Evidence-based Tobacco Control Research Articles

Reprint of: Examining U.S. disparities in smoking among rural versus urban women of reproductive age: 2002–2019

ObjectiveThis study is part of a programmatic investigation of rural disparities in cigarette smoking examining disparities in smoking prevalence and for the first-time quit ratios among adult women of reproductive age (18–44 years), a highly vulnerable population due to risk for multigenerational adverse effects. MethodsData came from 18 years (2002–2019) of the U.S. National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) among women (n = 280,626) categorized by rural-urban residence, pregnancy status, using weighted logistic regression models testing time trends and controlling for well-established sociodemographic predictors of smoking (race/ethnicity, education, income). Concerns regarding changes in survey methods used before 2002 and after 2019 precluded inclusion of earlier and more recent survey years in the present study. ResultsOverall smoking prevalence across years was greater in rural than urban residents (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.11; 95%CI, 1.07–1.15; P < .001) including those not-pregnant (AOR = 1.10; 1.07–1.14; P < .001) and pregnant (AOR = 1.29; 1.09–1.52; P < .001). Overall quit ratios across years were lower in rural than urban residents (AOR = 0.93; 0.87–0.99; P < .001) including those not-pregnant (AOR = 0.93; 0.88–1.00, P = .035) and pregnant (AOR = 0.78; 0.62–0.99; P = .039). Interactions of rural versus urban residence with study years for prevalence and quit ratios overall and by pregnancy status are detailed in the main text. ConclusionsThese results support a longstanding and robust rural disparity in smoking prevalence among women of reproductive age including those currently pregnant and provides novel evidence that differences in smoking cessation contribute to this disparity further underscoring a need for greater access to evidence-based tobacco control and regulatory interventions in rural regions.

Examining U.S. disparities in smoking among rural versus urban women of reproductive age: 2002–2019

ObjectiveThis study is part of a programmatic investigation of rural disparities in cigarette smoking examining disparities in smoking prevalence and for the first-time quit ratios among adult women of reproductive age (18–44 years), a highly vulnerable population due to risk for multigenerational adverse effects. MethodsData came from 18 years (2002–2019) of the U.S. National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) among women (n = 280,626) categorized by rural-urban residence, pregnancy status, using weighted logistic regression models testing time trends and controlling for well-established sociodemographic predictors of smoking (race/ethnicity, education, income). Concerns regarding changes in survey methods used before 2002 and after 2019 precluded inclusion of earlier and more recent survey years in the present study. ResultsOverall smoking prevalence across years was greater in rural than urban residents (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.11; 95%CI, 1.07–1.15; P < .001) including those not-pregnant (AOR = 1.10; 1.07–1.14; P < .001) and pregnant (AOR = 1.29; 1.09–1.52; P < .001). Overall quit ratios across years were lower in rural than urban residents (AOR = 0.93; 0.87–0.99; P < .001) including those not-pregnant (AOR = 0.93; 0.88–1.00, P = .035) and pregnant (AOR = 0.78; 0.62–0.99; P = .039). Interactions of rural versus urban residence with study years for prevalence and quit ratios overall and by pregnancy status are detailed in the main text. ConclusionsThese results support a longstanding and robust rural disparity in smoking prevalence among women of reproductive age including those currently pregnant and provides novel evidence that differences in smoking cessation contribute to this disparity further underscoring a need for greater access to evidence-based tobacco control and regulatory interventions in rural regions.

Cigarette Smoking Among Pregnant Women During the Perinatal Period: Prevalence and Health Care Provider Inquiries - Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System, United States, 2021.

