tobacco

Smokeless tobacco ingrained in baseball, despite bans and Gwynn’s death

Source: www.latimes.comAuthor: Gary Klein Utility player Mark DeRosa loads a wad of smokeless tobacco while playing for the San Francisco Giants before a game against the Dodgers on March 31, 2011. The use of smokeless tobacco is prevalent in the major leagues. (Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images) Rick Vanderhook played for Cal State Fullerton's 1984 College World Series championship team and was a Titans assistant when they won two more. So he remembers the days when cans and pouches of smokeless tobacco were omnipresent in the uniform pockets of the participants. Not anymore. The NCAA banned tobacco use on the field in the early 1990s. "It's probably cut back, I'll say, almost 90% compared to what it was 25 years ago," said Vanderhook, who in his fourth season as head coach has guided the Titans back to Omaha, where they will open against defending national champion Vanderbilt on Sunday at 5 p.m. Smokeless tobacco remains ingrained in baseball culture, however, including the college and high school levels where it is banned. "It sounds bad, but it's part of the game," said Fullerton pitcher Thomas Eshelman, echoing nearly every coach and player interviewed for this article. Minor league players can be fined for having tobacco products in their locker or partaking on the field. Major leaguers are prohibited from using tobacco during televised interviews and player appearances, and they cannot carry tobacco products in their uniforms. But they are otherwise not prohibited from using it on the field. Before he died [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2015-06-15T12:22:26-07:00June, 2015|Oral Cancer News|

Canadian court orders three major tobacco companies to pay billions in damages

Source: news.vice.com Author: Natalie Alcoba Three tobacco giants have been ordered by a Canadian court to pay billions of dollars in moral and punitive damages to nearly 100,000 smokers, in what has been hailed as an "historic judgment" by the plaintiffs in Quebec. Imperial Tobacco Canada, Rothmans, Benson & Hedges, and JTI-Macdonald were found to have violated their general duty not to cause injury to another, their duty to inform their clients of the risks and dangers of their products, and their obligation not to mislead their clients. A Quebec Superior Court slapped the three cigarette manufacturers — which have already vowed to appeal — with damages totaling CAD $15.5 billion ($12 billion US), to be split among them. The ruling means that plaintiffs suffering from lung or throat cancer are entitled to receive CAD $80,000 or $100,000 ($63,000 or $80,000), while those afflicted with emphysema can receive CAD $24,000 or $30,000 ($19,000 or $24,000), plus the interest accumulated since 1998, which is when the lawsuit commenced. "Today marks an important day for the victims of tobacco who have waited almost 17 years for this moment", said Mario Bujold, executive director of the Quebec Council on Tobacco and Health on Monday. Imperial Tobacco was held responsible for CAD $10.5 billion ($8.3 billion), while Rothmans, Benson & Hedges bear responsibility for CAD $3.1 billion ($2.4 billion), and JTI-Macdonald the remaining CAD $2 billion ($1.6 billion). "By choosing not to inform either the public health authorities or the public directly of [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2015-06-03T07:00:49-07:00June, 2015|Oral Cancer News|

Guest View: Stampede riders take stand against tobacco habits

Source: Prospect MagazineAuthor: Natalie RiggsSmokeless/spit tobacco is one of the historic causes of deadly oral cancers, and is more addictive than other forms of tobacco use. As a national nonprofit seeking to spread awareness of oral cancer and the dangers of starting terrible tobacco habits, the Oral Cancer Foundation has teamed up with professional barrel racer, Carly Twisselman, and bareback bronc rider, Cody Kiser, in an effort to spread the word in one of the biggest arenas of tobacco using patrons — the rodeo circuit. While others are focused on getting users to quit, the Oral Cancer Foundation is taking a proactive stance against tobacco by reaching out and educating youth about the dangers and risks of the habit. The message is simple and non confrontational: "Be Smart. Don't Start." With the strong addictive powers of smokeless tobacco, we have to engage them early. The Oral Cancer Foundation is a big believer that in order to solve problems, you have to become involved where the problem lies. The western/rodeo environment in the U.S. has had a long-term relationship with tobacco, and until 2009, the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and the rodeos that they sanctioned had a lengthy history of tobacco sponsorship money funding the sport. While that has ended at PRCA events, tobacco use, and smokeless/spit tobaccos still thrive in the sport. As a national nonprofit, OCF is taking a stance against tobacco with the help of both a cowboy and cowgirl who value their choice of not associating or [...]

