Latest news with #smokingcessation
CTV News
a day ago
- General
- CTV News
Program that helps cancer patients stop smoking available at LHSC
From left: Jennifer Murray (Nurse Practitioner, Cancer Care), Catherine Bond-Mills (Pharmacist, Pharmacy – Oncology and Renal), and Spencer Martin (Manager, Pharmacy – Oncology and Renal) in the Verspeeten Family Cancer Centre Smoking Treatment for Ontario Patients (STOP) is a program offered by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) which helps patients stop smoking. The program is now being offered in London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) to patients with head and neck cancers - although they already have a positive cancer diagnosis, it's important for those patients to quit smoking as it can improve outcomes. '[Smoking cessation] should be a high-priority intervention. We know it can take numerous attempts at quitting before patients can break the habit, and we also know that nicotine replacement therapy can double the chances of someone quitting successfully,' explained Jennifer Murray, Nurse Practitioner, Cancer Care at LHSC. 'Follow-up is critical in supporting patients in their goals given the chronic and relapsing patterns of tobacco addiction. With the STOP program, patients can now be connected to counselling surrounding their nicotine use and access nicotine replacement products.' Head and neck cancers include mouth, throat and voice box, but does not include brain, esophageal or lung cancers. Murray supports patients at LHSC's Verspeeten Family Cancer Centre, and will identify patients that are smoking and interested in quitting. The program includes the provision of nicotine replacement therapy like patches, gum or losenges, as well as counselling - providing up to 26 weeks of services free of charge. The program is more than counselling, it requires the support of several healthcare workers, 'Pharmacists play a critical role by offering personalized smoking cessation counselling, assessing patient readiness to quit and helping develop tailored plans to quit,' said Interim Pharmacy Manager Spencer Martin, who cares for patients in oncology and renal medicines at LHSC. 'The STOP program allows us to take a more proactive role in a patient's smoking cessation journey – a critical, but often under addressed aspect of patient care in cancer populations.'
News.com.au
3 days ago
- Business
- News.com.au
Lung foundation calls for supermarkets to be banned from selling tobacco
Supermarkets should be banned from selling cigarettes, the Lung Foundation of Australia says. The foundation has floated the ban as a means to stop smokers being tempted to buy a pack or a pouch alongside their groceries. 'We need everyone from government to big corporations to put the lung health of Australians ahead of profits from a product that kills 66 Australians daily,' foundation chief executive Mark Brooke said. 'Previous news reports have highlighted Coles estimates their cigarette sales each year is enough to kill more than 1600 Australians and cause tobacco-related medical costs of more than $300m a year.' Former smoker Sarah Waters has joined the campaign for cigarettes to be banned from supermarkets. Ms Waters started smoking aged 13, and continued for nearly 30 years. 'It isn't easy to quit but not being able to buy cigarettes so easily would have made a big difference. When I started smoking there was no age limits in place, and they were marketed to young people as being cool.' Prince Charles Hospital thoracic physician Henry Marshall said nicotine is as addictive as heroin. 'The difference is you can't buy heroin with your weekly shopping.' 'It is hard to fight an addiction while also being able to buy tobacco products so easily.' Professor Marshall has thrown his voice behind the lung foundation's calls for a ban. 'People who smoke deserve more help from health professionals and the government,' he said. 'I would like to see people demand action from the multinational tobacco companies who have known smoking causes lung cancer since before 1954 and continued to sell products to make profit off Australians. It is time we said, 'enough is enough'.' The Lung Foundation is calling for the government to ban supermarkets from selling tobacco products. In response, Coles said in a statement it is providing smokers with a legal way to obtain tobacco. 'Coles complies with all Commonwealth, State and Territory laws aimed at minimising the negative health effects of tobacco use, however we recognise the need to provide choice to those customers who wish to purchase these products legally,' a spokesperson told NewsWire. Woolworths has been approached for comment. Earlier this year, IGA reported it had lost $150m of revenue over three years, as tobacco black market sales skyrocketed across the country. Australians have comprehensively turned to the black market for cigarettes and tobacco, as the tax on legal smokes becomes unaffordable. The taxes the federal government takes from tobacco have plummeted from $16.3bn five years ago, to $7.4bn this year. Smoking rates have fallen from 20 per cent of the population in 2001, to about 8 per cent now, the latest government data shows.
