Latest news with #COPD
Hindustan Times
33 minutes ago
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Chandigarh: A single hookah puff equal to 30-40 of cigarette, warns PGIMER
One puff of hookah is equivalent to taking 30-40 cigarettes puffs in one go, experts at Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) have warned. Though serving hookah in any commercial establishments is banned in the tricity, raids have revealed easy availability of hookah and other tobacco products in the market, with many bars and clubs serving them to customers. On the eve of 37th World No Tobacco Day, Dr Sonu Goel, director, Resource Centre for Tobacco Control (RCTC) and professor at department of community medicine and public health, PGIMER, spoke on this year's theme: 'Unmasking the appeal: Exposing industry tactics on tobacco and nicotine products'. Goel explained that the effects of tobacco on the body can be seen within 20 minutes of its consumption, including hiked pulse rate. 'Tobacco is behind 70% chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) cases, a lung condition causing respiratory issues. Of all oral cancer cases, 80% are caused by tobacco consumption, and it is responsible for around 50% of pulmonary cardiac consumers are four times more prone to getting severe tuberculosis than non-users,' he further cautioned. He highlighted that despite these dangers, companies often did not carry hazard warnings for tobacco products other than cigarettes. According to the Global Adult Tobacco survey, the prevalence of tobacco use in India is 28.6% and 11% in Chandigarh. Every year in India, 13 lakh preventable deaths are occurring due to tobacco, he shared. Heated tobacco products Goel said that as per the provisions of Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), companies must carry hazard warning on the cover of tobacco products. He pointed out that companies, however, were not issuing this warning on heated tobacco products (HTP) as they claim that the COTPA covers only cigarettes not HTP. He explained that unlike cigarettes, HTPs were consumed by heating rather than burning, which also had detrimental effects on the body. 'Slim cigarettes, vapes, just as dangerous Dr Sonu Goel said despite the tobacco content in a slim cigarette being equivalent to any other cigarette, they were packaged and marketed in a more appealing way. He highlighted that with a slim look, choice of colours and flavours, these cigarettes were given the impression of being less harmful than regular cigarettes, which is not the case. Goel added that filtered cigarettes did not filter harmful substances, but only the amount of tar to some extent, and a user consumed equal content of harmful chemicals from filtered and non-filtered cigarettes. Similarly, e-cigarettes, commonly known as vapes, which also contain tobacco and nicotine, were marketed and sold by companies as a way to combat tobacco addiction. However, given the presence of high levels of nicotine in them, use of vapes can also lead to serious health issues, including cardiac and lung problems. 'E-cigarettes are also banned under the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act, 2019. However, due to poor enforcement, vapes are easily available in the market,' pointed out Dr Goel.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Doctors warn at-risk groups as Canadian wildfires bring haze to Chicago
The Brief Smoke from ongoing wildfires in Canada is drifting south, bringing hazy skies and worsening air quality to the Chicago area. Healthy individuals without pre-existing conditions may not notice any breathing issues, but the elderly, babies, and those with lung and heart conditions should take extra steps to prepare. Doctors recommend sensitive groups, such as those with asthma or COPD, should stay indoors, in a room with clean, filtered air. CHICAGO - Smoke from raging wildfires in Canada is drifting south, bringing hazy skies and worsening air quality to Chicagoland — a concern for sensitive groups and those preparing for outdoor events this weekend. What we know As thick haze from the north drifts into our region and air quality continues to decline, health experts are urging caution, particularly for individuals with certain pre-existing conditions. "The best way to handle the heavy or smoky condition is to avoid it if you can and stay inside," said Steve Mosakowski, director, Respiratory Care Services, Rush University Medical Center. Levels of fine particle pollution (PM2.5) were on the rise Friday and are expected to continue climbing throughout the weekend. That means sensitive groups will have a harder time breathing. "If you're inside, go to your clean room that you have set up in your house, run your air conditioner, keep your windows closed, your door closed, let that air conditioner run and cool things off and also filter some of that air. If you have an air filter, run that in that room so it keeps that room nice and clean," Mosakowski explained. Medical officials say it's important to understand the risks before lacing up and heading outdoors. Between Friday afternoon and evening, the air quality, according to shifted from 'good' to 'moderate'—and is expected to get worse. Most at risk of breathing difficulties are those with lung