Cigarette smoking during pregnancy increases the risk for pregnancy complications and adverse infant outcomes such as preterm delivery, restricted fetal growth, and infant death. Health care provider counseling can support smoking cessation. Data from the 2021 Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System were analyzed to estimate the prevalence of smoking before, during, and after pregnancy; quitting smoking during pregnancy; and whether health care providers asked about cigarette smoking before, during, and after pregnancy among women with a recent live birth. In 2021, the prevalence of cigarette smoking was 12.1% before pregnancy, 5.4% during pregnancy, and 7.2% during the postpartum period; 56.1% of women who smoked before pregnancy quit smoking while pregnant. Jurisdiction-specific prevalences of smoking ranged from 3.5% to 20.2% before pregnancy, 0.4% to 11.0% during pregnancy, and 1.0% to 15.1% during the postpartum period. Among women with a health care visit during the associated period, the percentage of women who reported that a health care provider asked about smoking was 73.7% at any health care visit before pregnancy, 93.7% at any prenatal care visit, and 57.3% at a postpartum checkup. Routine assessment of smoking behaviors among pregnant and postpartum women can guide the development and implementation of evidence-based tobacco control measures at the jurisdiction and health care-system level to reduce smoking among pregnant and postpartum women.

Evolving methodology of national tobacco control investment cases

BackgroundThis article describes an investment case methodology for tobacco control that was applied in 36 countries between 2017 and 2022.MethodsThe WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) investment cases compared...

The crossroads of work and home: linkages between smoke-free policies at work and household environments

BackgroundTobacco use causes over eight million global deaths annually, with seven million directly attributed to tobacco use and 1.2 million to second hand smoke (SHS). Smoke-free environments are crucial to counter SHS. Although India banned smoking in public places in 2008, SHS exposure remains high. Studies have noted that limiting smoking in workplaces, restaurants, etc., helps to reduce overall smoking and reduce SHS exposure. Under this background, the study explores the linkages between smoke-free workplaces and living in smoke-free homes in India.MethodsThe two rounds of the GATS India (2009-10 and 2016-17) have been used for the study. The study focuses on male tobacco smokers working indoors or outdoors or both indoors and outdoors. The sample for the study was 2,969 for GATS 1 and 2,801 for GATS 2. Dependent variables include living in a smoke-free home, while the independent variables were adherence to a smoke-free office policy and socio-demographic variables. The two rounds of the GATS data were pooled for analysis. Statistical analysis involves bivariate and multivariate analysis.ResultsFindings reveal that 41% of respondents worked in smoke-free workplaces in GATS 2. Nationally, smoke-free homes increased from 35% in 2009–2010 to 44% in 2016-17. Individuals with smoke-free workplaces were more likely to have smoke-free homes. The Southern region consistently exhibited the highest proportion of smoke-free homes. Urban areas and higher education correlated with increased smoke-free homes. Logistic regression analysis confirmed that workplace smoke-free status is a significant predictor of smoke-free homes. In GATS 2, respondents aged 30 years and above were less likely to have smoke-free homes, while education and Southern region residence positively influenced smoke-free homes.ConclusionsThe correlation between smoke-free workplaces and smoke-free homes is linked to stringent workplace no-smoking policies, potentially deterring individuals from smoking at home. Opportunities exist for the expansion and stringent implementation of the smoke-free policies among Indian working adults, leveraging the workplace as a key setting for evidence-based tobacco control. The study highlights positive trends in India’s smoke-free homes, crediting workplace policies. Effective policies, education, and regional strategies can advance smoke-free homes, stressing the pivotal role of workplace policies and advocating broader implementation.

A multilevel intervention in pediatric primary care for youth tobacco control: Outcomes of implementing an Ask, Advise, and Connect model.

Multilevel interventions in healthcare settings (e.g. Ask, Advise, and Connect; AAC) can reduce tobacco product use among adult patients: their effectiveness in pediatric practice is largely unknown. We implemented an AAC model in pediatric primary care to deter children's tobacco use, and evaluated its effectiveness in a single-arm trial. At wellness visits, young patients (ages 12-17) completed a tablet-based assessment (Ask) of lifetime and current tobacco use. These data were made available within the electronic health record to pediatric primary care providers for preventive counseling (Advise). Providers then referred patients to an e-health evidence-based tobacco control intervention (Connect). Tobacco control outcomes were examined in the clinic population (N = 2219) and in a sample of patients (N = 388, 62% female, 39% non-White, M age = 15) over time, along with intervention engagement. Population use of tobacco products decreased following introduction of AAC (more than 2-fold). At the patient level, most children (80.9%) engaged with the intervention: those who were Black or African American, who never used tobacco products/were not susceptible to use, and who used fewer non-cigarette tobacco products were more likely to engage, but only after multiple prompts versus a single prompt. Engagement was positively associated with lowering children's susceptibility to using tobacco at follow-up. A pediatric AAC model holds promise in deterring youth tobacco use, including among historically marginalized populations who may require additional support.

