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| Issue 124 | 2 September 2009 | ||||
Having trouble viewing this newsletter? Try the online version. IN THIS ISSUE:
Guest editorial
Many people in New Zealand live with the legacy of tobacco from a time when smoking was widespread and normal. As a child I would sometimes go to the local dairy to buy cigarettes for my grandmother (she quit smoking in her late 80s). Fortunately, things have changed substantially since then. However, the impact of cigarettes lives on in the health of our ageing population. Rates of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are increasing. Our local Asthma Societies and COPD support groups do a great job with exercise classes and support which help people with COPD to stay well and manage their illness. However, recently published research has shown there is considerable variation between DHBs in the provision of respiratory services. The most alarming finding was that nearly half a million people did not have access to a respiratory physician. For people with COPD, pulmonary rehabilitation is a very important intervention for improving their quality of life. Unfortunately access to this is a 'postcode lottery' which depends on whether the DHB in your area provides this service. We hear from members of COPD groups that they find the exercise classes and support invaluable in keeping them well and active. It is a pity these local activities are frequently not supported by local health services. In cases where such support does occur the results are obvious. The Canterbury Respiratory Relief Society and the Manawatu Breathe Easy Support Group are going from strength to strength with excellent support from their local hospital. We only wish that this same model existed in other parts of the country. Quitting smoking extremely beneficial for people with mental illness – academic
Dr Sharon Lawn of Flinders University in South Australia says it is a culturally entrenched myth in the mental health sector that it's too hard for people with mental illness to give up smoking because they face so many other challenges. "People often think 'life's tough enough already' for people with experience of mental illness, so let's turn a blind eye to the smoking issue. But helping people with mental illness quit smoking can be hugely beneficial. "People with mental illness can die up to 25 years earlier than others and they are more than twice as likely to develop chronic conditions such as heart and respiratory diseases. Smoking is a huge contributor to that, and definitely something we should all be concerned about." Dr Lawn was recently in New Zealand to speak at a series of workshops around the country organised by the Cancer Society of New Zealand, in conjunction with Pathways and the Mental Health Foundation. She says that, far from making lives more difficult, stopping smoking has huge benefits for people with mental illness. Not only do people report feeling healthier, they also feel happier, more confident, more self-determining and have an improved quality of life. Their mental health is much better as a result – and there are studies to back this up." Dr Lawn has written a systematic review of international research on mental health inpatient facilities that have gone smokefree. The review, which has encouraged a number of Australian mental health units to go smokefree, found results were overwhelmingly positive. There were few reported increases in aggression, use of seclusion, discharges against medical advice or use of medication following smoking bans. She also spoke with staff at 99 mental health units in Australia, many of which are now smokefree, and says the study reveals there are a lot of myths around smoking and mental health. "Staff were initially fearful that people would become more difficult to support if units went smokefree, or their mental health would get worse, but now they’re wondering what all the fuss was about." Dr Lawn recently talked to mental health and smoking cessation staff in New Zealand about how to engage with people who have mental health issues to help them quit smoking. Cancer Society Tobacco Control Advisor Belinda Keenan says smokers in developed nations such as New Zealand are increasingly among the most vulnerable communities and they need our support. She says that it is estimated that about a third of people with experience of mental illness in New Zealand are smokers. "This can result in some dire health inequalities, so we need to ensure we have services in place that are able to support people with mental health issues through the quitting process." Important document updatesTwo important documents for tobacco control workers have recently been updated and re-released. Tobacco Control Facts at a Glance is a resource produced by the Health Sponsorship Council (HSC), with support from The Quit Group, The Smokefree Coalition and Te Reo Marama. It is intended to be a snapshot of tobacco control facts such as the health effects of smoking, smoking rates in New Zealand, tobacco industry figures, etc. It contains a large number of references, for those who wish to source further information. Download Tobacco Control Facts at a Glance. (Word, 144.5Kb) The Beginner's Guide to Tobacco Control is a comprehensive resource for New Zealand tobacco control workers. It was produced by a Tobacco Control Reference Group that included members from HSC, The Quit Group, Te Reo Marama, Community and Public Health (Canterbury District Health Board), and the Ministry of Health. It is intended to help those new to working in the tobacco control sector get up to speed quickly. The Guide includes information on key contacts, the history of tobacco control, public health and health promotion, research, smoking cessation and addiction, priority groups, effects of tobacco, including second-hand smoke, facts and figures, the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, and the tobacco industry. Download The Beginner's Guide to Tobacco Control. (PDF, 1.2Mb) New Zealand Haiku selectionIn the 22 July Tobacco Control Update we announced the University of Otago, Wellington Public Health Haiku Celebration of 2009. Haiku (short Japanese poems) could be submitted based on a public health theme. A range of local and international entries were received. A committee at The University of Otago, Wellington has chosen these three New Zealand entries to share.
