tobacco – Page 18 – Oral Cancer News

New cigarette packs will shock

Source: www.adelaidenow.com.au Author: Samantha Maiden Shocking new warnings for cigarette packets will feature sick babies, a dying man and a naked smoker with a colostomy bag. Health Minister Nicola Roxon launched the new health warnings yesterday and confirmed plans to stamp tobacco products with the images from July next year. And the giant warnings will cover 75 per cent of cigarette packets - rather than the current 30 per cent. The new warnings will appear at the same time as world-first plain packaging that will force manufacturers to sell cigarettes in plain, olive-brown packets. The new plain-packing rules will ban branding of any form, removing the last forum for tobacco advertising in Australia. Other images include horrific images of a man dying of lung cancer with his eyes rolled back. A rotting, gangrenous foot and images of a man with tongue cancer are also included. Ms Roxon launched the discussion paper, conceding they were "striking and confronting reminders of the death and disease that tobacco brings." She said the shock tactics were a proven, effective way of helping people to kick the habit. "Seeing the heartbreaking harm that can be caused to an unborn baby or the horrific effects of cancer is a shocking reminder that quitting smoking is one of the best things that someone can do to improve their health," she said. "And 15,000 Australians die from tobacco each year. That's too many families mourning a loved one and why the Government is acting to protect the health [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2011-09-19T19:14:30-07:00September, 2011|Oral Cancer News|

Primary component in turmeric kicks off cancer-killing mechanisms in human saliva

Source: Eurekalert.org Curcumin, the main component in the spice turmeric, suppresses a cell signaling pathway that drives the growth of head and neck cancer, according to a pilot study using human saliva by researchers at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. The inhibition of the cell signaling pathway also correlated with reduced expression of a number of pro-inflammatory cytokines, or signaling molecules, in the saliva that promote cancer growth, said Dr. Marilene Wang, a professor of head and neck surgery, senior author of the study and a Jonsson Cancer Center researcher. "This study shows that curcumin can work in the mouths of patients with head and neck malignancies and reduce activities that promote cancer growth," Wang said. "And it not only affected the cancer by inhibiting a critical cell signaling pathway, it also affected the saliva itself by reducing pro-inflammatory cytokines within the saliva." The study appears Sept. 15 in Clinical Cancer Research, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Association of Cancer Research. Turmeric is a naturally occurring spice widely used in South Asian and Middle Eastern cooking and has long been known to have medicinal properties, attributed to its anti-inflammatory effects. Previous studies have shown it can suppress the growth of certain cancers. In India, women for years have been using turmeric as an anti-aging agent rubbed into their skin, to treat cramps during menstruation and as a poultice on the skin to promote wound healing. A 2005 study by Wang and her team first showed that curcumin suppressed the [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2011-09-13T11:02:22-07:00September, 2011|Oral Cancer News|

Are lozenges and other smokeless products safer alternatives to smoking?

Source: Pennsylvania's Fox News Tobacco company rep David Howard waxes enthusiastic when he talks about a new product his employer, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., has developed: a pellet of finely cured tobacco, binders and flavoring that dissolves in the mouth in 10 minutes. Under test market in two U.S. cities — Denver and Charlotte, N.C. — Camel Orbs will join two dissolvable tobacco lozenges already on the market if it graduates to broader distribution. And Howard is optimistic it will. "These products provide smokers with an option to enjoy the pleasure of nicotine without bothering others," Howard said. "No secondhand smoke. No spitting. No cigarette butt." Dissolvable tobacco consists of small pieces of compressed, finely ground tobacco powder, binders and flavorings that are shaped into pellets, sticks or strips. When placed in the mouth, they dissolve within minutes, providing a nicotine hit. The tobacco industry says that the products contain far fewer cancer-causing chemicals such as tobacco-specific nitrosamines and are a "harm reduction" strategy that, like electronic cigarettes, might help people turn to less risky tobacco habits or eventually quit smoking. But public health officials and anti-smoking advocates fear that the products will help initiate a new generation of smokers. The flavoring and packaging appeal to children, they argue, and teenagers will gravitate toward a product they can easily hide. On Thursday, the Food and Drug Administration will take up the issue with an advisory committee hearing on the effect of dissolvable tobacco products on public health. "Tobacco companies are [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2011-07-22T10:44:37-07:00July, 2011|Oral Cancer News|

