powered study is needed to test if this treatment combination has merit for increasing quit rates.
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We estimated the price and income elasticity of cigarette demand and the impact of cigarette taxes on cigarette demand and cigarette tax revenue in Malaysia. The data on cigarette consumption, cigarette prices, and public policies between 1990 and 2004 were subjected to a time-series regression analysis applying the error-correction model. The preferred cigarette demand model specification resulted in long-run and short-run price elasticities estimates of -0.57 and -0.08, respectively. ⋯ The model predicted that an increase in cigarette excise tax from Malaysian ringgit (RM) 1.60 to RM2.00 per pack would reduce cigarette consumption in Malaysia by 3.37%, or by 806,468,873 cigarettes. This reduction would translate to almost 165 fewer tobacco-related lung cancer deaths per year and a 20.8% increase in the government excise tax revenue. We conclude that taxation is an effective method of reducing cigarette consumption and tobacco-related deaths while increasing revenue for the government of Malaysia.
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This paper assesses rates of the 5A's (ask, advise, assess, assist, and arrange) of brief provider counseling received by Medicaid-enrolled smokers and recent quitters and the differences in receipt of counseling as a function of age, gender, race, ethnicity, and health status. A random sample telephone survey was conducted among Medicaid-enrolled smokers and recent quitters in four geographic areas in the United States. Multivariate logistic regression models estimated the relationships between demographic characteristics and delivery of the 5A's. ⋯ However, they were much less likely to provide comprehensive counseling, with fewer than 25% of patients reporting receiving any assistance with quitting (i.e., a prescription for pharmacotherapy or referral to counseling) or arrangement of a follow-up visit or phone call. Receipt of the 5A's varied as a function of health status, race, and ethnicity. Medicaid needs to (a) increase provider delivery of the full spectrum of counseling interventions recommended for smoking cessation and (b) extend provider outreach to the demographic groups that receive the lowest rates of counseling.