conditions like asthma and COPD, heart disease, the elderly, and babies. "If people are going to go outside and they have asthma or COPD, bring that inhaler with you and your spacer so that you can treat yourself should you need to," said Mosakowski. "But anybody who feels like they are struggling to breathe should seek immediate emergency help so that they can get the help they need." Mosakowski, who is also an assistant professor at Rush University's Department of Cardiopulmonary Sciences shares that you'll start to notice worsening air quality simply by looking outside. "It can give it that brown-ish or orange-ish reflection that we're going to see there. And that means that there's a lot more particles that are in the air that are reflecting that light," Mosakowski said. Healthy individuals without pre-existing conditions may not notice any breathing susceptible to breathing difficulties should also not burn candles or incense, which will further aggravate symptoms. What they're saying As the wind changed on Friday evening, haze hung over the Garfield Park Conservatory, where runners will take off for the Bank of America Chicago 13.1 (Half-Marathon) on Sunday."I've always been into humidity and even air quality and learning how it affects my running," said Jasmine Redmond-Winston, who is running in the race. "I am a little concerned but if it does clear up, that would be great." On Friday, race crews were hard at work preparing the course, which starts and ends in Garfield Park, while also extending into Douglass Park and Humboldt Park. "It's really cool to be on another side of the city that we don't really get a lot of exposure to, so that's really nice," Redmond-Winston said. Many runners and event organizers are keeping an eye on the sky—hopeful the haze won't cast a shadow on race day. "I'm excited to get back into it, you know the mix of emotions, the nerves and everything, the excitement, it's all kicking in," said Julian Rincon, who is running the Bank of America Chicago 13.1. What's next As the haze grows, local health officials and race organizers urge runners and residents to monitor air quality and adjust their activities as needed. The Bank of America Chicago Half Marathon kicks off at 6:50 a.m. Sunday with the Wheelchair Division, followed by the Open Division at 7 a.m. Packet pick-up will resume from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Roosevelt Collection on Saturday.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Jim Cramer Notes Verona Pharma plc (VRNA) 'Loses a Lot of Money'
We recently published a list of . In this article, we are going to take a look at where Verona Pharma plc (NASDAQ:VRNA) stands against other stocks that Jim Cramer discusses. Answering a caller's query about Verona Pharma plc (NASDAQ:VRNA), Cramer stated: 'That stock is a rocket ship. Again, very very speculative, because it loses a lot of money. Does have a couple things in the pipe that people like, but also has a huge amount of insider selling, frankly.' A patient in a clinic, taking a medication dose from a nebulizer to treat a respiratory disease. Verona Pharma (NASDAQ:VRNA) is a biopharmaceutical company developing treatments for respiratory diseases with limited treatment options. The company's lead therapy, Ohtuvayre, is designed to provide bronchodilation and anti-inflammatory benefits for conditions like COPD, cystic fibrosis, and asthma. Buckley Capital Advisors stated the following regarding Verona Pharma plc (NASDAQ:VRNA) in its Q1 2025 investor letter: 'Verona Pharma plc (NASDAQ:VRNA) has developed a product called ensifentrine (Ohtuvayre), a bronchodilator and anti-inflammatory agent for maintenance treatment of COPD. COPD, more commonly known as smoker's lung, is caused by pollution or smoking. Diagnosis of COPD lowers life expectancy by approximately 6 years. Symptoms of COPD are shortness of breath, cough, wheezing, and sputum. COPD affects approximately 400 million people worldwide, with 8.6m people treated in the United States. Overall, VRNA ranks 7th on our list of stocks that Jim Cramer discusses. While we acknowledge the potential of VRNA as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than VRNA and that has 100x upside potential, check out our report about this cheapest AI stock. READ NEXT: 20 Best AI Stocks To Buy Now and 30 Best Stocks to Buy Now According to Billionaires. Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
Time of India
6 hours ago
- Health
- Time of India
‘Tobacco is major contributor to many life-threatening diseases'