New labels may not go far enough

Source: www.denverpost.com Author: Rhonda Hackett How far would you go to stop a killer? Smoking continues to kill more Americans every year than alcohol, AIDS, car accidents, illegal drugs, murders and suicides combined. Tobacco use remains the leading preventable cause of death and the single greatest driver of health-care costs in Colorado. Despite concerted efforts over recent years to educate people about the dangers of tobacco use, 46.6 million American adults smoke, while kids alone are responsible for roughly $2 billion in annual cigarette sales revenues. More than 400,000 people die every year from tobacco use (4,300 in Colorado), while an additional 50,000 adults die as a result of second-hand smoke exposure. More than 8 million Americans currently suffer from tobacco- caused illnesses, resulting in an estimated $96 billion in public and private health care expenditures each year. In Colorado, the tab is about $1.3 billion per year. Simply put, tobacco is the single most lethal and costly legal commodity available in America today. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has now followed the lead of other developed nations by requiring cigarette packages carry graphic warning labels. FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg said at a White House briefing, "We want kids to understand smoking is gross - not cool - and there's really nothing pretty about having mouth cancer." Critics of the warning labels cite the fact that smoking is a legal activity and as such products associated with it should not be subject to government mandate discouraging use. The Institute [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2011-07-03T09:03:04-07:00July, 2011|Oral Cancer News|

Michael Douglas Continues to Put Oral Cancer in the Spotlight

Source: Dr.Biscupid.com Actor Michael Douglas' recent revelation that he had stage IV oropharyngeal cancer has highlighted the growing incidence of oral cancer, and experts say dentists can help stem the alarming increase of the disease by checking for it during routine examinations. The actor's cancer included a walnut-sized tumor at the base of his tongue, requiring radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and surgery. Douglas says his doctors told him he had an 80% survival rate if it hadn't spread to his lymph nodes. While tobacco was the prime cause of oral cancer in the past, recent studies have attributed the steady increase of the disease to the human papillomavirus (HPV16). There are approximately 130 versions of HPV but only nine cause cancers, and the HPV16 version causes almost half of the oral cancers in the U.S., said Brian Hill, executive director of the Oral Cancer Foundation. "Tobacco is no longer the only bad guy," he told DrBicuspid.com. “HPV16 is increasing in incidence as the causative etiology, and if it continues on this trend line, it will replace tobacco as the primary cause of oral cancers." Dentists can play a key role in catching the disease in its early stages if they check for it during examinations, Hill pointed out. "But many dentists think it's such a rare disease that they don't bother to screen for it," he said. "Most Americans have never even heard of oral cancer, but it's not as rare or uncommon as people would like to think it is. [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2011-06-23T20:17:05-07:00June, 2011|OCF In The News, Oral Cancer News|

FDA issues graphic cigarette labels

Source: apnews.myway.com Author: Michael Felberbaum In the most significant change to U.S. cigarette packs in 25 years, the Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday released nine new warning labels that depict in graphic detail the negative health effects of tobacco use. Among the images to appear on cigarette packs are rotting and diseased teeth and gums and a man with a tracheotomy smoking. Also included among the labels are: the corpse of a smoker, diseased lungs, and a mother holding her baby with smoke swirling around them. They include phrases like "Smoking can kill you" and "Cigarettes cause cancer" and feature graphic images to convey the dangers of tobacco, which is responsible for about 443,000 deaths in the U.S. a year. Each label includes a national quit smoking hotline number. The labels will take up the top half of a pack of cigarette packs. Warning labels also must appear in advertisements and constitute 20 percent of an ad. Cigarette makers have until the fall of 2012 to comply. Mandates to introduce new graphic warning labels were part of a law passed in 2009 that, for the first time, gave the federal government authority to regulate tobacco, including setting guidelines for marketing and labeling, banning certain products and limiting nicotine. The announcement follows reviews of scientific literature, public comments and results from an FDA-contracted study of 36 labels proposed last November. In recent years, more than 30 countries or jurisdictions have introduced labels similar to those being introduced by the FDA. [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2011-06-21T04:52:43-07:00June, 2011|Oral Cancer News|

A new state approach to reducing tobacco use

Source: www.indystar.com Author: Dr. Gregory N. Larkin This week, Indiana joined the rest of the world in celebrating World No Tobacco Day. This global health observation was created to teach people about the dangers of tobacco use and highlight public health efforts in the fight against the tobacco epidemic. World No Tobacco Day is of particular importance to Hoosiers this year. Beginning July 1, two state government agencies critical to protecting the health of Hoosiers will be combined: the Indiana State Department of Health and Indiana Tobacco Prevention & Cessation. The General Assembly's move to put tobacco cessation within the health department provides additional tools for Indiana to catch up with other states in the race to lower smoking rates and tobacco-related illnesses. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 23 percent of Indiana adults smoke cigarettes, ranking us among the worst five states for adult smoking. Clearly, the adverse health effects of tobacco use continue to increase the rates of diseases as well as increase health costs. Combining efforts will reduce administrative redundancy and saving taxpayer dollars. Valuable ITPC programs, such as the community- and minority-based programs, the Indiana Tobacco Quitline, Quit Now Indiana and the VOICE youth program, will continue. Tobacco reduction and protection from secondhand smoke exposure will now be further integrated into many existing state health promotion programs, such as cancer prevention, oral health, asthma care, maternal/prenatal health, cardiovascular health, and minority, women's and children's health. I assure Hoosiers that by having the [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2011-06-02T13:59:05-07:00June, 2011|Oral Cancer News|