Impact of regulatory tightening of the Hungarian tobacco retail market on availability, access and cigarette smoking prevalence of adolescents

IntroductionPolicies that reduce tobacco retail density to decrease tobacco use among the youth are critical for the tobacco endgame. This paper reviews a Hungarian tobacco regulatory measure, which, since 2013,...

Prevalence, Correlates and Trends in Tobacco Use among Youths: A Retrospective Secondary Data Analysis of Nationally Representative Surveys (NFHS-5) in India

Introduction: Youths are the most vulnerable population to initiate tobacco use. It is the need of the hour to prevent tobacco addiction among young people to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with it. Therefore, there is a need for necessary data to build an appropriate strategy to combat this epidemic. Aim: To determine the prevalence and trends of tobacco use and to assess the factors associated with tobacco use among youths (age 15-24 years) in India. Materials and Methods: This retrospective secondary data analysis study was conducted at Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India, between January 2023 and June 2023, using data from the National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS-5), 2019-2021, which was conducted across all states of India to estimate the prevalence of tobacco use among the 15-24 age group. Data were compared with NFHS 3 and 4 to observe the trends in tobacco use. The data were analysed using Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) software (version 21.0). Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify the significant risk factors associated with tobacco use. A p-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The prevalence of smoking and smokeless tobacco use was 2109/14525 (14.52%) and 2237/14525 (15.40%) respectively among male youths aged 20-24 years, and it was 374/119043 (31%) and 119/119043 (1.53%) in females of similar age. For males, the prevalence has decreased from 40.07% in NFHS-3 to 27.31% in NFHS-4 and to 22.51% in NFHS-5. For females, the prevalence has decreased from 4.55% in NFHS-3 to 2.38% in NFHS-4 and to 1.33% in NFHS-5. Males and females belonging to the scheduled caste/scheduled tribe, having a poor wealth index, and in the married category had a higher prevalence of tobacco use. Youths residing in rural areas were using more smokeless tobacco. Conclusion: There was a declining trend of tobacco use among youths over NFHS-3 (2005-2006), NFHS-4 (2015-2016), and NFHS-5 (2019-2021). Male gender, higher age, rural area, the northeast region of India, poor wealth index, education upto primary level, being married, and other categories of marriage had higher adjusted odds of using both forms of tobacco. There is a need to implement and enforce evidence-based tobacco control strategies that can substantially improve the health of the young, hence securing India’s future.

Health warning labels on heated tobacco products and their impact on use intentions and risk perceptions: a cross-sectional study of adult tobacco users in the US and Israel.

Health warning labels (HWLs) represent an evidence-based tobacco control strategy; however, their application to heated tobacco products (HTPs) and related impacts are understudied. This study examined the impact of HTP HWLs on HTP use intentions and risk perceptions among current tobacco users. We analyzed cross-sectional survey data from adults in the US and Israel reporting past-month tobacco use and awareness of HTPs (N = 424). Multivariate analyses examined: (1) sociodemographics in relation to self-reported impact of HTP HWLs (i.e., more concerned about HTP use, reassured, no effect [referent]) among those who noticed HTP HWLs (multinomial regressions); and (2) HWL impacts in relation to HTP use intentions and perceived addictiveness and harm (linear regressions). Among participants who noticed HTP HWLs (n = 372, 87.7%), 27.7% reported HWLs increased their concerns about HTP use, 22.6% were reassured about use, and 49.7% reported no effect. Factors associated with increased concern (vs. no effect) included other tobacco product use (aOR = 2.10, 95% CI 1.21-3.64) and being female (aOR = 1.77, 95% CI 1.03-3.05). Factors associated with being reassured about HTPs use (vs. no effect) included current HTP use (aOR = 2.11, 95% CI 1.11-4.00) and being from Israel (vs. US: aOR = 3.85, 95% CI 1.85-7.69), female (aOR = 1.91, 95% CI 1.07-3.42), and less educated (< college education: aOR = 2.57, 95% CI 1.42-4.63). Reporting that HWLs on HTPs increased concern (β = 0.46, 95% CI 0.03-0.89) and reassured of use (β = 0.94, 95% CI 0.47-1.41) were positively associated with HTP use intentions; no associations with risk perceptions were found. Findings indicate that most tobacco users noticed HWLs on HTPs, but the majority reported no effect or being reassured of using HTPs, effects that were magnified for specific subgroups. Both increased concern and reassurance correlated with greater use intentions. Additional research should evaluate HTP HWL impacts and ensure effectiveness in communicating risks and discouraging use.

