Electronic Cigarettes May Help You Quit Smoking, New Study Shows

Electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes, are at least as good as nicotine patches in helping smokers break their nicotine habit, say researchers in New Zealand. Users of the device inhale nicotine-laced vapor through battery-powered tubes as they would the smoke from a combustible cigarette. Their use is controversial. Opponents feel that e-cigarettes are unsafe and encourage smoking, while proponents say that their use can cut down or eliminate smoking, reducing cigarette-associated health problems.

Published recently in the medical journal The Lancet, the new study concluded that “e-cigarettes, with or without nicotine, were modestly effective at helping smokers to quit, with similar achievement of abstinence as with nicotine patches…” The researchers also stressed that more research is needed.

The study looked at three groups of smokers who wanted to quit smoking: 292 received commercially available e-cigarettes, 292 were given nicotine patches, and 73 received placebos, e-cigarettes with no nicotine. All participants were offered telephone support via the Quitline, but fewer than half took advantage.

The study participants were followed from one week before starting their program, 12 weeks during the program, and for another three months after. After six months, they were tested to see if they had kept away from nicotine.

Results from breath tests at six months showed that 21 people in the nicotine e-cigarette group quit smoking (7.3%), 17 of those in the patch group quit (5.8%), and 3 of those in the non-nicotine e-cigarette group were no longer smoking (4.1%). As expected, not all subjects were able to stop smoking completely, but those who used the e-cigarettes did decrease their cigarette use, compared with those in the other two groups.

“I’m not surprised if the study showed that electronic cigarettes are more effective, particularly in the population that are severely addicted to cigarettes,” says Dr. William Randall, Jr. of Lutherville Personal Physicians, Mercy Health Services, in Maryland. Randall says he’s seen many patients successfully quit smoking with the use of e-cigarettes after other nicotine products (gum, patches, lozenges) had failed.
“Some use just the steam, some use the ones that supply the nicotine,” he explains.

The study also examined the ‘adverse events’ or side effects caused by e-cigarettes. Researchers found no differences in serious events between those who used the nicotine e-cigarettes and those who used the patches.

There is heated debate among physicians about the utility and safety of e-cigarettes, but if similar studies continue to show effectiveness, e-cigarettes could become a more accepted smoking cessation tool. “I think that among the patients that I’ve seen use it, the ones who have the most difficulty in stopping, have been using them with some success,” says Randall. “I’ve actually suggested that they try the electronic cigarettes and see if hey can’t use them at least as an initial step to get them off all together.”

In terms of medical studies, this was a small one – only 657 people in total and several subjects in the patch arm of the study dropped out. The authors believe that this could be partly explained by participant disappointment in being assigned to the patch group when they wanted to in the e-cigarette group. The study, however, is significant in that it will generate further scientific discussion on the role of e-cigarettes in smoking cessation. Efficacy of e-cigarettes in reducing smoking and in harm reduction, their safety over the long term, and the effect of their sale on that of combustible cigarettes are all issues that need to be further investigated.

Source: http://www.forbes.com/sites/marijkevroomendurning/2013/09/10/electronic-cigarettes-may-help-you-quit-smoking-new-zealand-study-shows/

Smoke Free Metro Hotels

Cities around the world, from North America to Europe and Asia, are banning smoking in public areas in a positive move to reduce the hazards of second-hand smoke.

When burnt, cigarette smoke releases over 4,000 chemicals, including over 40 known carcinogenic (cancer causing) compounds and 400 other toxins. These include nicotine, tar, and carbon monoxide, as well as formaldehyde, ammonia, hydrogen cyanide, arsenic, and DDT.

