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Menthols Ban Would Slash U.S. Smoking Rates: Study

A ban on menthol cigarettes would likely lead to a meaningful reduction in smoking rates, a new review argues.

Almost a quarter of menthol smokers quit smoking altogether after menthol cigarettes were banned in their country or community, researchers report Feb. 21 in the journal Nicotine & Tobacco Research.

“This review provides compelling evidence for the U.S. Food ...

Smoking Harms Immune System Years After Quitting

The harms of smoking are many, but new research delivers evidence of another troubling type of damage: Lighting up alters your immune system, leaving you more vulnerable to disease and infections even years after quitting.

“Stop smoking as soon as possible,” study co-author Dr. Violaine Saint-André, a spec...

CDC Restarts National Anti-Smoking Campaign, With Focus on Menthols

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has resumed a national campaign that uses the stories of former smokers to warn Americans about the many health dangers of tobacco.

Known as the "Tips From Former Smokers" campaign, seven new people are featured in ads sharing their stories about how cigarette smoking damaged their health.

One tactic is new in this latest round of ...

Smoking Can Shrink Your Brain

Smoking shrinks the human brain, and once that brain mass is lost then it's gone for good, a new study warns.

Brain scans from more than 32,000 people strongly link a history of smoking with a gradual loss of brain volume. In fact, the more packs a person smoked per day, the smaller their brain volume, researchers found.

The study also establishes the potential series of events that...

Biden Administration Delays Decision on Menthol Cigarette Ban Amid Pushback

The Biden administration has again delayed enacting a ban on menthol cigarettes following intense lobbying from the tobacco industry.

Along with that pressure, other critics of the ban have warned that it might anger Black smokers, who use menthol cigarettes at far higher rates than whites -- just as President Biden gears up to run for re-election, administration officials told the Wa...

Vaping Now Outstrips Smoking Among U.S. Young Adults

Young adults are now more likely to vape than to smoke cigarettes, with more becoming addicted to nicotine through vaping than traditional smoking, researchers say.

Nearly three in five young adults who vape (56%) have never regularly smoked cigarettes, according to data from an ongoing federal study of tobacco use.

This is the first time that there are more young people who began t...

Popular 'Nicotine Pouches' Won't Help Smokers Quit: Study

Oral nicotine pouches might be marketed as an alternative to cigarettes, but they do little to curb smokers' nicotine cravings, a new study finds.

The pouches -- which contain nicotine powder and other flavorings, but no tobacco leaf -- take too long to provide the nicotine “spike” that eases cravings, researchers report in the Nov. 15 issue of journal Addiction.

Curren...

Vaping's Popularity Falls Among U.S. High School Students

Warnings about the dangers of vaping may be reaching American teens: A new U.S. government report shows e-cigarette use is down among high school students.

In fact, use of any tobacco product over the past 30 days declined among this age group during the 2022-2023 school year, from 16.5% to 12.6%.

This was driven largely by a decline in e-cigarette use, which dropped from 14.1% to 1...

FDA Moves Closer to Banning Menthol Cigarettes, Flavored Cigars

A proposed rule from federal regulators that would ban menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars has been sent to the White House Office of Management and Budget for final review.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration first announced the

When Lung Cancer Strikes the Young, Women Face Higher Risks Than Men

New research uncovers troubling trends for lung cancer in young and middle-aged women.

Cancer incidence in young women is higher than it is in men, a continuing trend, and now that extends to women over age 50, reversing historical patterns.

“These findings are very concerning,” said study lead author

  • Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
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  • October 13, 2023
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  • Tobacco Company Coupons Raise Odds Ex-Smokers Will Light Up Again

    Coupons for tobacco products appear to have a big impact on relapse rates for smokers who have recently kicked the habit, researchers report.

    A study of more than 5,000 former smokers who participated in a national survey found double the relapse rate for those who received cigarette coupons by direct mail or email.

    "We hypothesized that people who received coupons would be more lik...

    Another Source of Lead Exposure for Kids: Secondhand Smoke

    One source of lead exposure in children may surprise you.

    It's secondhand smoke, according to a Texas A&M University study.

    “Further research will likely paint a clearer picture of this exposure route, especially in younger children, but the finding...

    More Americans Than Ever Believe Marijuana Smoke Is Safer Than Cigarette Smoke. They're Wrong

    As cannabis use has become legal in many U.S. states for medical or recreational use, Americans' views on the drug may have gotten rosier.

    In fact, a new report finds that over 44% of adults now believe smoking weed each day is safer than inhaling tobacco smoke.