The impacts of electronic cigarette health warning labels on use intentions and perceptions: A cross-sectional study of US and Israeli adults who use tobacco.

Health warning labels (HWLs) are evidence-based tobacco control strategies; however, their application to e-cigarettes and related impacts (e.g. on perceived risk), including across countries with different regulations, are understudied. Using 2021 survey data from 927 US and Israeli adults reporting past-month tobacco use, multivariate analyses examined: (1) sociodemographics in relation to self-reported impact of e-cigarette HWLs (i.e. more concerned about e-cigarette use, reassured, no effect) among those who noticed e-cigarette HWLs (multinomial regressions); and (2) HWL impacts in relation to use intentions and perceived addictiveness and harm (linear regressions). Among those who noticed HWLs (n = 835, 90.1%), 34.1% reported HWLs resulted in greater concern about e-cigarette use, 45.5% no effect, and 20.4% reassurance. Factors associated with greater concern (vs no effect) included e-cigarette non-use (vs use; aOR = 1.69, 95% CI:1.22, 2.38), US (vs Israel) resident (aOR = 1.65, 95% CI:1.16, 2.34), age 18-25 (vs 36-45; aOR = 1.72, 95% CI:1.11, 2.67), and more education (aOR = 1.85, 95% CI:1.30, 2.63). Factors associated with being reassured (vs no effect) included use of cigarettes (aOR = 1.71, 95% CI:1.06, 2.75), e-cigarettes (aOR = 2.64, 95% CI:1.77, 3.94), and other tobacco (aOR = 2.11, 95% CI:1.39, 3.21), and Israeli resident (aOR = 2.33, 95% CI:1.47, 3.70). Not noticing HWLs (vs no effect) correlated with lower intentions (β = -0.44, 95% CI:-0.87, -0.01), perceived addictiveness (β = -0.61, 95% CI:-1.05, -0.18), and harm (β = -0.56, 95% CI:-0.95, -0.18); reassurance correlated with greater use intentions (β = 0.48, 95% CI:0.12, 0.83); and greater concern was unassociated with use intentions or perceived risk. Effects of differing e-cigarette HWLs in distinct subpopulations warrant research. Despite being noticed, they may have no effect or encourage e-cigarette use.

Shared perceptions of flavored cigarette pack design among young adults who smoke in Mexico and the Philippines.

Tobacco industry documents reveal companies' knowledge of a similar young adult market across countries in terms of attitudes and lifestyle aspirations. Some tobacco companies, therefore, use similar marketing approaches across different jurisdictions. We examined young adults' perceptions of flavored cigarette packs, including those containing flavor capsules, in Mexico and the Philippines. We conducted a secondary analysis of five focus groups held in Mexico and four in the Philippines with young adults who smoke (aged 18-24 years), separated by gender, in which participants interacted with cigarette packs purchased locally. Transcribed and translated data were thematically analyzed and compared between countries. Three major themes were identified: 1) Flavor capsules cigarettes are recognizable via pack design through imagery on the pack that is understood to signify capsules; 2) Colors signal flavor and make the pack attractive; and 3) Young adults who smoke identify the target audience for these products as young people and those who are beginning to smoke. Young adults who smoke in Mexico and the Philippines interpreted flavored cigarette pack design similarly and thought that young people are the main audience for these products. This suggests a successful marketing approach creating shared perceptions of flavored cigarette packs in different world regions. It is likely that similar tactics are used in other countries around the world. Therefore, jurisdictions might use evidence from other jurisdictions to support the implementation of evidence-based tobacco control policies. These findings also support the implementation of plain and standardized packaging and flavor bans that would also limit product innovation such as capsules.