Tobacco companies face packaging dispute in Australia

Source: www.thirdage.com Author: Caitlin Bronson The Australian tobacco industry is fighting to retain their rights to advertise on their own packaging in response to legislation slated to be introduced in Parliament in July. The new law would allow the Australian government to replace the currently bright packaging of cigarette packs with a uniform olive green color, along with health warnings and full-color images of the consequences of smoking. The brand name of the cigarette would appear in small print underneath the depictions of things like mouth cancer or gangrenous toes. The logic behind the dull and disturbing packaging is simple—if smoking is presented in an unattractive light, more Australians will quit smoking and less young people will pick up the habit. However, the country does not have a precedent to look to in this matter, as none other has tried it. And the tobacco industry is warning against it. The Associated Press reports that the uniform packaging required by the hypothetical law would be easy to counterfeit, allowing for illegal Asian tobacco, on which tax is not paid, to enter the Australian market. To compete against the illegal product, companies like British American Tobacco Australia Ltd. (BATA) have said they would cut prices for cigarettes. This could backfire on the government, causing more Australians to take up the habit. “If they keep pushing us down this path with this experimental piece of legislation, unfortunately it’s going to end up in court, and it’s likely to cost millions of dollars, and [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2011-05-31T14:18:34-07:00May, 2011|Oral Cancer News|

Cancer clip on tobacco pouch

Source: www.telegraphindia.com Author: staff Packets of chewing tobacco sold across India after December 1, 2011 will have to show graphic images portraying the disfiguring effects of oral cancer, but cigarette and bidi packets may show milder pictures, the Union health ministry said today. The health ministry has notified two new sets of pictorial warnings — harsher images for packets of chewing tobacco — that will replace the existing pictures, scorpions on chewed tobacco products, and diseased lungs on cigarette and bidi packets. Cancer and public health specialists have welcomed the new images, but pointed out that the choice of images given to manufacturers of smoking tobacco will allow them to use a milder warning of a man with diseased lungs rather than of mouth cancer. “I’m not happy at all at the choice of pictures for smoking tobacco products,” said Pankaj Chaturvedi, an associate professor of head and neck cancer surgery at the Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai. “Pictorial warnings need to have a strong deterrence effect that impacts people — the pictures for chewing tobacco are likely to have such an effect, but the pictures for smoking tobacco don’t,” he said. “The new four pictures for chewing tobacco are very similar and graphically depict the consequences of mouth cancer,” said Monika Arora, the head of health promotion and tobacco control at the Public Health Foundation of India, New Delhi. But three of the four images for smoking tobacco packets show a male with lungs in different stages of disease, while [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2011-05-29T05:51:08-07:00May, 2011|Oral Cancer News|

Philip Morris Int’l purchases license to nicotine system

Source: Associated Press Cigarette maker Philip Morris International Inc. has purchased the rights to a technology that lets users inhale nicotine without smoking. The world's largest nongovernmental cigarette seller told The Associated Press on Thursday it has bought the patent for an aerosol nicotine-delivery system developed by Jed Rose, director of the Center for Nicotine and Smoking Cessation Research at Duke University in Durham, N.C. The school does not have a role in Rose's agreement with the company and won't receive any money. Terms were not disclosed. "By avoiding the burning process altogether, finding a way of giving smokers nicotine to inhale but without those toxic substances that we can reduce the death and disease associated with smoking," said Rose, who led the initial studies in the early 1980s that helped pave the way for commercial nicotine patches as a smoking cessation treatment. "Hopefully it's a wave of the future that inhaling combusted, burning tobacco will someday be a thing of the past." Rose said the next step is for Philip Morris International, with offices in New York and Lausanne, Switzerland, to develop a commercial product using the technology. The system differs from current medicinal nicotine inhalers available on the market as stop-smoking aids because it delivers nicotine more rapidly to mimic the nicotine "hit" a cigarette provides smokers. "The other methods of delivering nicotine fall short of providing smokers with the satisfaction that they crave," Rose said. The move is an "important step in our efforts to develop products [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2011-05-27T10:56:57-07:00May, 2011|Oral Cancer News|