Smoking

Analysis and Comment (19)

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We don’t know if anti-smoking campaigns have worked, or if they’re causing more harm than good. Rusty Stewart

Anti-smoking campaigns failing Indigenous youth

By Kristin Carson

How can anti-smoking campaigns be targeted more effectively at Australia’s Indigenous youth? It’s a good question, and one that, as yet, has proven difficult to answer. Almost half of all Aboriginal and…
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Smokers find it difficult to quit because the environment is full of signals associated with smoking cigarettes. Sarah Horrigan

Breaking bad habits: classical conditioning and smoking

By Amy Reichelt

Addictions are difficult to break as we usually surround ourselves with people, paraphernalia or situations that trigger the behaviour that led to the addiction in the first place. But psychological conditioning…
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Big Tobacco’s planners eye their world maps and salivate over large, poorly educated populations. Image from shutterstock.com

Big Tobacco losing ground on plain packs but homing in on world’s poor

By Simon Chapman

Plain packing has been a reality for Big Tobacco in Australia for three months now; New Zealand announced last week it will follow suit; and at least four other nations, including India, are also considering…
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New concerns have been raised over the effectiveness of nicotine replacement therapy. Image from shutterstock.com

Nicotine replacement therapy isn’t all it’s cracked up to be

By Ross MacKenzie

A study published in the latest edition of the journal Tobacco Control confirms what we’ve long suspected about nicotine replacement therapy (NRT): smokers don’t need to resort to these pharmaceuticals…
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Chrissie Swan and her management have attracted massive media attention in the aftermath of photos of her smoking being published. AAP/Tracey Nearmy

Tears, shame, smoking and PR

By Mike Daube, Curtin University

The past week has seen a torrent of news coverage about Chrissie Swan, who “confessed” to smoking while pregnant with her third child. The confession was followed by myriad commentators and op-eds criticising…
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Why do we feel the need to judge Swan for having a few sneaky cigs while pregnant? AAP/Tracey Nearmy

Lay off Chrissie Swan for smoking while pregnant

By Meredith Nash, University of Tasmania

Broadcaster and commentator Chrissie Swan certainly opened her own can of worms yesterday with her admission she has been smoking while pregnant with her third child. Swan’s “confession” came to light…
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There’s little evidence to support a ban based on the health harms of cigarette smoke in wide, open spaces. AAP/April Fonti

Blanket bans on outdoor smoking no panacea for tobacco control

By Becky Freeman PhD

Support for smoke-free laws is near universal in Australia. In the late 1980s and 90s, these laws were primarily advocated and adopted on the premise that employees shouldn’t be continuously exposed to…
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No-smoking signs may actually prompt smokers to smoke. Mykl Roventine/Flickr

Anti-smoking signs may cause people to reach for cigarettes

By Brian D. Earp, University of Oxford

In 1863, Fyodor Dostoevsky wrote, “Try to pose for yourself this task: not to think of a polar bear – and you will see that the cursed thing will come to mind every minute.” According to a recent experiment…
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New Zealand wants to largely be tobacco free by 2025; Finland has set 2040 as its target date. Iago A R

Should we set a date for a tobacco-free Australia?

By Craig Dalton, University of Newcastle

It’s been 100 years since the first medical textbook identified a link between smoking tobacco and lung cancer. So how strange is it that in 2012 we can walk into Coles and Woolworths and buy cigarettes…
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Smoking is an independent risk factor for breast cancer. Tonino Donato/flickr

Breast cancer and smoking: it’s always a good time to stop

By Robin Bell, Monash University

The number of people within our community who have survived cancer is increasing. But a recent Victorian study has shown that not all survivors are embracing good health. In the last 20 years, the incidence…
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The risk of cancer from air pollution is a fraction of the hazard posed by smoking. EPA/Alex Hofford

Unproven cancer risks diverting focus from real cause: lifestyle

By Justin Norrie, The Conversation

The fixation on potentially cancer-causing chemicals in the air, food and consumer products is diverting attention from the real risks, according to a review of global evidence by an Australian cancer…
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New South Wales' smoke-free outdoors legislation will be one of the most comprehensive in Australia. Jess J/Flickr

Smoke-free outdoor laws herald better community health

By Andrew Penman, Cancer Council NSW

The NSW government will introduce a smoke-free outdoors law this year, making it the sixth state or territory to have some variation of this kind of legislation. The announcement shows that community health…
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It appears as though Philip Morris Asia only acquired the Australian companies in order to be able to launch this claim under the Hong Kong BIT. AAP

Big Tobacco vs Australia: Philip Morris scores an own goal

By Mark Davison, Monash University

You may have missed it, but the stoush between Big Tobacco and the Australian government over the plain packaging legislation took an odd turn late last year. The government’s response to Philip Morris…
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You can use all kinds of iPhone apps to track and improve your health. chunghow33

Reviewing the top medical iPhone apps … what’s the diagnosis?

By Merlin Thomas, Baker IDI Heart & Diabetes Institute; Daniel Quintana; Gary Sacks, Deakin University; Harrison Weisinger, Deakin University; Karen Simmer, University of Western Australia; Nasser Dhim; Neale Cohen, Baker IDI Heart & Diabetes Institute, and Sally Ferguson

Want to quit smoking, lose weight, manage your diabetes or get a good night’s sleep? No worries. There’s an app for all of that. But it’s not always clear which medical apps are based on solid evidence…
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The reality of smoking cessation is that between two-thirds and three-quarters of former smokers quit without using any external aids. weegeebored/Flickr

Smokers don’t need a broken crutch to quit

By Ross MacKenzie

Quitting smoking is clearly beneficial but a growing push by the pharmaceutical industry to encourage drugs for the purpose should be strongly resisted. Not only do most smokers successfully quit by other…
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Over time, smokers gain as much weight as the rest of the population. Flickr/Difei Li

Monday’s medical myth: smoking helps control your weight

By Tim Crowe, Deakin University

One of the few positives put forward by smokers to justify their habit is that it helps keep their weight in check. And while smoking may be harmful to their health, so is obesity. So how does this claim…

Research and News (9)

Research Briefs (16)

Trends in house fire fatalities

Victoria University

More than 400 people in Australia’s eastern states have died due to house fires in the last five years. Research lead by…

Smoking associated with work absenteeism

University of Nottingham

Smokers are 33% more likely to be absent from work and take, on average, 2.7 extra sick days annually. This costs the UK…

Smoking lowers ‘good cholesterol’

www.futurity.org

A molecular process in smoking-related heart disease has been linked to a chemical in cigarettes called benzo(a)pyrene, or…

Tobacco production increases by 300% in India

The Australia India Institute based at the University of Melbourne

A report has found that tobacco production has increased by more than 300% in India. It was also found that up to 35% of…

Eating veggies may help smokers quit

University at Buffalo

In a recent study, smokers who consumed the most fruits and vegetables were three times more likely to be tobacco-free for…

Brain changes make quitters moody

Archives of General Psychiatry

Findings from a brain imaging study may provide clues for why some individuals with heavy cigarette-smoking habits experience…

Participants (162)