Arab News
5 days ago
- General
- Arab News
TNFS 2025: Saudi Arabia to host region's first summit on smoking reduction
In a significant move that signals a shift in how the region tackles public health challenges, Riyadh is set to host the TNFS Summit 2025 — the first high-level regional summit focused on reducing smoking prevalence and addressing tobacco-related harm. This event will bring together organizations, health leaders, and policymakers from the region and around the globe. The summit will take place on May 29 at the Four Seasons Hotel — Kingdom Centre, coinciding with 'World No Tobacco Day.' It is supported by strategic partners, including the Quality-of-Life Program (Part of one of the realization programs of the Kingdom's Vision 2030), Badael Company, and Smart Health as the scientific partner. The TNFS Summit will serve as a multilateral platform to encourage regional and international collaboration in tackling one of the most pressing public health challenges in the Arab world. The summit is expected to culminate in the adoption of a regional charter for tobacco harm reduction and the signing of strategic cooperation agreements among participating entities, aimed at strengthening public health systems and enhancing regional regulatory frameworks. TNFS Summit 2025 invites policymakers, public health experts, and civil society to unite around a shared vision: a healthier Middle East with lower tobacco dependence. This summit marks a clear commitment to science-based, prevention-first policies built on regional and international partnerships. More than 100 local and international experts from leading institutions — including specialists from the UK, Sweden, and Saudi Arabia — will participate in the summit. They will discuss the latest research, exchange insights, and explore scalable, evidence-based policy solutions. The agenda will focus on key strategic themes, including: Badael Company, the summit's strategic partner, stated that TNFS 2025 addresses an urgent regional need for data-driven dialogue and multilateral coordination to reflect the scale of tobacco-related harm in our societies. The summit is envisioned as a launchpad for the region's healthier and more sustainable future.
Zawya
6 days ago
- General
- Zawya
Saudi Arabia to host the first regional summit on harm reduction under the TNFS 2025 initiative
Riyadh: In a significant move that signals a shift in how the region tackles public health challenges, Riyadh is set to host the TNFS Summit 2025—the first high-level regional summit focused on reducing smoking prevalence and addressing tobacco-related harm. This event will bring together organizations, health leaders, and policymakers from the region and around the globe. The summit will occur on May 29, 2025, at the Four Seasons Hotel – Kingdom Center, coinciding with "World No Tobacco Day." It is supported by strategic partners, including the Quality-of-Life Program (Part of one of the realization programs of the Kingdom's Vision 2030), Badael Company, and Smart Health as the scientific partner. The TNFS Summit will serve as a multilateral platform to encourage regional and international collaboration in tackling one of the most pressing public health challenges in the Arab world. The summit is expected to culminate in the adoption of a regional charter for tobacco harm reduction and the signing of strategic cooperation agreements among participating entities, aimed at strengthening public health systems and enhancing regional regulatory frameworks. TNFS Summit 2025 invites policymakers, public health experts, and civil society to unite around a shared vision: a healthier Middle East with lower tobacco dependence. This summit marks a clear commitment to science-based, prevention-first policies built on regional and international partnerships. More than 100 local and international experts from leading institutions including specialists from the United Kingdom, Sweden, and Saudi Arabia will participate in the summit. They will discuss the latest research, exchange insights, and explore scalable, evidence-based policy solutions. The agenda will focus on key strategic themes, including: Correcting public misconceptions about nicotine and tobacco harm reduction products Designing preventive policies grounded in scientific evidence Showcasing successful international regulatory frameworks that can be adapted to regional contexts Mobilizing community awareness and fostering collaboration between the public and private sectors Badael Company, the summit's strategic partner, stated that TNFS 2025 addresses an urgent regional need for data-driven dialogue and multilateral coordination to reflect the scale of tobacco-related harm in our societies. The summit is envisioned as a launchpad for the region's healthier, fairer, and more sustainable future. For more information or media inquiries, please contact the Summit's Media Coordinator: Dr. Rania Al-Qarawi Email: rania@ Mobile: +966 56 341 3928
BBC News
24-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Vaping: Why people are stockpiling ahead of disposable vapes ban
