"You may have seen the study published recently about the effectiveness or lack there of of Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT). If not, follow the link and read the article. Our friends at American Lung Association have responded to the study with the following:

The American Lung Association finds this to be an interesting study but urges the media and the public to view the role of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) within the larger context of tobacco addiction and cessation. While this study examined the effect of NRT on relapse, the Lung Association believes NRT's main role to be at the beginning of a quit attempt, helping the smoker wean him- or herself away from the nicotine in tobacco.

The American Lung Association does agree strongly with the authors of this study that the best way to reduce tobacco use in the U.S. is to implement evidence-based practices, which include states investing in tobacco prevention programs, increasing tobacco taxes and implementing smokefree laws. These practices, which have been outlined in the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions' Best Practices for Comprehensive Tobacco Control Programs, have been proven to reduce the number of youth who begin smoking and to increase the number of current smokers who successfully quit in state after state where they've been implemented.

There are physical, mental and social aspects to nicotine addiction, and nicotine replacement therapy is only meant to address the physical addiction. Behavioral counseling and social support help to address the mental and social components of tobacco dependence and it is these two factors that are likely to be more important in relapse prevention over time (the main issue examined by this study). A comprehensive approach to smoking cessation that addresses all three components of a smoker's addiction is key to avoiding relapse and achieving long-term success.

"Given the billions of dollars and the decades spent by the tobacco industry to make the most addictive cigarette possible, it is no surprise that we have yet to find a simple solution for quitting smoking," said Norman H. Edelman, M.D., chief medical officer of the American Lung Association. "There's no single technique that's likely to help every smoker quit. That's why the American Lung Association advocates for an overall public health approach to quitting smoking—which includes access to all seven FDA-approved medications and all three forms of counseling with as few barriers to access as possible. Well-established public health measures including high cigarette taxes and comprehensive smokefree air laws provide the context to maximize the effectiveness of these cessation techniques."

In their study, Alpert et al. argue that public dollars should be used to fund comprehensive tobacco control programs – including cessation services – but that providing free medications to smokers should not come at the expense of these public health programs. In that regard, we agree: states must offer cessation services in a comprehensive way and create an environment with higher taxes, prevention efforts and smokefree laws – an environment that truly supports quitting smoking.

Selling deadly products in a place of health results in a variety of unfortunate mixed messages.

For generations, the neighborhood drugstore has been a place to turn to for a wide variety of life's necessities- Medicine, health advice, etc. America's pharmacists and drugstores have served as both our corner store and as America's medicine cabinet.

But in our pharmacies, each of which is a licensed health care facility, licensed by the state to dispense medication to people in need, something else is for sale. Something that despite dire warning labels is sold in the same stores as asthma inhalers and cough syrup. This substance is tobacco.

It doesn't have to be this way. Ordinances recently passed in San Francisco, Boston and other cities have eliminated the sale of tobacco products in pharmacies, paving the way for future ordinances limiting the sale of tobacco in neighborhood places we turn to for health and medical advice.

This information was made available by our friends at the California LGBT Tobacco Education Partnership.

For more information on tobacco free pharmacies, please visit www.lgbtpartnership.org

SmokeLess LGBT DC is designed to inform the LGBT community and allies about tobacco's negative health impact on the LGBT community, the targeting of the LGBT community by the tobacco industry, the particular danger to LGBT youth, and the use of tobacco profits to fund public policies detrimental to the LGBT community.

Sign up to become a member of SmokeLess LGBT and help in the fight against tobacco in DC! Email Riana at rbuford@mautnerproject.org for more information and to sign up.

Did you know?

The tobacco industry currently spends more than $12.8 billion to promote their products in the United States. One of the most effective advertising strategies used by tobacco companies is point of purchase (POP) advertising. One of the fastest rising demographics of smokers is youth. LGBT youth smoke at rates 68% higher than any other group; this discrepancy is particularly noticeable among lesbian/ bisexual adolescent girls, who are a concerning 9.7 times more likely than their heterosexual peers.¹ It is proven that restricting the access of tobacco products protects the health of our community and particularly our youth. Most POP advertisements are placed near convenience stores and gas stations where 75% of teens shop at least once per week.² This correlation leads to youth being bombarded with tobacco images. Each day, more than 4,000 kids try smoking for the first time and another 2,000 become regular smokers. 85% of these kids prefer Marlboro, Camel and Newport. These brands are three of the most heavily advertised brands.³ For many youth, cigarette promotion increased the likelihood of moving from experimental to regular smokers. Most adults become smokers as teens; if we can stop teen smoking, adult smoking can also be stopped.

Want to do something about cigarette promotion? Join SmokeLess LGBT DC! For more information, contact Riana at rbuford@mautnerproject.org

References:

¹American Lung Association. "Smoking Out a Deadly Threat: Tobacco Use in the LGBT Community" Retrieved May 18, 2011 from http://www.lungusa.org/assets/documents/publications/lung-disease-data/lgbt-report.pdf

²Captial District Tobacco-Free Coalition. "Point of Purchase (POP)/Retail Advertising" Retrieved May 18, 2011 from http://www.smokefreecapital.org/Exposed/pop.cfm

³Souther Teir Tobacco Awareness Community Partnership. "Why should retailers be concerned with Tobacco Point of Purchase Advertising" Retrieved May 18, 2011 from http://www.sttac.org/usr/POP%20Brochure.pdf

Did you know?

In an effort to boost sales, RJ Reynolds began a targeted marketing campaign aimed at homeless people and those referred to in RJ Reynolds documents as living an “alternative lifestyle” in San Francisco.

The report notes that a rationale for this was the higher incidence of smoking in subcultures.

This marketing plan was named Project SCUM (Sub-Culture Urban Marketing). There are several versions of this report, ranging in date from 1995-97.

Although many ethical questions are raised by this report perhaps the larger question might be, what consumer would buy a company's products if he or she knew that that in the back boardroom, the company was referring to customers as "scum"?

San Francisco Supervisor Chris Daly, who represented the Tenderloin District, had this to say: "It's racist, it's classist, it's oppressive. And it is really disheartening to hear. But I can't say that I am surprised. Low-income communities and people of color have always been derided and taken advantage of. Obviously, the tobacco companies feel like they can make money off other people's misery."¹

Want help to quit?

If you would like help to quit smoking, Mautner Project can help. You can do it!

You can either call our community partners at 1-800-QUIT-NOW, or you can give us all call
at 202.332.5536, or send us an email.

References:

¹The Wall Street Journal (1992). "Philip Morris to Push Brand on Gay Media." Retrieved April 7, 2011 from http://www.lgbttobacco.org/files/PhilipMorrisPushBrandOnGayMedia.pdf