Tobacco consumption patterns among Iranian adults: a national and sub-national update from the STEPS survey 2021

Smoking is recognised as a critical public health priority due to its enormous health and economic consequences. Constant monitoring of the effectiveness of tobacco control programs calls for timely population-based data. This study reports the national and sub-national patterns in tobacco consumption among Iranian adults based on the results from the STEPwise approach to chronic disease risk factor surveillance (STEPS) survey 2021. This study was performed through an analysis of the results of the STEPS survey 2021 which had been conducted as a nationally representative cross-sectional study. Participants included Iranian adults aged ≥ 18 years in all provinces of Iran, who were selected via multistage cluster sampling method. Data were analyzed via survey analysis while considering population weights. The total number of participants was 27,874, including 15,395 (55.23%) women and 12,479 (44.77%) men. The all-ages prevalence of current tobacco smoking was 14.01% overall, 4.44% among women, and 25.88% among men. The all-ages prevalence of current cigarette smoking was 9.33% overall, 0.77% among women, and 19.95% among men. The all-ages prevalence of current hookah smoking was 4.5% overall, 3.64% among women, and 5.56% among men. The mean (SD) number of cigarettes smoked per day was 12.41 (10.27) overall, 7.65 (8.09) among women, and 12.64 (10.31) among men. The mean (SD) monthly times of hookah use was 0.42 (7.87) overall, 2.86 (23.46) among women, and 0.3 (6.2) among men. The national all-ages prevalence of second-hand smoking at home was 24.64% overall, 27.38% among women, and 20.26% among men. The national all-ages prevalence of second-hand smoking at work was 19.49% overall, 17.33% among women, and 22.94% among men. The tobacco consumption in Iran remains alarmingly high, indicating the current tobacco control policy implementation level is ineffective and insufficient. This calls for adopting, implementing, and enforcing comprehensive packages of evidence-based tobacco control policies.

Interactive assistance via eHealth for small- and medium-sized enterprises’ employer and health care manager teams on tobacco control (eSMART-TC): protocol for a cluster randomized hybrid type II trial (N-EQUITY2101/J-SUPPORT2102)

BackgroundTobacco control should be a higher public health priority in Japan. Some workplaces provide smoking cessation support and connect employees to effective smoking cessation treatments such as outpatient clinics. However, tobacco control measures have not been sufficiently implemented in Japan, especially in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), where resources are limited. Organizational commitment and consistent leadership are crucial to facilitate implementation, but research on whether supporting organizational leaders leads to health behavior changes among employees is limited.MethodsThis hybrid type II cluster randomized effectiveness implementation trial (eSMART-TC) aims to examine the effects of interactive assistance for SME management on health and implementation outcomes. We will provide interactive assistance to employers and health managers for 6 months, aiming to promote the utilization of reimbursed smoking cessation treatments by public health insurance and to implement smoke-free workplaces. The intervention will consist of three strategies: supporting employees through campaigns, tailored ongoing facilitation, and ensuring executive engagement and support. The primary health and implementation outcomes will be salivary cotinine-validated 7-day point-prevalence abstinence rate, and the adoption of two recommended measures (promoting utilization of smoking cessation treatment and implementing smoke-free workplaces) 6 months after the initial session, respectively. Other outcomes for implementation (e.g., penetration of smoking cessation clinic visits), health (e.g., salivary cotinine-validated 7-day point-prevalence abstinence rate at 12 months), and process (e.g., adherence and potential moderating factors) will be collected via questionnaires, interviews, logbooks, and interventionists’ notes at 6 and 12 months. An economic analysis will be undertaken to assess the cost-effectiveness of the implementation interventions at 12 months.DiscussionThis will be the first cluster randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of an implementation intervention with interactive assistance for employers and health managers in SMEs on smoking cessation and implementation of evidence-based tobacco control measures in SMEs. The findings of this trial targeting management in SMEs have the potential to accelerate the implementation of evidence-based smoking cessation methods as well as abstinence rates among employees in SMEs across Japan.Trial registrationThe study protocol has been registered in the UMIN Clinical Trials Registry (UMIN-CTR; ID: UMIN000044526). Registered on 06/14/2021.

