Tobacco Free Press e-newsletter - June 2013

Reposted at http://tobaccodeathray.blogspot.com,

Follow the links below to access the full articles.

Secondhand Smoke
Study confirms deposits of toxic chemicals in thirdhand cigarette smoke

• Aggressive behavior linked specifically to secondhand smoke exposure in childhood
• A smoking ban in all Related Companies rental properties
• New fact sheet: Disclosure of smoking policies in multi-unit housing
• Oregon bans smoking in cars with kids (OR)
• Indoor smoking ban: Lawmaker says he's been promised a committee vote on his bill (PA)
• France to ban electronic cigarettes in public (France)
• Italy may ban smoking e-cigarettes in public places (Italy)
• Russia tries to kick habit with anti-smoking law (Russia)

Legal
State Supreme Judicial Court upholds award for compensatory damages but strikes down punitive award (MA)

• Vermont judge orders R.J. Reynolds to pay $8.3 million in penalties and stop deceptive advertising (VT)
• Legal Update, the newsletter of the Tobacco Control Legal Consortium
• Guide to online resources for researching individuals and organizations
   

Tobacco Pricing

• Tobacco tax may give boost to e-cigarettes (MN)
• Federal tobacco tax hike would reduce smoking, raise revenue and benefit lower-income Americans, new report finds
• Cigarette makers confirm price increases
• Cheaper chew? Kentucky's tax on chewing tobacco set to drop (KY)
• Massachusetts tobacco tax increase will save lives, protect kids (MA)
• Understanding tobacco industry pricing strategy and whether it undermines tobacco tax policy: the example of the UK cigarette market (United Kingdom)

Other Policy

• Report: Policy tool for minimizing public health and environmental effects of cigarette waste
• California Senate votes to regulate e-cigarettes (CA)
• Illinois Senate approves electronic cigarette ban for minors (IL)
• Employers get leeway on health incentives
• Fact sheet: Impact of sequestration and other budget changes on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• UK to start regulating e-cigarettes as medicines (United Kingdom)

SECONDHAND SMOKE (SHS)/CLEAN INDOOR AIR (CIA) Resources

SECONDHAND SMOKE (SHS)/CLEAN INDOOR AIR (CIA)

Reposted at http://www.tobaccodeathray.blogspot.com

 Association between Smoke-free Legislation and Hospitalizations for Cardiac, Cerebrovascular, and Respiratory Diseases: A Meta-analysis. Circulation (Oct 30, 2012). Smoke-free legislation was associated with a lower risk of smoking-related cardiac, cerebrovascular, and respiratory diseases. 

• Cardiovascular Harms from Tobacco Use and Secondhand Smoke: Global Gaps in Awareness and Implications for Action Report from the International Tobacco Control Project. University of Waterloo (2012). Outlines cardiovascular effects of tobacco use and secondhand smoke, and presents data from surveys of smokers who were asked about their knowledge of the cardiovascular disease risks of tobacco use and secondhand smoke exposure. Also includes U.S. data.
• Risk of Exposure to Second Hand Smoke for Adolescents in Las Vegas Casinos: An Evaluation of the Nevada Clean Indoor Air Act. Journal of Health and Human Services Administration (Fall 2012).  The results indicate that current policy fails to preserve indoor air quality in children-friendly areas. 
• Comprehensive Smoke-Free Laws - 50 Largest U.S. Cities, 2000 and 2012. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (Nov 16, 2012).  Significant progress has been achieved since 2000 in expanding comprehensive smoke-free policy coverage in the 50 largest U.S. cities, but 20 cities remain without full protection from secondhand smoke in private workplaces, restaurants and bars.
• Indoor Air Quality at Nine Large-Hub Airports With and Without Designated Smoking Areas - United States, October-November 2012. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (Nov 20, 2012).  Ventilated rooms and designated smoking areas in airports are not effective in fully eliminating exposure to secondhand smoke.
• Individual, Social, and Environmental Factors Associated with Support for Smoke-free Housing Policies among Subsidized Multiunit Housing (MUH) Tenants. Nicotine and Tobacco Research (Nov 7, 2012, Epub ahead of print).  More than half of subsidized MUH tenants supported smoke-free policies inside their units. 
• Smoke-free-home Rules Among Women with Infants, 2004-2008. Preventing Chronic Disease. The prevalence of complete rules was lowest among women who: smoked during pregnancy and postpartum, were younger than 20 years, were non-Hispanic black, had fewer than 12 years of education, had an annual household income of less than $10,000, were unmarried and were enrolled in Medicaid during pregnancy. 
• Parents Smoking in Their Cars With Children Present. Pediatrics (Nov 12, 2012, Epub ahead of print).  The pollutant levels inside the car exceeded those found in restaurants, bars and casinos.
• Smokefree Policies in Multi-Unit Housing: Steps for Success. American Lung Association online curriculum on how to implement a smokefree policy in multi-unit housing properties like apartments and condominiums. Also provides link to an issues brief on Smoke-free Multi-Unit Housing.  