Charlotte Parker2015-05-26T16:20:45-07:00May, 2015|OCF In The News, Oral Cancer News|

Public speaker back to work after tongue cancer surgery

Source: www.komonews.com Author: Molly Shen Local doctors are seeing an alarming rise in the number of tongue cancer cases in people who never smoked or chewed tobacco. The Human Papillomavirus is a possible cause, but sometimes there's no viral or obvious reason. Robert Hasse was diagnosed with tongue cancer in 2013. He writes a blog called "Not What You Had Planned." And he knows all about life going off schedule. A successful public speaker, he was sidelined by the news he had cancer and to save his life, he would lose half of his tongue. "I couldn't fathom not being able to speak," Haase said. "And that was a possibility if the nerve was cut incorrectly or if the doctor didn't do it right, I wouldn't ever be able to speak again." Doctors were able to rebuild Haase's tongue with tissue from his forearm. He was determined to speak, documenting his first attempt, two weeks later, two months later and most recently, 18 months after surgery. Dr. Stephen Bayles has done several hundred tongue reconstructive surgeries at Virginia Mason Medical Center. He says while patients lose most of the ability to taste food, he can restore movement, blood flow and some sensations like the ability to distinguish heat and cold. He said Haase's attitude was inspiring. "He came straight out of the operation with a thumbs up attitude and was already communicating to people how well he was doing and that he was already on his road to recovery," Dr. [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2015-05-24T08:37:13-07:00May, 2015|Oral Cancer News|

Legal loopholes allow big tobacco companies to target young children with new products

Source: http://www.contracostatimes.comAuthor: Sen. Mark Leno & Tony Thurmond With smoking now widely known as the nation's No. 1 preventable killer, Big Tobacco is targeting our kids with new products that give an illusion of more safety but carry the age-old motive to hook kids on tobacco at a young age. Preventing children from picking up nicotine addiction is the best way to keep them free of tobacco-related disease for life. That's why we've each introduced bills that seek to curb youth usage of smokeless (chewing) tobacco and e-cigarettes. Last year, many were shocked when Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn, who played for the San Diego Padres, died from cancer of the salivary glands that was related to decades of smokeless tobacco usage. Former World Series hero Curt Schilling, who helped propel the Arizona Diamondbacks and Boston Red Sox to championships, has blamed his bout with mouth cancer on chewing tobacco. Use of chewing tobacco by professional athletes sends the wrong message to our kids, but nonetheless a powerful one. Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health have found that the use of smokeless tobacco by players has a powerful "role model effect" on youths, particularly young males. It's no wonder then that while overall rates of smoking have declined thanks to several decades of intense educational programs, smokeless tobacco rates have remained stubbornly high among youth. One in every 6 high school boys report regular usage. Assembly Bill 768 bans smokeless tobacco at all ballparks in California with organized baseball, [...]

Charlotte Parker2015-04-13T12:22:32-07:00April, 2015|Oral Cancer News|

Curt Schilling: Letter to my younger self

Source: www.theplayerstribune.com Author: Curt Schilling Dear 16-year-old Curt, Tomorrow at lunch, a kid is going to dare you to take a dip of Copenhagen. If you say yes, like I did, you’ll be addicted for the rest of your life. Well, the rest of your life up to the point when you are diagnosed with cancer. I get what you’re thinking. You’re 16 — you’re invincible, just like all your buddies. If you were to jump ahead 33 years, you couldn’t write a better dream than the one your life is going to be. With one exception. If you say yes tomorrow, you will become addicted to chewing tobacco and you will get mouth cancer. I’m going to tell you a little story that I think may help guide you. (I saw this on a TV series called The West Wing — great show, you’re going to love it one day — and it very much rings true). There was a man — we’ll call him Joe. Joe lived in the same house his entire life. One day, a huge storm came. He turned on the radio: Prepare for torrential rains and deadly flash flooding. Everyone should evacuate to safety immediately. See, Joe was a devout Christian. He had the Lord in his life for as long as he could remember. Church every Sunday, prayed twice a day. “My faith in God is resolute. He will save me,” Joe thought. The rain kept coming down. About two hours later, water [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2015-04-12T07:18:05-07:00April, 2015|Oral Cancer News|

The Oral Cancer Foundation Launches April Oral Cancer Awareness Month

Source: Yahoo NewsAuthor: The Oral Cancer Foundation NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., April 9, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- April is Oral Cancer Awareness Month. 2015 marks the 16th year that The Oral Cancer Foundation has lead the effort to raise awareness of this disease and the need for an annual screening. OCF has learned that although we accomplish a great deal as an organization, we can do so much more through the formation of strategic relationships with those who share our values and goals. OCF is grateful to the thousands of private dental offices that make time on multiple days during the month of April to offer free screenings to members of the public in their local communities across the nation. Besides the screening itself, these offices provide valuable information to the public related to risk factors and early signs and symptoms. An informed public can engage in self-discovery, which has generated early stage finds in so many other cancers. In addition to the 1,000's of private dental offices who will join with OCF this April, a coalition of professional organizations, private sectors companies, and educational institutions have chosen to partner with us. The professional organizations include; The American Academy of Oral Medicine (AAOM), The American Academy of Periodontology (AAP), The American Dental Hygienists Association (ADHA), The American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS), The Academy of General Dentistry (AGD), The American Dental Association (ADA), The American Academy of Oral & Maxillofacial Pathology (AAOMP), and The Canadian Dental Hygiene Association (CDHA). Our [...]