    That perception is counter to the science, however, and could have a serious impact on public health.

    “The resear...

    Moving Into a Smoker's Former Home? You May Need to Toss the Carpet

    If you're moving into a home where smokers lived, the first thing you should do to protect your lungs is rip out any old carpeting, new research suggests.

    Scientists found that tobacco smoke clings to carpet fibers long after smoking has stopped, and ozone generators that purify the air and surfaces can't remove it completely.

    This leftover residue, also known as "thirdhand smoke,"...

    Millions of Smokers May Have a Tough-to-Diagnose Lung Disease

    Millions of American smokers suffer from a potentially serious lung disease that's not technically chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a new study finds.

    They would benefit from a clear diagnosis, though, and the new findings demonstrate a major gap in care for people with a history of tobacco use, the researchers said.

    Among folks who smoked at least one pack of cigaret...

    Vaping Might Beat Nicotine Patches in Helping Pregnant Women Quit Smoking

    It's well known that smoking in pregnancy can harm a developing baby's growth.

    Now, a new study suggests that using e-cigarettes may be more effective that traditional nicotine replacement therapy, such as patches, in helping pregnant women kick the habit and reduce the risk of low birthweight.

    “E-cigarettes seem more effective than nicotine patches in helping pregnant women...

    Here's 8 Habits That Could Lengthen Your Life

    Eight healthy habits could add years to your life.

    A new study of more than 700,000 U.S. veterans breaks down the habits that when adopted by middle age, can help someone live substantially longer than folks who don't have these habits.

    These are the big eight:

    • Be physically active.
    • Don't smoke.
    • Don't get addicted to opioids.
    • Don't binge-drink on a...

    Program Helps Folks Battling Mental Illness Beat Another Foe: Smoking

    Dr. Richard Stumacher's coworker at Northwell Health in New York City used to smoke to curb her severe anxiety, and tried multiple times to stop.

    “She went through the program and she would quit, and then she would fall off, and we would always support her...

    What's Really Killing the 'Night Owls'?

    It's not the late nights, but the smoking and drinking that happen during those late nights, that are killing people who are “night owls” earlier in life, a new study claims.

    Researchers studied twins in Finland for 37 years, looking at different chronotypes, the body's natural inclination to sleep at a certain time.

    Although they saw that the evening types had a slightly increa...

    Cancer Survivors Who Keep Smoking Have Double the Risk for Heart-Related Death

    Quitting smoking after a cancer diagnosis can deliver a big payoff for another major health concern: the risk of heart attack or stroke.

    Cancer patients who kept smoking had a nearly doubled risk of either of those emergencies, as well as death from cardiovascular disease, new research showed.

    “A cancer diagnosis is an extremely stressful life event, which often leads to significa...

    Toxins From Grilling, Smoking & Car Exhaust Could Raise Odds for Rheumatoid Arthritis

    Toxic chemicals that develop from car exhaust, smoking and backyard grilling might increase your risk of developing the autoimmune disease rheumatoid arthritis, a new study suggests.

    These chemicals are called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). They form as coal, oil, gas, wood or tobacco burn. Flame grilling of meat and other foods also contribute to PAH formation, the researchers ...

    Quitting Smoking Earlier Is Always Better for Lung Cancer Survival

    Quitting smoking will have benefits, even for those who are later diagnosed with lung cancer, new research indicates.

    While often studies compare outcomes for smokers vs. never smokers, investigators found that quitting smoking earlier also was beneficial.

    Among people diagnosed with the most common type of lung cancer, called non-small cell lung cancer, current smokers had 68% hig...

    In Poorer Households, Quitting Smoking May Help Boost Food Supply

    Quitting smoking may leave you with more money for food.

    Having a tobacco smoker quit is not just a boon to lung health. In poorer families, it can also help prevent hunger, according to new research from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health.

    “We aimed to explore if tobacco cessation could improve food security,” said lead author

  • Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
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  • May 4, 2023
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  • U.S. Smoking Rate Hits All-Time Low

    Fewer U.S. adults are smoking cigarettes, as rates dropped again last year, according to federal health officials.

    In all, 1 in 9 American adults smoked cigarettes last year, an all-time low, and a significant change from the 1960s when 42% smoked.

    The results weren't all positive, the Associated Press reported, as vaping rose to about 1 in 17 adults. For 2022, use of elect...

    Secret Weapon for Quit-Smoking Campaigns: Pets

    Put out that cigarette for the health of your four-legged friend.

