Why I'm fighting alcohol industry obstruction of minimum pricing

First paragraph: Exactly a year after minimum alcohol pricing was supposed to have been introduced in Scotland, this week a group of public health professionals including myself registered a protest against the fact that it is still not in place. Access the article on The conversation website: https://theconversation.com/why-im-fighting-alcohol-industry-obstruction-of-minimum-pricing-2512

Smoking during pregnancy and smoking cessation services

The 2008 UK National Smoking Cessation Conference (UKNSSC) included a number of oral and poster presentations on the theme of smoking during pregnancy. This is a challenging area of research and practice and one in which new evidence - both about the effects of smoking in pregnancy and about smoking cessation interventions - is regularly emerging. Papers at UKNSCC explored why few women access support to stop (Felix Naughton), how best to refer women to specialist services (Joan Braithwaite), social marketing approaches (Deborah Richardson and Wendy Dudley) and physical activity for smoking cessation during pregnancy (Michael Ussher). The conference opened with a plenary presentation that explored the extent of smoking during pregnancy and women's accounts of quit attempts, cessation and relapse. It also examined what more could be done to improve access to stop smoking services for pregnant women and increase the proportion of women who quit. This article reviews some of the evidence presented at UKNSSC, focusing in particular on the need for improved identification, referral, engagement and treatment of pregnant smokers

Explainer: what do we know about e-cigarettes?

First paragraph: E-cigarettes are increasingly popular in a number of countries including the UK, while in others such as Norway and Brazil they are banned altogether. Read article on The Conversation website: https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-do-we-know-about-e-cigarettes-2261

Cost-effectiveness of financial incentives for smoking cessation in pregnancy

No abstract available

Population estimates of alcohol misusers who access DWP benefits

This study aimed to estimate the number of people who are accessing Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) benefits and who have a problematic relationship with alcohol. It follows a similar study, also commissioned by DWP, which estimated the number of Problem Drug Users (PDUs) who access DWP benefits. This study combines the most accurate, relevant and up-to-date data on the number of dependent drinkers with a score of 20 or more in the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT)1, derived from survey data2, with benefit uptake data to produce estimates for 2008

From the 'fragile rationalist' to 'collective resilience':what human psychology has taught us about the COVID-19 pandemic and what the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us about human psychology

A successful response to the Covid-19 pandemic is dependent on changing human behaviour to limit proximal interactions with others. Accordingly, governments have introduced severe constraints upon freedoms to move and to mix. This has been accompanied by doubts as to whether the public would abide by these constraints. Such doubts are underpinned by a psychological model of individuals as fragile rationalists who have limited cognitive capacities, who panic under pressure and turn a crisis into a tragedy. Drawing on evidence from the UK, we show that this did not occur. Rather, the pandemic has illustrated the remarkable collective resilience of individuals when brought together as a community by the common experience of crisis. This is a crucial lesson for the future, because it underpins the importance of developing leadership and policies that enhance rather than weaken such emergent social identity.</p

Smokers' perceptions of cigarette packaging with audio warning messages:A focus group study in Scotland

Aims The use of audio pack cues or messages is a recent trend in packaging design. There is scope to use audio technology to communicate health and cessation messages via cigarette packaging. We explored how smokers responded to cigarette packs which played audio health messages. Methods Twenty focus groups were conducted in Scotland in 2015 with smokers (n=120) segmented by age (16-17, 18-24, 25-35, 36-50, >50), gender and social grade. Perceptions of cigarette packs which played audio warnings were explored, with four messages used: (1) a cessation message with a quitline number, (2) mortality message, (3) fertility message, and (4) message about ageing skin. Results Audio warnings were thought to increase message impact, particularly among younger smokers, as they would be hard to ignore or avoid, and repetition may lead to the messages being memorised. The warnings were considered annoying or embarrassing, and participants suggested they may discard the packs and use alternative storage. Some participants suggested that the audio warnings were off-putting and may alter their smoking behaviour, with the mortality message deemed most effective and was considered relatable and felt personal. Older smokers were least likely to believe that audio warnings would affect their smoking behaviour, although some thought that they may enhance cessation attempts among smokers seeking to quit, and could deter new or potential smokers, for example young people. Conclusions Cigarette packs with audio messaging may have a role to play, now or in the future, as a novel way of communicating health and cessation information. IMPLICATIONS There is a lack of research exploring smokers’ perceptions of cigarette packs which play audio health messages. This focus group study provides an understanding of smokers’ immediate responses to cigarette packs which played a short health message when opened. Smokers generally viewed them as annoying or embarrassing, and some suggested the use of alternative storage. Audio warnings were thought to increase message salience, memorability and impact, for younger smokers in particular, and some suggested that they be off-putting for themselves or others

UK government's delay on plain tobacco packaging: how much evidence is enough?

First paragraph: In the wake of the UK government's announcement on 12 July that its decision on plain (standardised) tobacco packaging would be delayed until evidence emerged from Australia, Wakefield and colleagues report timely findings from a study exploring the early effects of plain packaging in Victoria.1 2 Conducted during the phase-in period, when plain and branded packs were concurrently on sale, the study found that smokers who used plain packs were more likely than smokers who used fully branded packs to perceive their cigarettes to be less satisfying and poorer quality, were more supportive of plain packaging, and were more likely to think about and to prioritise quitting