Through the smokeTobacco smoke enema (1750s-1810s)
The tobacco enema was used to infuse tobacco smoke into a patient's rectum for various medical purposes, primarily the resuscitation of drowning victims. A rectal tube was inserted and connected to a fumigator and bellows that forced the smoke towards the rectum. The warmth of the smoke was thought to promote respiration. However, doubts about the credibility of tobacco enemas led to the popular phrase, "blowing smoke up one's ****." SMOKEFREE SHORTS
New ZealandDHB calls for tobacco to be prescription only
A high level of smoking in the Gisborne-East Coast region led to huge public health bills and many diseases, and an active stance needed to be taken, said board member Brian Wilson. The board has supported Mr Wilson's recommendation to appeal to Health Minister Tony Ryall to have tobacco and nicotine sold only as a prescription drug. 3 News, 26 August 2009 Pressure on to remove cigarette displays There is a fresh push for the Government to ban displays of tobacco products in dairies, supermarkets and service stations. Action on Smoking and Health chair, Professor Bruce Arroll, says it is astonishing that something that kills half its users is displayed like a bottle of milk or a loaf of bread. Yahoo, 23 August 2009 Cost to quit smoking slashed Nicotine patches, gum and lozenges are about to get cheaper for smokers trying to quit the deadly addiction. An eight-week supply, which normally would have cost $20, will now be available for just $6. New Zealand Herald, 26 August 2009 International"Devious" tobacco bosses slammed
Young women, carrying trays reminiscent of those used by ice cream vendors at cinemas, have been going into pubs selling cigarettes. The sales tactic was blasted by Ailsa Rutter, Director of Fresh – the campaign for a smoke-free North East. She said: "What this is doing is glamorising the most lethal consumer product known." Sunday Sun, 16 August 2009 Increased risk of heart attack and stroke with use of smokeless tobacco products Research just published reports that people who use smokeless tobacco products like snus (a moist powder tobacco product) have a slightly higher risk of having a fatal heart attack or stroke. Medical News Today, 19 August 2009 Smoking and mental illness: results from population surveys in Australia and the United States Smoking has been associated with a range of mental disorders including schizophrenia, anxiety disorders and depression. People with mental illness have high rates of morbidity and mortality from smoking related illnesses such as cardiovascular disease, respiratory diseases and cancer. BMC Public Health, 7 August 2009 What's the best way to quit smoking?
Fiore: Guidelines really emphasise three core components to successfully quitting. The first is counselling. There are quit lines which anybody can call and get the services to help them to quit. The second is systematically identifying smokers when they present to health clinics, having a system in place in those clinics to help them to quit, and having it brought up every time they visit. The third scientifically proven therapy is medicine. All three of these are important, each of them by themselves boost quit rates, but when you combine them it really boosts quit rates. Time, 21 August 2009 Londoners turn to alcohol and cigarettes in the recession Londoners are slipping back into unhealthy lifestyles in the recession as they opt for "wealth over health". Cigarette, alcohol and junk food sales have soared while spending on fruit and vegetables has fallen, bucking the healthier living trend of the boom years, according to a new survey. London Evening Standard, 21 August 2009 Smokers' cars loaded with nicotine Passengers riding in the cars of smokers are exposed to nicotine levels nearly twice those found in restaurants and bars that permit smoking, a new study suggests. The dangers of exposure to second-hand smoke are well known, including the risk for heart and respiratory disease, and have led to laws banning smoking in many public places. Many anti-smoking advocates believe the next frontier in the fight against second-hand smoke is in cars. Health Day, 24 August 2009 Altria must pay $US13.8m in smoker lawsuit, jury says
The verdict for Jodie Bullock, daughter of Betty Bullock, who smoked Marlboro and Benson & Hedges cigarettes for 45 years, was reached recently in Los Angeles. An earlier award of $US28 billion from a 2002 trial had been first reduced by the trial judge and then cancelled by an appeals court that ordered a new trial on punitive damages. Bullock's lawyer, Michael Piuze, told jurors Philip Morris misrepresented the risks of smoking for 50 years. He asked for "billions" in punitive damages, saying that anything less wouldn't punish the company. Altria, the largest US cigarette maker, reported 2008 sales of $US19.4 billion. Bloomberg.com, 25 August 2009 Tobacco to kill 6 million people next year: report Tobacco use will kill 6 million people next year from cancer, heart disease, emphysema and a range of other ills, the American Cancer Society says in a new report. The society's new Tobacco Atlas estimates that tobacco use costs the global economy $US500 billion a year in direct medical expenses, lost productivity and environmental harm. Yahoo News, 25 August 2009 QUOTABLE QUOTES"I intend to retain a particular focus on research which aims to inform tobacco control practice, and which aims to greatly reduce the continuing, but wholly unacceptable and preventable, epidemic of tobacco-related deaths and disability in New Zealand." Professor Richard Edwards, commenting on his appointment as professor and chair of Otago University's Department of Public Health at Wellington "It is the position of the Tobacco Institute that the health of the American people is more important than dividends for the tobacco or any other industry." The Tobacco Institute media release, 1958
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Jane
Patterson
An Australian academic, in New Zealand recently, says myths about smoking and mental health abound; but the truth is, giving up smoking is extremely beneficial for people with mental illness.
From
our Essential facts about tobacco files: 
Where
possible, links are provided below the stories. Please click these to read
the story in full.
Tairawhiti District Health Board will lobby the
Health Minister to get tobacco classified so it can be sold only on prescription.
Tobacco bosses have been slammed for "marketing death" in the UK by using beautiful young women dressed in orange satin jump suits to sell their product in busy bars.
How can you tell which is the best method to quit smoking?
Time asked Dr Michael Fiore, a professor of medicine at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and founder of the school's Centre for Tobacco Research and Intervention.
The Altria Group, the parent company of Philip Morris USA, the
Marlboro cigarette maker, must pay $US13.8 million in punitive damages to the daughter of a lifelong smoker who died of lung cancer in 2003, a jury found.