New Tobacco Research and Policy Resources

The November 2012 supplement to the peer-reviewed American Journal of Preventive Medicine features three tobacco policy-related articles written by Public Health Law Center staff members Mike Freiberg, Brooke Nunn, Warren Ortland, and Susan Weisman.  The supplement includes articles from ClearWay Minnesota-funded tobacco research grantees, a review article by two experts from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and a commentary by Dr. Howard Koh, Assistant Secretary for Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  

Check out the Public Health Law Center articles on our website:

Federal Approaches to the Regulation of Non-Cigarette Tobacco Products. Michael J. Freiberg, J.D.  An investigation of how federal laws apply, or fail to apply, to the regulation of non-cigarette tobacco products.

 

Secondhand Smoke and Smoke-Free Policies in Owner-Occupied Multi-Unit Housing.  Martha J. Hewett, MS; Warren H. Ortland, JD; Betsy E. Brock, MPH; Curtis J. Heim, MS.  A study of the prevalence of secondhand smoke incursion in common interest communities that assesses residents' attitudes toward secondhand smoke and interest in smoke-free policies.

Influencing Taft-Hartley Funds to Provide Tobacco Cessation Benefits.  Susan R. Weisman, JD; Deborah Hennrikus, PhD; Kelvin Choi, PhD; Brooke Nunn, MPH, MSW; Jean L. Forster, PhD, MPH; Mary Kay Hunt, MPH; Rodney Skoog, BA; Wade Luneburg; Bernie Hesse, BA.  A study testing a pilot intervention to increase the provision and promotion of cessation benefits among Minnesota-based Taft-Hartley Health and Welfare Funds by educating the funds' advisors.

Here are two great resources for those working on university  tobacco free campuses.

·         Jones A and Sanders S . (February 2009). Guide for a tobacco-free campus: Why we should make campuses tobacco-free – and how to do it.  Action on Smoking and Health Australia.  Kings Cross NSW Australia.    Available at http://www.ashaust.org.au/pdfs/TFcampusGuideAus09.pdf
       
·         Jones A.  Tobacco-free Educational Campuses: A tobacco-free futures action guide.  International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease.  Edinburgh UK.    Available at:  http://www.tobaccofreeunion.org/assets/Technical%20Resources/Tobacco-free%20Futures%20Action%20Guide/Campus/Campus%20Factsheet%20-%20EN.pdf

Reposted at http://www.tobaccodeathray.blogspot.com

Secondhand Smoke Exposure Persists in Multi-unit Housing

Secondhand smoke exposure persists in multiunit housing
Reposted at http://www.tobaccodeathray.blogspot.com

Residents of multiunit housing continue to be exposed to secondhand smoke, and are supportive of smoke-free housing policies according to a study published in the American Journal of Public Health. This nationally-representative study assessed the attitudes, experience, and acceptance regarding smoke-free policies among multiunit housing residents across the United States.

Multiunit housing was defined as apartments, duplexes, double/multifamily homes, condominiums, or townhouses. Among the respondents, 29% reported living in smoke-free buildings, and 56% supported 100% smoke-free policies in their buildings. Additionally, 79% of the respondents implemented smoke-free rules in their homes. Those with smoke-free homes were more likely to be nonsmokers, live with children, and have achieved higher education levels.

The results suggest that about 30 million residents are exposed to secondhand smoke from other areas of their building, regardless of a smoke-free policy in their homes, and many multiunit housing residents welcome policies that protect them from secondhand smoke at home. To read more about this study, click here.

Click here to read the study abstract.