Prayagraj: The 'World No Tobacco Day' will be observed on Saturday (May 31) under the theme of 'Unmasking the Appeal: Exposing the Industry Tactics on Tobacco & Nicotine Products'. Senior consultant oncologist at Kamla Nehru Memorial Hospital, Prayagraj, Dr. Sonia Tiwari said, "Tobacco use is a major contributor to several life-threatening diseases, including cancer affecting the oral cavity, head and neck, breast, esophagus, colon, lungs, liver, stomach, and other body parts. Other lung diseases like COPD, TB, heart complications, pregnancy complications, weakened immune system, diabetes, reduced fertility, premature aging, dental problems and overall mortality are also linked to tobacco use. It is responsible for 25% of all cancer deaths worldwide, amounting to an estimated 2 million deaths yearly. In particular, smoking is responsible for about 85% of all lung cancer deaths. Tobacco consumption causes the death of more than 8 million people around the world, with more than 7 million deaths resulting from direct tobacco use". Dr Tiwari, meanwhile, said, "Due to the regular efforts of WHO against the use of tobacco, there is a decline in tobacco use, but the decrease is less substantial. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like ¡Los Estados Unidos le ofrece el mejor futuro para usted y su familia! Usafis Registrarse Undo The numbers show that while tobacco control measures are effective in curbing consumption, sustained efforts are needed to see them implemented more widely." She also claimed that it is painful to witness that the target customers for the tobacco industry are youths aged between 14 and 20 years. More than 15 million young people (14-20 years) are using some form of tobacco. Within India, tobacco use among 14-20-year-olds includes a good percentage of boys and some share of girls too, indicating challenge in curbing youth tobacco consumption. She, however, said, "We advocate for stringent controls on marketing strategies for new products especially designed to appeal to youths, such as e-cigarettes, especially flavoured products, smokeless tobacco, snus, and pouches, which are aggressively promoted through social media." She also mentioned that the entire medical community welcomes increasing taxes on tobacco products to make them less affordable. Dr. Anoop Chauhan said, " To quit tobacco, apart from strong willpower, one needs to get away from places that are tobacco-prone. Drink lots of water and fluids, stay away from sugar, coffee, and fatty food, and attend the gym or go jogging."
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Global tobacco experts issue stark warning that the world is on brink of turning into an 'ashtray planet' that will significantly escalate chronic respiratory diseases
Twenty leading tobacco-control experts contributed to first-of-its-kind report visualising possible 2040 futures around nicotine consumption impact on diseases like asthma and COPD Report warns world could steer towards doomsday 'ashtray planet' scenario shrouded in second-hand smoke smog, with healthcare systems stretched to limits It calls for immediate action from health decision makers to persevere with generational bans, restrict nicotine to prescription only, and ban vape flavours or attractive packaging COPENHAGEN, Denmark, May 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies (CIFS), an independent non-profit think tank, gathered twenty tobacco-control specialists from Africa, Europe, the Middle East, North America, South America, and Southeast Asia, to explore four plausible futures to 2040 around nicotine use and the impact this will have on chronic respiratory diseases. Findings from the experts have been published in a first-of-its-kind report to analyse how tobacco and nicotine use could intersect chronic respiratory diseases like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma. The report highlights four possible scenarios for 2040 depending on actions government, health decision makers and individuals take now around nicotine use. The experts were gathered to explore potential future scenarios and to highlight a course toward one 'endgame generation' scenario we must strive to significantly reduce nicotine use and improve chronic respiratory disease outcomes. At the same time, they also identified tipping points, which closely reflect the current geopolitical climate that risk steering the world to the worst-case scenario the experts deemed 'ashtray planet' by 2040. In the 'ashtray planet' scenario, tobacco and nicotine use has become deeply entrenched across much of the world. Second-hand smoke and aerosol are common in public spaces with people smoking on public transport, outside hospitals, or even in parks where children play. People begin wearing masks again, not for viruses, but to cope with outdoor smoke and smog. COPD and asthma become significantly more prevalent stretching health systems to the limit, not to mention the mental health burden on both patients and their caregivers. Health care professionals do little more than renew basic prescriptions, driving a revolving door of readmissions. A surge in undiagnosed asthma leads to attacks with often fatal consequences that could have been prevented among children, disproportionately affecting those in low and middle-income countries. Aron Szpisjak, Head of Health and Futurist at CIFS said: "Chronic respiratory diseases like asthma and COPD affect 550 million adults yet they are almost invisible in global health discussions. Tobacco is the leading preventable risk factor for these conditions, contributing to 8.3 million deaths every year." "With the risk of governments catering to corporate interests and economic survival dominating national agendas, what we saw as the doomsday scenario now feels dangerously close to being realised. We still have time to shape the future and steer us on the right course to an endgame where nicotine consumption is reduced significantly, and chronic respiratory diseases begin to decline. We already