Read articles from United Kingdom

December 08, 2020 by theconversation.com

While the daily death toll of COVID-19 understandably dominates health news, smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death in the UK. As the UK teeters on the edge of Brexit, newly found freedom from EU regulations could be an opportunity for the government to impose even tighter tobacco restrictions. [...] In 2019, one in seven UK adults were smokers, and smoking was responsible for 50% of the difference in life expectancy between rich and poor. If the government wants to keep its promise of making England and Scotland “smoke-free” by 2030, and 2034 respectively, reducing tobacco use needs to remain a public health priority.

December 07, 2020 by news-medical.net

The association between vaping and COVID-19 infection may help delineate some of the proposed mechanisms for any potential protective or harmful effects of nicotine on COVID-19 outcomes. [...] Dimitra Kale et al. explore the associations between vaping and self-reported diagnosed/suspected COVID-19.

In this study, the research team from the University College London, UK, highlight: 1) there is no difference found in diagnosed/suspected COVID-19 in between never, current, and ex-vapers; 2) half of the current vapers changed their vaping consumption since COVID-19; 3) motivation to quit vaping was partly related to COVID-19.

November 26, 2020 by newsletter.co.uk

All drugs, whether illegal drugs or prescription medication, carry risks.

The PHA strongly recommends that you do not take anything unless it has been prescribed to you by a medical professional and in accordance with your prescription.

The PHA’s drug and alcohol lead Michael Owen said: “If you have taken drugs or have misused a medication and are feeling unwell, or if someone you know is experiencing this, please seek medical help urgently.

November 11, 2020 by irishnews.com

A combination of nicotine-based e-cigarettes and talking therapy may be twice as effective in helping long-time smokers quit – compared to receiving counselling alone, according to research.

Scientists have found that more people quit smoking after using nicotine e-cigarettes at 12 weeks, compared to those who did not use e-cigarettes.

John Britton [...] who was not involved in the research, said: “This study demonstrates that using a nicotine-containing e-cigarette and counselling are approximately twice as likely to quit smoking than smokers receiving counselling alone.

November 10, 2020 by thesun.co.uk

Doctors issued almost 2,000 prescriptions to under-18s last year, some to children as young as 11 — which means they could be in Year Six. The patches can cost about £25, meaning thousands of pounds of taxpayers’ cash is being spent treating children who are too young to buy tobacco. In total, GPs handed 1,994 prescriptions for nicotine patches or gum to youngsters aged 17 or under in 2019, according to the NHS Business Services Authority.

November 06, 2020 by news-medical.net

New research by BAT has found that smokers who switched completely from smoking cigarettes to using BAT's flagship tobacco heating product (THP), glo, substantially reduced their exposure to certain cigarette smoke toxicants over three months.

For many of the toxicants measured, the levels found in participants were similar to those in people that stopped using tobacco completely.

This supports BAT's ambition to build A Better Tomorrow by reducing the health impact of its business, given respected public health agencies say that to be considered a modified risk tobacco product, [...]

November 06, 2020 by filtermag.org

It was 1986 in the UK. Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister, and in wood-paneled rooms near the Houses of Parliament, ministers were being briefed on a significant public health threat: HIV.

I’m a public health social scientist. Until then, my career had mainly focused on research with people who use heroin and other opiates. Thanks to my experience, I found myself helping to develop and evaluate a harm reduction approach in the UK, before it was even named as such. My work became focused on helping people who inject drugs avoid HIV infection.

November 03, 2020 by ukvia.co.uk

Our simple ask is that you consider reclassifying vape shops as essential outlets for both the forthcoming lockdown and any subsequent lockdowns thereafter as they are doing in such countries as France and Germany where new tougher restrictions are also being imposed. Whilst we are incredibly proud of the responsible approach that our members have taken during this difficult time by continuing to provide online services where stores cannot otherwise open, physical vape retail outlets are equally crucial as smokers and vapers rely on the specialist advice that they receive at these shops.

November 02, 2020 by sciencefocus.com

People who smoke are more likely to successfully give up the habit if they live near green spaces, research suggests. Scientists have also found that those residing in leafy neighbourhoods are less likely to smoke.

The research, published in the journal Social Science & Medicine, is based on Health Survey for England (HSE) data from more than 8,000 adults.

“This study is the first to investigate the association between neighbourhood greenspace and smoking behaviours in England,” said Leanne Martin, from the University of Plymouth, the lead author on the study.

October 29, 2020 by vapingpost.com

In 2015, SSS managers were surveyed about their opinions about the use of e-cigarettes in pregnant women who wish to quit smoking. Subsequently, a sub-sample of managers were interviewed to gather explanations about their position on the topic. The responses were thematically analysed.
After analysing the compiled responses, the researchers found that 67.8% (72/106) of overall managers reported that 2.2% (range 1.4–4.3%) of pregnant clients were using e-cigarettes.

Most SSS managers said they support the use of e-cigarettes amongst pregnant women who already vaped prior to the pregnancy. [...]