Here is just a small list of the dangerous ingredients in each cigarette:

• Ammonia: Household cleaner.
• Arsenic: Used in rat poisons.
• Benzene: Used in making dyes, synthetic rubber.
• Butane: Gas; used in lighter fluid.
• Carbon monoxide: Poisonous gas.
• Cadmium: Used in batteries.
• Cyanide: Lethal poison.
• DDT: A banned insecticide.
• Ethyl Furoate: Causes liver damage in animals.
• Lead: Poisonous in high doses.
• Formaldehyde: Used to preserve dead specimens, known carcinogen.
• Methoprene: Insecticide.
• Napthalene: Ingredient in mothballs.
• Methyl isocyanate: Its accidental release killed 2000 people in Bhopal, India, in 1984.
• Polonium: Cancer-causing radioactive element.

Due to the health risks, Metro Hotels throughout Australia has a strict non-smoking policy in every hotel, for every hotel room. The majority of guest favour a non-smoking hotel environment.

Cigarette smoke seeps easily into rooms and lobbies when hotels are sold out, and non-smokers often find themselves in a smokey room. Given that some guests may have severe allergies to smoke and the increase in asthma attacks related to second-hand smoke, Metro Hotels felt it was in the best interest for the health of guests and staff that a non-smoking policy be implemented. This also keeps each hotel room smelling fresher, cleaner and also prevents toxic smoke particles from accumulating in the soft furnishings of the rooms.

This is a list of Metro Hotels all around Australia that have a non-smoking policy:

Sydney, New South Wales

• Metro Hotel Sydney Central
• Metro Hotel on Pitt
• Metro Apartments on Darling Harbour
• Metro Apartments on King
• Aspire Hotel Sydney (Ultimo)
• Metro Hotel Miranda
• Metro Inn Ryde

Brisbane, Queensland

• Metro Hotel Tower Mill
• Metro Hotel Ipswich International
• Metro Hotel & Apartments Gladstone
• Apartments G60 Gladstone

Melbourne, Victoria

• Metro Apartments on Bank Place

Perth, Western Australia

• Metro Hotel Perth

Northern Territory

• Dugong Beach Resort

The Metro smoke-free hotel policy has received praise and positive support from guests and the broader community. The continuing efforts of these properties to comply with the smoke-free policy reinforces Metro Hotels commitment to being an environmentally friendly company. There is a significant room recovery fee for guests who do not comply in order to cover the extensive cost of restoring guest rooms to a smoke-free condition.

Although smoking is not permitted within hotel buildings themselves, guests who smoke are permitted to do so outside in designated areas.

Outdoor Smoking Bans to operate from 7 January 2013

From 7 January 2013, smoking will be banned in the following outdoor settings:

• Within 10 metres of children’s play equipment in outdoor public spaces (including children’s playground equipment located at licensed premises);
• At public swimming pools;
• In the spectator areas of sports grounds and major sporting facilities and other recreational areas when sport is being played;
• At public transport stops regardless of whether the area is covered
• Within four metres of a pedestrian access point to public buildings (licensed premises excluded until 6 July 2015)

Other than the ban which applies within 10 metres of children’s playground equipment, none of these bans will impact on licensed premises until 6 July 2015 when smoking will also be banned within 4 metres of an outdoor seated dining area and for 4 metres from a pedestrian access point to or exit from licensed premises.

NSW Smoking Ban Smokers Like It

YESTERDAY’S introduction of strict outdoor smoking bans in NSW drew few objections on the Border; even smokers believe the tougher laws are a good idea.

It is now illegal to smoke in many outdoor public areas, including train stations, bus stops and sporting facilities.

Those who ignore the bans risk a $550 fine.

A smoker for more than 15 years, Duncan Cooper, of Albury was concerned about the harm passive smoke could do to children.

“I get passive smoke from my own cigarette when I’m not smoking it,” he said.
“For people’s health it will be a good thing.”

But he didn’t agree with the amount of the fine.

“Who has that amount of money these days?” he said.

Shane Vale said smoking away from people was common courtesy, NSW now made it law.
“It’s fair enough,” he said.

“I can understand that non-smokers don’t like to smell cigarette smoke, especially with kids around, but it’s not an illegal product ... it is a bit frustrating.”

The new laws are designed to protect people, particularly children, from passive smoke.
Eight-year-old Lily Ryan-McCormack is glad.