have the solutions to get us there and avert the ashtray planet scenario. But that can only happen if decision makers across the world commit to sustained, coordinated action." The report describes early warning signals, policy shifts and trends which could indicate the 'ashtray planet' scenario is beginning to unfold and underscores the urgency for action. For example, when more immediate crises such as economic instability, authoritarian politics, worsening environmental disasters, and mounting inequality lead governments to prioritise economic survival over public health resulting in rollbacks of tobacco-control regulations. Another example is the rise of newer nicotine products such as e-cigarettes, which rapidly gain popularity through social media and celebrity influence, particularly among young people. Chronic respiratory diseases impose a significant burden, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, where 90% of premature deaths occur due to underdiagnosis and limited access to care. In the scenario most closely resembling a status quo where developed countries do enact strong tobacco-control policies and uptake of new nicotine products is limited, the report highlights that positive outcomes may remain uneven. This is particularly the case in underserved regions where public trust in government and health institutions is low and there are varying abilities to adapt policies to local realities. Bogi Eliasen, CIFS Fellow and Futurist , said: "High smoking rates jeopardise our progress towards the Sustainable Development Goal of aiming to reduce premature mortality from non-communicable diseases. While smoking rates are dropping, progress is slow and insufficient. Delaying action further risks slowing progress, making tobacco use harder to reverse, and missing a critical opportunity to protect millions of people." "We have seen positive signs with the recent approval of the Integrated Lung Health resolution at the World Health Assembly, but there is still work to be done to ensure chronic respiratory diseases maintain priority status. As world leaders gather at the United Nations General Assembly in September this year to adopt a new declaration on non-communicable diseases later this year, they must take strong action on tobacco control and ensure people living with chronic respiratory diseases are meaningfully included in the commitments." The report includes strategic actions for policy makers, public health bodies, and patient and advocacy groups. Immediate priorities include strengthening tobacco control by persevering with action such as generational bans, restricting new nicotine products to prescription only access, and limiting appeal by banning flavours and attractive packaging. The full report is available online: Notes to Editors About the report The Future of Chronic Respiratory Diseases (CRDs) and Nicotine Consumption: Beyond Smoke and Mirrors report was developed in a two-phase approach. The first phase combined desk research and expert interviews to generate the evidence base, complemented with an AI model built by the CIFS team which included 4,000 peer-reviewed articles and policy documents. To ensure the integrity of the evidence base, studies linked to the tobacco industry were excluded. The second phase comprised two co-creation workshops that convened more than 20 tobacco-control specialists from Africa, Europe, the Middle East, North America, South America, and Southeast Asia. Participants were selected both for the relevance of their expertise and to ensure a diversity of viewpoints. In the first workshop, the experts identified critical uncertainties to structure the four future scenarios. In workshop two, participants revisited the four draft scenarios to explore early warning signs and tipping points suggesting that a particular trajectory is beginning to unfold, and the strategic trade-offs stakeholders may face. This report was commissioned by Sanofi and Regeneron. CIFS independently conducted the research, expert interviews, workshop facilitation, and the development of all scenarios and recommendations. While Sanofi and Regeneron provided financial support, CIFS maintained full editorial independence. Neither the Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies nor Sanofi and Regeneron have any affiliation with the tobacco or nicotine industry. About the Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies (CIFS) The Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies is an independent, non-profit think tank established in 1969, on the initiative by former Danish Minister and OECD Secretary-General Professor Thorkil Kristensen. Our purpose is to help people and organisations imagine, work with, and shape their future. We do this by applying our unique approach to futures studies and foresight, combined with more than 50 years of global experience and contributions to the field, working with organisations across the public, private, academic, and civic sectors, as well as with the general public. Being independent of commercial and political interests enables an objective approach and allows for all profits to go exclusively to fund further research and non-profit initiatives. Logo - View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies (CIFS)
