1. Unit 21 More on Smoking

2. Seminar presentations: UK Government strategies on smoking
Present your research on government strategies to the group
Do you believe that these are effective strategies?
Give reasons for your points
Can you any alternative strategies that you feel night be useful?

3. E cigarettes
What are e- cigarettes and can they be beneficial as an aid to giving up smoking?
Are they safe?
Pros and Cons

4. Facts and Figures smoking and e cigarettes
Battery powered cigarettes
Create a vapour that contains nicotine dissolved in chemicals such as propylene glycol, glycerin, or polyethylene glycol.
The amount of nicotine is 1/4/ to ½ the amount in a normal cigarette
Introduced in 2004
Sales expected to overtake those of normal cigarettes in 10 years

5. Do they help reduce smoking?
Very few formal trials
Most recent in New Zealand organised by Christopher Bullen and published September 7th 2013 in The Lancet.
Randomised trial funded by the New Zealand Health Research Council:
Authors randomized 657 smokers in New Zealand desiring to quit to receive either e-cigarettes with nicotine, nicotine patches, or placebo e-cigarettes for 12 weeks after starting their quit attempt. Participants were followed for 6 months, at which time their exhaled breath was checked for carbon monoxide to verify smoking cessation. The New Zealand Health Research Council funded the study. ( Lancet)

6. Outcomes
Task:
using the handout from the Lancet list the outcomes and assess the benefits of the study
Also refer to the recent research by the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, Minnesota University led by Dr Kelvin Choi c.f. think-e-cigarettes-healthier-cigarettes-likely-smoke-new-research- suggests.html
link-between-common-beliefs-and-e-cigarette-use-among-young- adults.aspx

7. Issues: Pros and Cons
In 2 groups and using the links given make a case for the pros and cons of electronic cigarettes ( and to a lesser extent nicotine patches)
Link your argument to the benefits of health and well being
Present your information back to the group

8. Cons
Unregulated
Encourage smoking as a habit, especially younger smokers
Seen as cool but encourage addiction / dependancy
Flavoured, e.g. bubblegum
Contain chemicals such as diethylene glycol ( found in cleaner fluids / antifreeze) and carcinogenic nitrosamines and formaldehyde as well as nicotine
Causes an increase in airway resistance
Social implications – smoking legislation

9. Bibliography
Lancet, cigarettes-work-well-nicotine-patches-smoking-cessation-lancet/
FDA and Public Health Experts Warn About Electronic Cigarettes FDA
CHEST journal
National Cancer Institute Factsheethttp://
cigarettes-likely-smoke-new-research-suggests.html
beliefs-and-e-cigarette-use-among-young-adults.aspx