“Sometimes the smoke makes me have a bit of a headache,” she said.

“I smell it, and it smells really gross.”

The Asthma Foundation NSW yesterday applauded the NSW government’s decision, which will also see smoking banned from outdoor areas at venues where food is consumed from 2015.

“According to the most recent NSW government statistics, smoking-related illness accounts for about 5200 deaths and 44,000 hospitalisations per year in NSW and costs about $8 billion annually,”
Asthma Foundation NSW chief executive Michele Goldman said.

“Tobacco smoke is a key trigger for a potentially fatal asthma attack and is associated with higher rates of asthma.

“Children who live in homes where parents smoke are three times more likely to have asthma than children living in non-smoking homes.”

Smoking, Did you know?

Did you know?

·         Cigarette smoke contains up to 4, 000 chemicals.

·         Cigarette butts take, on average, 1.5 years to break down.   

·         Almost 50% of all litter in urban areas is tobacco related products including butts, cellophane wrapping, foil inserts and packaging.

·         An estimated 4.5 trillion cigarette butts are littered worldwide every year.

  

·         About 24 billion cigarettes are sold in Australia each year.  It is estimated that 7 billion of these cigarettes are littered.

·         An estimated 100 000 tonnes of polluted air is exhaled by smokers in NSW each year.

·         In some parts of Australia, if caught littering cigarette buttsyou can receive a fine of up to $2,000 if the matter goes to court.

·         Cigarettes accounted for 17% of the total rubbish items collected on 2004 Clean Up Australia Day.

·         A cigarette butt can smoulder for up to three hours causing a grass fire or even a bushfire.

·         Over 4,500 fires a year are caused by cigarettes and smokers’ materials.

(Source: Clean Up Australia)

Metro Hotel Sydney Central To Butt Out Smoking - Metro Hotels

The 3 1/2 star Metro Hotel Sydney Central is set to make a fresh start to the new financial year by becoming a 100% smoke-free hotel.

"The move has come about following increased demand for more non-smoking rooms from a wide cross section of our clients," said Hotel General Manager, Ms. Sandra Calabretta.
And the timing for the changes couldn’t be better. “We are currently undergoing a refurbishment of the rooms and common areas of the hotel so it makes very good sense to make the switch now,” explains Ms Calabretta.

Since 2006 seventy per cent of the hotel plus the common areas have been smoke free. The hotel still had demand from some guests, mainly the Asian inbound groups, for smoking rooms so a number of floors were set aside to cater for this market.

“Over time we have seen a large decline in the need for smoking rooms from traditional markets so now it is a case of catering for the majority and not the minority,” said Ms. Calabretta.

In 2005, the Metro Apartments on Darling Harbour, also located in Sydney's CBD, was the first Metro property to adopt a smoke-free policy with no negative effect on the busines.

Metro Hotel Sydney Central To Butt Out Smoking - Metro Hotels

Outdoor Dining Smoking Ban for NSW

ANTI-tobacco laws just got tougher in NSW with bans to be put in place at playgrounds, public transport stops, entrances to public buildings and sports grounds, with outdoor dining to follow.

Health Minister Jillian Skinner announced today that while the public smoking bans will be put in place as soon as they pass through parliament, possibly within a couple of months, the commercial outdoor dining areas will not be introduced until 2015.

Currently some council areas have some of these smoking bans in place but the new tobacco reforms - as part of NSW Tobacco Strategy 2012-17 - will now be uniform across the state.

"The aim of this is to reduce the number of people who are smoking and to reduce the exposure to people, particularly children and families of third-party tobacco smoke," Ms Skinner said.

The NSW Heart Foundation backed the reforms.

"This is an historic moment in our State's history and one that will help to protect the thousands of people in NSW who don't smoke," NSW Heart Foundation CEO Tony Thirlwell said.

"There is no safe level of exposure to second hand smoke evidence shows that a non-smokers exposure to second-hand smoke can result in up to a 30 percent increase in risk of heart disease," he said.

Outdoor Dining Smoking Ban for NSW