Estimating the burden of disease attributable to smoking in South Africa in 2000

Objectives. To quantify the burden of disease attributable to smoking in South Africa for 2000. Design. The absolute difference between observed lung cancer death rate and the level in non-smokers, adjusted for occupational and indoor exposure to lung carcinogens, was used to estimate the proportion of lung cancer deaths attributable to smoking and the smoking impact ratio (SIR). The SIR was substituted for smoking prevalence in the attributable fraction formula for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and cancers to allow for the long lag between exposure and outcome. Assuming a shorter lag between exposure and disease, the current prevalence of smoking was used to estimate the population-attributable fractions (PAF) for the other outcomes. Relative risks (RR) from the American Cancer Society cancer prevention study (CPS-II) were used to calculate PAF. Setting. South Africa. Outcome measures. Deaths and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) due to lung and other cancers, COPD, cardiovascular conditions, respiratory tuberculosis, and other respiratory and medical conditions. Results. Smoking caused between 41 632 and 46 656 deaths in South Africa, accounting for 8.0 - 9.0% of deaths and 3.7 - 4.3% of DALYs in 2000. Smoking ranked third (after unsafe sex/sexually transmitted disease and high blood pressure) in terms of mortality among 17 risk factors evaluated. Three times as many males as females died from smoking. Lung cancer had the largest attributable fraction due to smoking. However, cardiovascular diseases accounted for the largest proportion of deaths attributed to smoking. Conclusion. Cigarette smoking accounts for a large burden of preventable disease in South Africa. While the government has taken bold legislative action to discourage tobacco use since 1994, it still remains a major public health priority

E-cigarettes: scientific and political controversies

Background and challenges to implementation The e-cigarette is touted as a disruptive technology that could make combustible cigarettes obsolete. The product, its science and politics though are controversial. Intervention or response Published journal articles, reports and conference presentations on e-cigarettes were located using PubMed, plus conference, industry and other websites. These were critically reviewed. Results and lessons learnt A number of contentious issues regarding e-cigarettes were identified: Its use is recommended by some public health bodies (UK Royal College of Physicians) but not by others (World Health Organization). The product may not be fit-for-purpose, with low consumer acceptance. In 2016, 72% of those who had tried an e-cigarette in the UK no longer used it, A majority of users combined smoking with vaping and are thus unlikely to obtain significant health benefits. E-cigarettes do not deliver nicotine as rapidly and effectively as combustible cigarettes. Vaping was reportedly less "satisfying" than smoking. The development of 'heat not burn' and other novel products by the industry is testimony to its deficiencies. E-cigarettes have divided the anti-smoking community, with some regarding the tobacco companies as essential partners while others shun it. Finally, the profit-driven multinationals regard affluent countries as the prime market for novel products, while simultaneously seeking to maintain and expand the conventional cigarette market in poor continues. Conclusions and key recommendations There are many unresolved scientific, policy and political concerns about the role of e-cigarettes in tobacco control. A continued focus on supply and demand reduction instead of harm reduction is the best option for low-income countries

Data translation: what can injury prevention and safety promotion learn from the tobacco control data-policy nexus?

No Abstract. African Safety Promotion: A Journal of Injury and Violence Prevention Vol. 4(1) 2006: 70-7

Fatal Deception: The tobacco industry's "new" global standards for tobacco marketing

This report examines the proposed global standards for tobacco marketing and assesses whether it will lead to the responsible marketing of tobacco products. It concludes that the proposed measures will not lead to any substantive changes in current tobacco advertising practices and will not protect children from tobacco marketing.The report recommends that governments should reject the industry’s overtures, and instead rapidly implement past World Health Assembly resolutions on tobacco marketing and ensure that the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) incorporates scientifically sound measures based on international best practice to protect the health of all – young and old, smokers and non-smokers

Fatal Deception: The tobacco industry's "new" global standards for tobacco marketing

This report examines the proposed global standards for tobacco marketing and assesses whether it will lead to the responsible marketing of tobacco products. It concludes that the proposed measures will not lead to any substantive changes in current tobacco advertising practices and will not protect children from tobacco marketing.The report recommends that governments should reject the industry’s overtures, and instead rapidly implement past World Health Assembly resolutions on tobacco marketing and ensure that the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) incorporates scientifically sound measures based on international best practice to protect the health of all – young and old, smokers and non-smokers

Engaño mortal: las "nuevas" normas mundiales de la industria tabacalera para la comercialización del tabaco

Being increasingly threatened by the worldwide antismoking struggle, the major tobacco companies are eager to improve their public image. This leads the companies to adopt inconsequential "measures" such as the tobacco industry's "new" standards for tobacco marketing that were "voluntarily" issued in September 2001 by the British American Tobacco company. These measures are clearly attempts to reduce the disapproval generated by the companies' promotion and advertising campaigns, which indirectly target young people. With these standards the tobacco companies supposedly commit themselves, among other things, to not using advertising directed at youth and to not selling or distributing tobacco products in places frequented by young people. This document explains why these measures are completely ineffective, are not anything new, and are a subtle effort to feign a conscientious, responsible attitude, which is far from genuine. As long as there are marketing activities directed at adults, young people will be exposed to the influence of those activities. Many countries have completely prohibited the marketing of tobacco products, given that the "new" marketing standards do not represent progress in any way whatsoever