Charlotte Parker2015-04-09T10:53:10-07:00April, 2015|OCF In The News, Oral Cancer News|

Head and neck cancer on rise in young men

Source: www.healthcanal.com Author: staff “The head and neck cancers we have found in younger men with no known risk factors such as smoking are very frequently associated with the same HPV virus that causes cervical cancer in women." said Kerstin Stenson, MD, a head and neck cancer surgeon at Rush and a professor of otolaryngology at Rush University. The cancer develops from an HPV infection, likely acquired several years earlier from oral sex. "Men are more susceptible to these cancers because they don’t seem to have the same immune response as women and do not shed the virus like women do,” Stenson said. 'Epidemic proportions' According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cancers of the oropharynx (back of the throat, including the base of the tongue and tonsils) are usually caused by tobacco and alcohol, but recent studies show that about 72 percent of oropharyngeal cancers are caused by HPV. “There has been significant change in the last decade. Overall, head and neck cancers account for approximately 3 to 5 percent of all cancers, but what’s changed in the past decade is the HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancer. It has reached epidemic proportions,” said Stenson. The American Cancer Society estimates that 45,780 Americans will be diagnosed with cancer of the oral cavity and oropharynx in 2015. If this trend continues, the number of cases of HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer will surpass the number of cervical cancer cases. Early detection is key The current vaccine has been shown to decrease the incidence [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2015-03-23T06:22:35-07:00March, 2015|Oral Cancer News|

Hookahs don’t filter out tobacco toxins

Source: www.webmd.com Author: Robert Preidt, HealthDay Reporter Contrary to what many people think, hookah water pipes do not filter out most of the heavy metals in tobacco, a new study warns. Tobacco plants can absorb and accumulate heavy metals, such as copper, iron, chromium, lead and uranium. Long-term exposure to these heavy metals can increase smokers' risk of head and neck cancers, as well as other diseases, the study authors said. It's widely believed that hookahs filter out these heavy metals and are therefore safer than cigarettes, the authors pointed out in a news release from BioMed Central. But researchers from the German Jordanian University and the Royal Scientific Society Amman-Jordan tested four of the most popular tobacco brands in Jordan. The investigators found that hookahs remove only about 3 percent of heavy metals in tobacco, which is not enough to protect smokers against exposure to these toxic substances. The findings were released online Feb. 19 in the journal BMC Public Health. "Since the trend of smoking water pipe has increased markedly among the young in the last decade, not only in the Middle East but worldwide, our research adds to the evidence about its potential health hazards," lead researcher Akeel Al-Kazwini said in the news release. The water mainly cools the smoke, rather than filtering it as people may believe, according to Al-Kazwini. More needs to be done to make people aware of the dangers of smoking hookahs, the researchers said. "At present, the water pipe tobacco industry operates [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2015-02-21T07:37:16-07:00February, 2015|Oral Cancer News|

A Study Finds Smoking’s Toll On Your Body and Health Worse Than Previously Thought

Source: nytimes.comAuthor: Denise Grady However bad you thought smoking was, it’s even worse. A new study adds at least five diseases and 60,000 deaths a year to the toll taken by tobacco in the United States. Before the study, smoking was already blamed for nearly half a million deaths a year in this country from 21 diseases, including 12 types of cancer. The new findings are based on health data from nearly a million people who were followed for 10 years. In addition to the well-known hazards of lung cancer, artery disease, heart attacks, chronic lung disease and stroke, the researchers found that smoking was linked to significantly increased risks of infection, kidney disease, intestinal disease caused by inadequate blood flow, and heart and lung ailments not previously attributed to tobacco. Even though people are already barraged with messages about the dangers of smoking, researchers say it is important to let the public know that there is yet more bad news. “The smoking epidemic is still ongoing, and there is a need to evaluate how smoking is hurting us as a society, to support clinicians and policy making in public health,” said Brian D. Carter, an epidemiologist at the American Cancer Society and the first author of an article about the study, which appears in The New England Journal of Medicine. “It’s not a done story.” In an editorial accompanying the article, Dr. Graham A. Colditz, from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, said the new findings showed [...]

Charlotte Parker2015-02-12T11:56:41-07:00February, 2015|Oral Cancer News|