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2005 tobacco products consumption increased. Certainly no decrease
Short term trends are uneven, but no decrease was seen
in 2004 after the ban on smoking in bars in Dec. 2004.
Since 1990, the price per gram of product has increased
74%.
Since 1990, consumption of dry tobacco has fallen 44%.
Since 1990, the trade's revenue per gram of product has
increased 50%.
Since 1990, the trade's revenue has fallen only 2% in
real terms.
The industry put less tobacco in each cigarette, but
nicotine yields remained fairly stable.
(In any case nicotine smoke machine yields are a poor
guide to actual delivery to the smoker.)
There has been a decrease in real terms of 11% (over $94
million) revenue from tobacco between 2000 and 2005.
Manufacturers’ returns for 2005 calendar year were
analysed by Health New Zealand Ltd.
The report and 24 additional tables are available at
http://www.ndp.govt.nz/tobacco/tobaccoreturns/2005/tobacco-returns-2005-report.pdf
NZ tobacco control programme excels on inputs but
outcome effectiveness could be better
Recent analysis shows that the NZ tobacco control
programme excels head and shoulders above any country in Europe including
UK Ireland Finland, Norway and Sweden, in terms of having implemented stiff
policies, in spending adequately on tobacco control, and providing for
smoking cessation. (Based on Joossens and Raw
Tobacco Control June 2006). This
theme will be developed further as more data come to hand.
NZ tobacco control excels on inputs but not on outcomes
In a recent letter to the NZMJ on behalf of SmokeLess Dr Laugesen points out that the NZ government
is spending much more (about four times as much per capita) as the Swedish
Government in controlling tobacco, and Swedish cigarettes are twice as
costly as in NZ in relation to income. Yet smoking rates are much lower in Sweden
for men - presumably due to the widespread use of snuff displacing
cigarettes as the preferred way to get nicotine. As a consequence lung
cancer rates in Swedish men are very low.
Here, it is proving very
difficult to persuade research bodies to get snus researched. No RCT has
been done on snus as a stop smoking aid. Available information suggests it
is two to four times as effective as nicotine patch or gum. Cessation
workers have some desperate cases on their hands and ordering the stuff by
internet is legal, but some proper research is essential.)
Snus has decreased Swedish male smoking and cancer rates
below New Zealand
levels (14% of Swedish men smoke, 20% use snuff; 23% of New
Zealand men smoke). Snus’ clinical
effectiveness needs testing by a randomised
controlled trial. If New Zealand
research can prove that nicotine-only products are just as effective, well
and good.
The letter asks Government to look at the NZ tobacco
control programme, and tweak in the direction of more choice for smokers - to put a
smokeless nicotine fix on sale alongside cigarettes, at half the price.
This could be snus or it could be pure nicotine - research is needed to
assess both.
http://www.nzma.org.nz/journal/119-1241/2161/ (password
required)
New analysis of tobacco harm reduction in
the United States
Tobacco and Tobacco Products at a crossroads in the 21st
Century - Scott D Ballin.
Dr Scott D Ballin, a lawyer
lobbyist veteran of 25 years of tobacco control in Washington
DC, was two-time chair of the Coalition
on Smoking and Health in the US,
and one of the first tobacco control lobbyists at the Capitol. The document
can be downloaded in whole or in part. An executive summary is available.
As is 'normal' in the US,
where tobacco helped gain independence from the US,
it is assumed that tobacco products will stay legal to sell. Lacking faith
in Congress to grasp the nettle of regulation, he proposes an independent
policy research institute, a safe haven, where all can find a safe place to
debate these matters. More at
http://www.tobaccoatacrossroads.com/
European SRNT Conference, Turkey
Dr Laugesen will attend the 4th SRNT Conference in Kusadasi Turkey 23-26 September and for some R&R
(water turquoise in colour, 24 degrees), along
with Dr Hayden McRobbie
and Colin Howe from CTRU, U of Auckland. The Society for Research on
Nicotine and Tobacco is the biggest world society of scientists working to
reduce tobacco use. Dr Laugesen will give a lecture at Harvard School of
Public Health on 5 October on Snuffing out cigarette sales.
Fast nicotine steps up to the plate
Dr Hayden McRobbie Chris Bullen Simon Thorley et al
have applied today to have several forms of fast nicotine approved for a
small phase 3 trial as a cessation medicine. The
research is sponsored by a Heart Foundation grant and by the manufacturer, Niconovum in Sweden.
If approved for trial, 88 Aucklanders will assist
in comparing the fast nicotine products against nicotine gum. The trial, of
acceptability and effectiveness in relieving cravings, could be completed
within a few months.
If successful, Niconovum
products could make snus unnecessary for stopping smoking, but it all
depends on the research results, and whether smokers will use these
products.
Marlboro UltraSmooth
fails to protect at normal puff volumes
Cigarettes are likely to remain as dangerous as ever for
as far ahead as can be seen. Deliberately choosing to test emissions from
the most hopefully reduced risk cigarette available, Laugesen and Fowles show in "Marlboro UltraSmooth
- a potentially reduced risk cigarette?" in Tobacco Control to be published on
October 1, that Marlboro UltraSmooth though excellent when the machine took
shallow infrequent puffs, failed to reduce emissions below that of NZ
Holiday at normal rates of depth of puff, and when nicotine yield was
adjusted for. The paper concludes that since cigarette smoking incurs a 1
in 2 risk of early death, halving this risk still makes cigarette smoking
unacceptably risky.
In the same Tobacco Control issue, watch also for Rob
McGee's Tobacco Imagery on NZ Television 2002-4, and for the Wellington
Medical School students work on Observed Smoking in cars - method and
differences by socio-economic area.
Change of address
SmokeLess New
Zealand is now at 36
Winchester St Lyttelton
Christchurch 8082. ph 03 32 88 688.
Dr Murray Laugesen QSO chair; Prof Ross McCormick, Sir John Scott KBE, Trish
Fraser MPH, Dr Marewa Glover, Trustees
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