'Common courtesy' and the elimination of passive smoking

Article Abstract:

Passive cigarette smoking, the inhalation of cigarette smoke by persons other than the smoker, has been cited as a cause of lung cancer, leading to as many as 3,800 deaths per year in the United States. The Tobacco Institute suggests that smokers exercise courtesy in considering the wishes of others regarding smoking, and that nonsmokers request smokers to abstain in a 'pleasant and friendly' manner. To determine whether such courteous demeanor actually occurs, data from the 1987 National Health Interview Survey of Cancer Epidemiology and Control (NHIS-CEC) were analyzed and compared with an earlier study of smoking (the Roper Organization study), which was reported in 1978. Results were based on answers to five questions that were asked during a nationwide, household survey, regarding beliefs about smoking and the extent to which smoke irritated the respondents. If they were smokers, the respondents were asked what they would do in a public place that has no rules about smoking and, if nonsmokers, what they would do when someone lights a cigarette in such a place. Results showed that 81 percent of all adults, and 67 percent of smokers, 'strongly agree' or 'agree' that passive smoking is harmful. However, 21 percent of smokers said they light up if they wish, 14 percent ask if others would mind, and 33 percent do not smoke in such a situation. In the earlier Roper study, more smokers (36 percent) said they would light up without asking, and fewer people said that they would refrain from smoking. Nonsmokers tend to move away from a smoker (about 50 percent), do nothing (39 percent), or ask the smoker to put out the cigarette (4 percent). Approximately the same proportion of nonsmokers said they would ask to have the cigarette extinguished in the earlier study. Overall, although four-fifths of adults believe passive smoking is harmful, it appears that the common courtesy approach advocated by the Tobacco Institute is a poor way of eliminating the dangers of passive smoking. Legislation to ban or restrict smoking will probably be the only effective approach for dealing with this problem. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Surveys, Passive smoking

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Methods used to quit smoking in the United States: do cessation programs help?

Article Abstract:

Since 1965, the number of smokers in the United States has declined by 40 percent. Although smoking is decreasing, and many individuals are quitting, the high rate of relapse is a major obstacle to lowering these statistics further. Also, the number of individuals who typically remain abstinent for one year after quitting is estimated to be between 20 and 40 percent. No formal studies have been conducted to assess the efficacy of smoking cessation programs in this country. This study investigated methods used to quit, noted differences between individuals who used a program (rather than quitting on their own), and looked for characteristics that distinguished successful quitters from relapsers. Data compiled by the 1986 Adult Use of Tobacco Survey were used in the investigation. Succeeders were defined as smokers who had quit within the last 10 years and who had once smoked for at least one year. Relapsers were defined as current smokers who tried to quit within the last 10 years, but were smoking at the time of the survey. Cessation methods included assisted and unassisted approaches. Few differences in characteristics of the succeeders and relapsers were noted, although relapsers tended to be younger and succeeders tended to be more educated. Those who were most likely to use a formal cessation program included women, the middle-aged, heavier smokers, individuals who had tried to quit before, and those with more education. Out of the individuals who had attempted to quit in the last 10 years, 47.5 percent were successful on their own, and 23.6 percent of those who used a program were able to stop. Of the successful quitters, 90 percent had stopped on their own, and 80 percent of the relapsers tried to stop on their own. It was concluded that smoking cessation programs, in general, have little impact, but may be helpful to a specific and small population of smokers. This is significant because among this population is the heavier smoker, who is at highest risk for smoking-related illness and death. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Psychological aspects, Evaluation, Statistics, Smoking cessation programs, Smoking cessation, Smokers

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Sleepiness, driving, and motor vehicle crashes

Article Abstract:

Sleepiness while driving causes a significant number of motor vehicle crashes. A review of statistics from several online databases revealed that 1% to 3% of all crashes were caused by drivers falling asleep at the wheel. Approximately 96% of crashes involve passenger vehicles while the remainder involve trucks. Young age, shift work, alcohol and other drug use and a history of sleep disorders were risk factors for crashes caused by sleepiness.

Causes of, Traffic accidents, Sleep deprivation

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