    When smokers search social media for anti-tobacco information, they tend to engage most with posts about the risk of secondhand smoke on their pets, a new study reveals.

    Posts with new information about harmful chemicals also receive high engagement, researchers found.

    “Our results show that people respond to ...

    10 Ways You Can Cut Your Risk for Dementia

    Causes of different kinds of dementia vary, but about 40% are affected by risk factors a person can influence through lifestyle choices.

    Two University of Michigan neurologists offer 10 tips for modifying those risks.

    1. Keep blood pressure in check.
    2. Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
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    4. February 25, 2023
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    After Criticism, FDA Pledges to Revamp Its Tobacco Division

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's heavily criticized tobacco program promised changes on Friday, including a five-year strategic plan to better outline priorities.

    "As we enter this era of declining use of combustible tobacco and continued innovation in the e-cigarette industry, the societal concerns are not subtle," FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf said in an agency news release...

    Healthy Lifestyle Cuts Odds for Long COVID in Half

    People who get COVID-19 are at risk for long-term health consequences, but a healthy lifestyle may protect against long COVID, a new study suggests.

    Women who maintained six healthy habits -- a healthy weight, didn't smoke, exercised regularly, slept and ate well, and drank alcohol in moderation -- cut their risk of long COVID by about 50%, compared with women without those healthy habits...

    Gum Disease Treatments Lose Their Punch in Heavy Smokers

    Treatments for gum disease may have little benefit for heavy smokers, new research shows.

    The study findings suggest the need to rethink treatment of the common gum disease periodontitis, according to researchers from Aarhus University in Denmark.

    “To our surprise, we could see that the diseas...

    Is Your State Among the Worst for Tobacco Control?

    When it comes to tobacco control, some states do a far better job than others of preventing and reducing smoking.

    A new report from the American Lung Association (ALA) notes that California, Maine, Massachusetts and Washington, D.C., are doing the best job of putting proven tobacco control policies in place.

    Conversely, those who have the most need to enact policies are Alabama, Mi...

    Be Realistic: It's Key to Achieving Those New Year's Resolutions

    The key to keeping those New Year's resolutions from fading out by February: Make sure you've set achievable goals.

    Resolutions are often lifestyle changes and those are best managed when the goal is something attainable, according to an expert at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.

    "Resolutions and lifestyle changes are very similar. When we think about lifestyle changes, it's ...

    Ban on Menthols Won't Push Smokers to Black Market Cigarettes: Study

    Despite tobacco industry claims, a new study found that banning menthol-flavored cigarettes did not lead to more people purchasing illicit smokes.

    Researchers at the University of Waterloo surveyed smokers to study the impact of a menthol cigarette ban in Canada. Smokers of both menthol and non-menthol cigarettes were surveyed before and after Canada's ban, and asked about their usual cig...

    Coping With Nicotine Withdrawal Symptoms

    Giving up nicotine can be a brutal experience that can include everything from physical symptoms, such as headache and nausea, to mood issues, including irritability, anxiety and depression.

    Yet, it is still possible to get through nicotine withdrawal symptoms with a good plan and specific tools, according to a smoking cessation expert, who offered some suggestions for coping with nicoti...

    Herbal Cigarettes: Are They Really Any Healthier?

    Herbal cigarettes: They carry a certain "coolness factor" and sound like they might be a healthier alternative to tobacco, but are they really safer to smoke?

    Not really, experts say.

    “Even herbal cigarettes with no tobacco give off tar, particulates and carbon monoxide, and are dangerous to your health,” according to the

  • Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
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  • January 5, 2023
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  • What Are Quit-Smoking Programs and How Can They Help You?

    Sometimes it really does "take a village" to help you meet life's challenges, and quitting smoking can be one of the toughest challenges out there.

    That's why specially designed smoking-cessation programs can make all the difference, experts say.

    Many programs employ a combination approach, one that treats the physical and the psychological addictions you're trying to brea...

    What Happens to Your Body When You Quit Smoking

    Giving up cigarettes can be excruciating, with cravings and withdrawal symptoms lingering for weeks, especially if you aren't strongly motivated.

    Yet, just minutes after that first smoke-free breath, your body starts to change for the better. And with all the health...

    Vaping Won't Help Smokers Quit, Another Study Finds

    So much for vaping as a smoking-cessation tool: New research finds most folks who use both traditional cigarettes and e-cigarettes are likely to continue smoking rather than quit, a new study finds.

    How much is most? Only 10% quit vaping and smoking.