Evolution of smoking-attributable cardiovascular mortality in Germany 1992-2020

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: Foundation. Main funding source(s): Marga and Walter Boll Foundation, Kerpen, Germany. Background Despite comparatively weak tobacco control, smoking has steadily declined in Germany over the last 30 years. At the same time, while cardiovascular mortality rates have generally been decreasing in recent decades, population ageing leads to increasing numbers of deaths. Purpose To explore the impact of smoking prevalence on cardiovascular mortality against the background of these different trends at a population level, this study sought to quantify trends in smoking-attributable cardiovascular mortality (SACVM) in Germany over the past three decades. Methods Smoking and mortality statistics from 1992 to 2020 were obtained from the German Statistical Office, from which absolute and relative SACVM was calculated separately for each cardiovascular cause of death causally associated with smoking. The impact of population ageing was explored by comparing crude and age-standardized SACVM, respectively. To estimate the impact of population ageing on future SACVM, a forward projection until 2035 was modelled assuming constant mortality rates and a continuation of smoking trends. Results Results show that total absolute SACVM strongly declined over time, from about 71,900 cases in 1992 to about 42,000 cases in 2020, with a stronger drop in men (from about 51,200 to 26,400 cases) than in women (from about 20,700 to 15,600 cases). Somewhat stronger declines were seen for age-adjusted SACVM, with differences between crude and age-standardized SACVM being somewhat more distinct in men. Relative SACVM decreased overall, from 17.3% in 1992 to 14.6% in 2020. Sex-specific relative SACVM however showed differing trends: a strong decrease in men (from 29.3% to 18.8%) and a slight increase in women (8.6% to 10.6%). The forward projection of SACVM indicates a slight decline among men and a marked increase in women. Conclusions Results indicate that SACVM has strongly declined over the past three decades, even though being partly compensated by opposing trends in population ageing. The marked decrease in absolute SACVM seems to be mostly due to the general drop in cardiovascular mortality rates, and only partly due to declining smoking rates, particularly in women, where relative SACVM has even slightly increased. Over the next 15 years, population ageing and the increasing trend in relative SACVM among women might halt the recent declining trend in absolute SACVM. Hence, there is tremendous potential to curb the smoking-associated public health burden by implementing a comprehensive set of evidence-based tobacco control polices. Additionally, given still significant smoking rates in middle and old age, smoking cessation programs should be intensified.

Tobacco Product Use Among Adults – United States, 2021

Commercial cigarette smoking among U.S. adults has declined during the preceding 5 decades (1,2); however, tobacco product use remains the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States, and some populations continue to be disproportionately affected by tobacco use (1,2). To assess recent national estimates of commercial tobacco use among U.S. persons aged ≥18 years, CDC, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the National Cancer Institute analyzed 2021 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data. In 2021, an estimated 46 million U.S. adults (18.7%) reported currently using any tobacco product, including cigarettes (11.5%), e-cigarettes (4.5%), cigars (3.5%), smokeless tobacco (2.1%), and pipes (including hookah)* (0.9%).† Among those who used tobacco products, 77.5% reported using combustible products (cigarettes, cigars, or pipes), and 18.1% reported using two or more tobacco products.§ The prevalence of current use of any tobacco product use was higher among the following groups: men; persons aged <65 years; persons of non-Hispanic other races; non-Hispanic White (White) persons¶; residents of rural (nonmetropolitan) areas; financially disadvantaged (income-to-poverty ratio=0-1.99); lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) persons; those uninsured or enrolled in Medicaid; adults whose highest level of education was a general educational development (GED) certificate; who had a disability; and who had serious psychological distress. Continued surveillance of tobacco product use, implementation of evidence-based tobacco control strategies (e.g., hard-hitting media campaigns, smoke-free policies, and tobacco price increases), conducting linguistically and culturally appropriate educational campaigns, and FDA regulation of tobacco products will aid in reducing tobacco-related disease, death, and disparities among U.S. adults (3,4).

