Nicotine and Addiction

American Smokers are Puffing Less

Although the percentage of American adults who smoke has hovered at about 20 percent since 2004,  people are smoking less, according to a new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC’s conclusion was based on figures showing declining sales of cigarettes. Sales fell by more than 20 percent from 2004-2009, thanks in ... Read more »

Most Chinese Don’t Know Smoking Causes Lung Cancer, Survey Finds

A new survey reveals the immense challenge facing China as it tries to reduce smoking in the world’s most tobacco-addicted country.
Less than a quarter of the Chinese population believes smoking causes disease like lung cancer, and fewer than one-sixth of the country’s 301 million smokers plan to kick the habit, according to a survey conducted this year by the Chinese ... Read more »

Tobacco Panelists Under Attack for Drug Industry Ties

An ethics watchdog group filed a complaint yesterday against two panelists on a new federal tobacco products advisory committee, arguing that their links to drug companies present a serious conflict of interest.
According to the filing, the two members of the Food and Drug Administration’s Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee are paid consultants for companies that ... Read more »

Washington State Votes to Increase Tobacco Tax

Washington state will hike cigarette taxes but won’t dedicate the expected revenue to anti-smoking campaigns. The state legislature voted to add $1 to the price of a pack of cigarettes, bringing the total per-pack tax to $3, as part of a plan to shrink the budget gap. The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids applauded the new ... Read more »

Presidential Smoking = Public Health Opportunity

President Barack Obama’s ongoing battle with cigarettes provides an enormous public health opportunity to do something to reduce the 400,000 American lives lost every year to smoking. But there is at least one big difference between Obama and most Americans when it comes to quitting: His access to enlightened medical advice helped him achieve and apparently sustain a drastic reduction in his smoking.

The Mystery of Philip Morris’ Nicotine Inhaler

The tobacco giant’s device, invented years ago in secret, could be a boon for addicted smokers. But the project appears to have stalled.

Cigarette maker Philip Morris has developed an inhaler that could deliver a nicotine mist deep into the lungs, giving smokers a satisfying dose of the addictive drug without ... Read more »