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Smokeless (oral
snuff, snus) protects young people from smoking. A survey of 6000 adults
in Sweden
has shown that among men, where
the numbers permitted full analysis those who started smoking as their
first form of tobacco use, were smokers in 35% of cases when interviewed.
Among those who began using tobacco in the form of snus, 5% were smokers
when surveyed. Thus snus reduces the risk of a Swedish young person by 6/7
or by 86%. This was not a randomised
controlled trial, but as such a trial would be impractical, this evidence
may be as good as it gets. More at....www.endsmoking.org.nz/snuffinyoung.htm
Snuff is highly effective short and long term stop smoking aid
Smokeless
(oral snuff, snus) is a highly effective short term and long term quitting
aid The
same survey found that in their most recent quit attempt, those who had
used snus were two to four times more likely to have successfully quit
smoking, compared with those using nicotine gum or patch.
Comparing the life time
experiences of those whose first taste of tobacco was by smoking, about
half had quit smoking and tobacco altogether. In those who only smoked and
did not use snuff, 44% were still smokers. In those who switched over to
snus, 38% were still using snus, and only 8% were still smokers. The
results are taken from the June 2006 issue of Tobacco Control.
When all smokers whose
first taste of tobacco was by smoking are considered, their chances of
quitting smoking were 5.7 times greater if they had used snuff. For more ..... www.endsmoking.org.nz/snusaidsquitting.htm
Sales trends: In Sweden and in the United States, snuff sales are increasing. In
the United States, smokeless tobacco
includes decreasing sales of spit tobacco (an unaesthetic product used
by farm workers in the southern states).
The US Surgeon General and almost
all US official websites maintain that
smokeless tobacco is not a safe substitute for smoking. (without
mentioning that smokeless reduces the risk of smoking by 90% to
95%). Thus US smokers mostly quit without resort to
smokeless.
Superannuation Fund invests 29 million dollars in cigarette
firms
The NSW
government has defended its $12 million dollars investment
in Altria Group (Philip Morris)
stocks, making Philip Morris among the
top ten companies listed in one of their two investment portfolios. (AAP 26
June www.tobacco.org )
NZ has five
crown financial institutions which invests its pension and insurance funds.
The NZ Superannuation Fund (the Cullen fund), is the biggest fund, and
for which detailed data were available, invested 29 million dollars or 0.34%
of its portfolio in tobacco companies in 2005.
Of this 7.5
million dollars were invested in Altria (Philip
Morris). Another nine firms were cigarette manufacturers, another two
mainly smokeless manufacturers, bringing the total to over 30 million
dollars in tobacco stocks. SmokeLess is
proposing a small change to the law at the next available opportunity, to
end the Crown's investment in the making and marketing of cigarettes, which
kill 4000 New Zealanders annually. Cigarettes
are the leading cause of preventable death among pensioners.
It is grossly inappropriate
to fund retirement in this way.
For the
numbers, see the SmokeLess website
at www.endsmoking.org.nz/CFIsintobacco.htm
People
movements
NZ
delegates will soon be on their way to the triennial world Tobacco or
Health Conference in Washington DC. Enjoy the moment!
Dr
Stephen McKernan's support for smokefree initiatives as CEO at Manukau DHB will
hopefully transfer to his new post as Director General of Health. Smoking
remains a major problem in the Counties Manukau
area, and nationally.
Dr
Dwayne Crombie today announced his resignation as CEO, Waitemata District Health Board. He has shown great
leadership in promoting better health in Waitemata.
In today's top NZ Herald story, he decried the cost of the paper war.
Nicola
McDonald last week announced her shift from ASH to the Heart
Foundation. Nicola has important off-line policy
responsibilities with respect to Hone Harawira's
planned bill to end cigarette sales.
Trish
Fraser finished her contract as Auckland Regional Smokefree
DHBs Project Manager today, and moves on to
managing the smoking cessation guidelines revision project for the Ministry
of Health, and to completing the write up of the Stop smoking internet
based project for Auckland DHB staff.
Dr Simon Chapman, editor of Tobacco Control journal, is in Lyon until September
writing a book on Tobacco Control, and harm reduction is expected to
be the biggest chapter.
Carrick Graham has resigned after ten years as BATNZ public
affairs director, and Dr Inger Wahlberg,
as chief scientist at Swedish Match in Stockholm has retired. Both
have been strong advocates within their companies for low nitrosamine snuff
to reduce smoking risks.
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