Burden of smoking on disease-specific mortality, DALYs, costs: the case of a high-income European country

BackgroundSmoking is a major risk factor for chronic diseases causing early death and disability. Smoking prevalence over the past 25 years has remained high in Switzerland. Evidence about the burden of disease and cost of illness attributable to smoking can support tobacco control. The aim of the present paper is to quantify from a societal perspective the mortality, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), medical costs and productivity losses attributable to smoking in Switzerland in 2017.MethodsSmoking attributable fractions (SAFs) were calculated based on the prevalence of current and former active smoking in the latest Swiss Health Survey from 2017 and relative risks from the literature. The SAFs were then multiplied with the number of deaths, DALYs, medical costs and productivity losses in the total population.ResultsIn the Swiss population in 2017 smoking accounted for 14.4% of all deaths, for 29.2% of the deaths due to smoking-related diseases, 36.0% of the DALYs, 27.8% of the medical costs and 27.9% of productivity losses. Total costs amounted to CHF 5.0 billion which equals CHF 604 per capita per year. The highest disease burden in terms of mortality and DALYs attributable to smoking was observed for lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), whereas the highest cost of illness in terms of medical costs was observed for coronary heart diseases and lung cancer and in terms of productivity losses for COPD and coronary heart diseases. Sex and age group differences were found.ConclusionsWe provide an estimate of the burden of smoking on disease-specific mortality, DALYs, medical costs and productivity losses in Switzerland that could be prevented through evidence-based tobacco prevention and control policies as well as regular monitoring of tobacco consumption.

Trends in Nicotine Strength in Electronic Cigarettes Sold in the United States by Flavor, Product Type, and Manufacturer, 2017-2022.

Most e-cigarettes contain highly addictive nicotine. This study assessed trends in nicotine strength in e-cigarettes sold in the United States during January 2017-March 2022. We obtained January 2017-March 2022 national retail e-cigarette sales data from NielsenIQ. We assessed monthly average nicotine strength overall, by e-cigarette product and flavor type, and manufacturer. A Joinpoint regression model assessed the magnitude and significance of changes in nicotine strength. During January 2017-March 2022, monthly average nicotine strength of e-cigarette products increased from 2.5% to 4.4%, an average of 0.8% per month (p < .001). Monthly average nicotine strength of disposable e-cigarettes increased the most (average monthly percentage change [AMPC] = 1.26%, p < .001) as compared to prefilled pods (AMPC = 0.6%, p < .001) and e-liquids (AMPC = 0.5%, p = .218). Monthly average nicotine strength for all flavors of e-cigarette products increased except for mint-flavored products. Increases were greatest for beverage-flavored products (AMPC = 2.1%, p < .001), followed by menthol-flavored products (AMPC = 1.2%, p < .001). Among the top 10 e-cigarette manufacturers assessed, monthly average nicotine strength decreased for Juul Labs products from 5% to 4.7% (AMPC = -0.1%, p < .001) but increased significantly for five manufacturers' products and remained unchanged at 5%-6% for four manufacturers' products. Monthly average nicotine strength of e-cigarette products increased overall, for most product and flavor types, and for some manufacturers in the United States during the study period. Imposing maximum limits on nicotine strength of e-cigarettes together with other evidence-based tobacco control strategies can help reduce the use of e-cigarettes among youth and increase tobacco product cessation among adults. From January 2017 to March 2022, the monthly average nicotine strength of disposable e-cigarettes increased substantially and exceeded prefilled pods since May 2020. E-cigarettes with menthol flavor and youth-appealing flavors, like fruit, also had sharp increases in monthly average nicotine strength. Among the top 10 e-cigarette manufacturers, monthly average nicotine strength increased or remained unchanged at a high nicotine level for all manufacturers' products, except Juul Lab's products. Comprehensive strategies including restricting sales of all flavored e-cigarettes, restricting youth tobacco product access, and imposing maximum limits on nicotine strength may help reduce youth e-cigarette use and increase tobacco cessation.