    "As used by the general population, e-cigarettes have not contributed to substantial smoking cessation," said lead researcher

    Is a Ban on Menthols Enough to Thwart Big Tobacco?

    A proposed U.S. federal ban on menthol cigarettes doesn't go far enough and needs to include other menthol products, from pipe tobacco to cigarette tubes, researchers say.

    New evidence shows both the appeal and the addiction potential of these substitutes in adults who smoke menthol cigarettes, said scientists from Rutgers University Center for Tobacco Studies in New Brunswick, N.J., and...

    CT Screenings Can Dramatically Improve Lung Cancer Outcomes

    Annual lung cancer screening for heavy smokers can provide a big boost in lung cancer survival over the long term, a new study shows.

    When low-dose CT screening identifies early-stage lung cancer, patients have an 80% chance of surviving 20 years, researchers found. And for some, the odds are as high as 100%.

    But only 16% of lung cancers are caught early, and more than half of...

    Low-Nicotine Cigarettes Won't Leave Smokers Agitated, Study Finds

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has proposed limiting the amount of nicotine in cigarettes to minimally addictive levels, but there's been concern that the drop in nicotine could exacerbate anxieties in smokers who might already battle mood issues.

    However, a...

    Top Medical Groups, Hospitals Urge Better Access to Lung Cancer Screening

    Screening tests routinely catch cases of breast and colon cancer early, but a screening test for lung cancer is sorely underused in high-risk people and that needs to change, more than 50 cancer organizations said in a joint statement issued Tuesday.

    What prompted the move? Low-dose CT screening is recommended for people who are more likely to develop lung cancer, yet only 5.7% of people ...

    Could Psychedelics Help You Kick the Habit?

    Smoking is an incredibly hard habit to break. Anne Levine of Baltimore can attest to that.

    But Levine, 58, is getting help from a potential new tool: psychedelics.

    The four-decade smoker has tried to quit a dozen times. But once she became part of a res...

    Pregnancy May Have Women Cutting Back on Smoking Before They Know They've Conceived

    Pregnancy can be a big motivator for women to stop smoking. Now a new study suggests that at least some pregnant smokers start cutting back even before they know they've conceived.

    The findings, researchers say, suggest there may be biological mechanisms during pregnancy that can bl...

    Under 21? Many N.J. Stores Will Still Sell You Cigarettes

    Though it is illegal nationwide to sell tobacco products to anyone under age 21, many New Jersey stores still do, an undercover study revealed.

    More than 40% of store visits by 18- to 20-year-olds in New Jersey resulted in purchase of cigarettes, cigars and other tobacco products,

  • By Sydney Murphy HealthDay Reporter
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  • October 6, 2022
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  • Healthy Living Boosts Life Span, Even for Former Smokers

    Eating well and exercising can make for a longer life, and that holds true for former smokers, too, a new study shows.

    Researchers found that of nearly 160,000 former smokers, those who exercised, ate healthfully and limited their drinking were less likely to die over the next couple of decades, versus their counterparts with less-healthy habits.

    It's well known that when smokers ki...

    Smoking Costs U.S. Economy Almost $900 Billion a Year

    Smoking isn't only costly in terms of health risks, it also cost the U.S. economy $891 billion in 2020.

    That was almost 10 times the cigarette industry's $92 billion revenue, according to the authors of a new American Cancer Society study.

    "Economic losses from cigarette smoking far outweigh any economic benefit from the tobacco industry -- wages, and salaries of those employed by t...

    Fewer Smokers Tried to Quit During COVID Pandemic

    Fewer people tried to quit smoking as the COVID-19 pandemic began, and this continued for at least a year, according to a new U.S. study.

    The American Cancer Society detailed pandemic smoking behavior in the report, while stressing the need to re-engage smokers in

  • By Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
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  • August 8, 2022
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  • 8/8 -- Could Quit-Smoking Meds Help You Quit Drinking, Too?

    Pills, patches, gums, nasal sprays and lozenges used to help smokers kick the habit can also help heavy drinkers cut back on alcohol, a new study suggests.

    The finding follows several months spent working with 400 smokers with HIV who were also heavy drinkers.

    Researchers...

    8/8 -- Turning Away From Vaping, Nicotine-Addicted Teens Choose Candy, Gums

    Teens increasingly are turning to nicotine-loaded gum, lozenges and gummies for a quick rush, a groundbreaking study warns.

    Tobacco-free oral nicotine products were the second-most commonly used nicotine or tobacco items among more th...