Cara Hallinan says she and many of her friends are feeling very nervous about the looming disposable vape fact, she says: "I'm not sure what we are going to do."The 25-year-old took up vaping five years of her friends gave her a puff on theirs and that was it, she could finally wean herself off says it was cherry fizz flavoured vapes which helped her quit her 20-a-day smoking habit, and now, as the ban looms, she's buying as many as she can before they become illegal to sell or supply across the UK."I've been buying boxes of them from my local discount store. They're trying to get rid of them, so I've been getting ten vapes for £20."Cara says she's got about 40 vapes now, enough to last a few weeks, but she wants to stockpile enough to get her through the summer. From 1 June, it will be illegal to buy or sell disposable vapes. Only devices considered to be reusable will be legal. They must have a rechargeable battery, a replaceable coil and be understands there will still be a wide variety of vapes out there to buy, but she's not convinced they will work for her."With everything else going on in my life, what if I forget to recharge my vape? And then I wake up one morning without a vape, or I run out of charge at work?"I'm used to the ease of being able to buy a disposable one when I need."Cara is one of more than three million ex-smokers who have made the switch from cigarettes to vapes over the past few vapes are considered a healthier alternative to cigarettes, there are concerns that vaping provides a gateway into nicotine addiction - with disposable vapes enticing children and young people with their fruity flavours and cheap though rechargeable vapes are the most popular, there are still around 30% of vapers who prefer to use disposable vapes. "One of the big attractions is ease of use," Dan Marchant, owner of online retailer, Vape Club, and co-founder of the UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA), says."Buying a disposable vape is like buying a packet of cigarettes – just nip to the shop and get one over the counter."He says he's seen sales of the most popular flavours of vapes double over the past few weeks as some customers stock online retailer, Haypp, has also seen sales rise ahead of the scientific director, Dr Marina Murphy, said: "Daily sales are now regularly surpassing even our Black Friday peaks, which had previously been our biggest sales days."Some are worried about the change in taste. Disposable vapes tend to be sweeter than refillable vapes due to them often having more sweeteners and nicotine salts in the E-liquid. 'Smoker of the year award' After 40 years of chain-smoking cigarettes, Baroness Claire Fox of Buckley says it was the strawberry and banana flavour disposable vapes that finally helped her quit."They worked a treat and for the past 18 months I have been smoke-free."The 64-year-old peer admits it wasn't easy, but after being advised by two doctors to try vapes, she's gone from being the "proud winner of the smoker of the year award" to a life free from the harms of tobacco. And now, she says, she is dreading 1 June when the disposable vape ban comes in."I've been stocking up with stashes of brightly-coloured vape boxes both at home and at work."The rechargables have a metallic, battery taste which I don't like."She says disposable vapes have had a "miraculous impact on smoking levels"."Finally, we have a smoking cessation device that works and we ban it - it's counter- productive and daft."The outspoken peer, who often berates legislation she sees as infringing civil liberties, says environmental concerns are clearly trumping public health concerns. The UK government wants to reduce the impact on the environment – an estimated five million disposable vapes were thrown away last year – and cut the number of children and young people experts agree anyone who does not smoke should not start vaping, as it may cause long-term damage to lungs, hearts and brains. A Censuswide poll, commissioned by Vape Club, asked 2,000 vapers across the UK how their habits were going to change in the wake of the ban next 49% of people who use disposable vapes said they were going to switch to different types of rechargeable devices, and 16% said they were going to stop vaping altogether, it has also produced some "worrying results", Mr Marchant says."We found that 11% said they were going to stockpile after the ban - by going abroad and buying from countries where disposables are sold legally and then bringing them back into the UK."And more worryingly, 18% said if they couldn't get hold of disposable vapes they would go back to smoking after the ban comes in." This is something, Nick, who owns Mist Vapes, recognises, as he points to the local newsagent a few shops down the road in Whalley Range, south Manchester."Many of my regular customers say they will stop vaping when the ban comes in, instead of coming here, they'll go to Booze and Cigs down the road and pick up a pack of cigarettes and go back to smoking."He is worried about the future of his points to the rows of pastel-coloured boxes, lined up on shelves that cover a whole wall in his shop. There are popular flavours like pineapple ice, rainbow and blueberry sour."They'll have to go," he says. "And that's nearly £6,000 worth of stock down the drain."I only set up my business a year ago, so it's relatively new. I knew the ban was coming, but with 90% of my sales being disposable, I've had to keep on restocking."He believes the government has failed small retail shops like his own."I don't think it's going to make much difference to vaping habits – many of the rechargeable vapes now look the same as the disposable, you can buy them pre-filled and charged."He turns one over – the only difference he says is the charging point at the bottom."I'm selling the rechargeable at the same price but with less of a mark-up." The government says disposable vapes "blight our towns and cities". Circular economy minister, Mary Creagh, says the ban will boost the economy long-term."This is an important step on the road to a circular economy, where we use our resources for longer, clean up our communities, accelerate the path to net-zero and create thousands of jobs across the country."