E-cigarette preemption laws: Limiting local communities from protecting youth

E-cigarette use is prevalent among youth in the United States. Historically, local communities have been a catalyst for adopting evidence-based tobacco control policies. However, some states have ceiling preemption laws that prevent more stringent statutes from being enacted at the city or county level and inhibit tobacco control efforts. The current study documents state preemption laws regarding e-cigarette advertising, licensure, indoor clean air, and youth access. We conducted a systematic synthesis of state statutes to identify states with e-cigarette preemption laws. Data were collected on four policy categories being preempted: advertising, licensure, clean indoor air, and youth access. Laws were compiled, and the content was verified using the Westlaw legal database. In the US, 25 states preempt stricter local e-cigarette regulations in 55 laws. Of these states, 19 preempt advertising regulations, 11 preempt licensure requirements, four preempt ordinances for indoor clean air, and 21 preempt youth access. A broad range of terms was employed to describe preemption, yet few states explicitly used the term “preempt.” E-cigarette ceiling preemption laws inhibit public health progress and prevent local authorities from addressing the popularity of e-cigarettes among adolescents.States without preemption laws should be encouraged to adopt language that expressly saves local authority.

An advocacy-research collaboration model to inform evidence-based tobacco control efforts

An advocacy-research collaboration model to inform evidence-based tobacco control efforts

Implementation of an evidence-based tobacco control intervention for school teachers in India: Evaluating the effects of a capacity-building strategy.

Tobacco-Free Teachers, Tobacco-Free Society (TFT-TFS) is an evidence-based intervention that promotes tobacco use cessation among teachers and tobacco control policies among schools in India. This study tested an implementation model to build Bihar Department of Education (DOE) capacity to support and deliver TFT-TFS within schools, leveraging DOE training infrastructure. We used a training-of-trainers (TOT) "cascade" implementation strategy to embed the TFT-TFS program into the Bihar DOE infrastructure. We trained 46 Cluster Coordinators to train and support Headmasters to implement TFT-TFS in their schools over one academic year. We selected three school districts, representing approximately 46 clusters and 219 schools. We used the RE-AIM framework to assess program adoption (Headmaster participation in at least one of six TFT-TFS trainings), implementation (of four core program components), and reach (teachers' participation in three or more group discussions). Using a non-inferiority design, we hypothesized that program adoption, implementation, and reach would not be inferior to the high standards demonstrated when TFT-TFS was originally tested in the Bihar School Teachers Study. We used self-reported checklists to measure outcomes and SPSS Version 25 to analyze data. For adoption, 94% of Headmasters attended the first training, although participation declined by the sixth training. Among the 112 schools out of 219 with complete Headmaster checklist data, all met our minimum criteria for implementing TFT-TFS. Over 99% of schools posted a school tobacco control policy and distributed quit booklets. However, only 69% of schools met our criteria for program reach. This study outlines the processes for taking a tobacco control intervention to scale and implementing it through the Bihar DOE infrastructure. These findings provide a foundation for other Indian states and low- and middle-income countries to implement tobacco control and other health programs for schoolteachers. NCT05346991. Each year in India, more than 1.2 million people die from tobacco-related causes, and India has the world's highest oral cancer burden. The world needs more evidence on how to bring cost-effective tobacco control interventions to scale, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). To address this gap, from 2017 to 2021, we examined the process of scaling up Tobacco-Free Teachers, Tobacco-Free Society (TFT-TFS), an evidence-based intervention promoting tobacco use cessation among teachers and tobacco control policies in schools. Our study tested an implementation model aimed at building the Bihar State Department of Education (DOE) capacity to support and deliver TFT-TFS. We used a training-of-trainers model to embed TFT-TFS into Bihar DOE infrastructure, training 46 Cluster Coordinators to in turn train and support Headmasters to implement TFT-TFS over one academic year. We hypothesized that program adoption, implementation, and reach would not be inferior to the high standards demonstrated when we originally tested TFT-TFS through the Bihar School Teachers Study (2013-2017). For adoption, 94% of Headmasters attended the first training, although participation declined by the sixth training. Of 112 schools (out of 219 with complete Headmaster checklist data), all met our minimum criteria for implementing TFT-TFS. Over 99% of schools posted a school tobacco control policy and distributed quit booklets. However, only 69% of schools met our criteria for program reach. Study findings offer other Indian states and LMICs lessons to implement tobacco control and other health programs for schoolteachers within educational systems.