Monthly Archives: February 2012

A stop smoking programme has released new figures that show, for the first time, the true cost of smoking. This has never really been tackled by other reports due to the complexity of figuring out the cost both in terms of an individual’s financial perspective and the cost to the NHS.

According to the program that is based in the North East it costs the region more than £210million every year to deal with smokers.

This report is also based on the lives lost, illness and the cost to the NHS.

According to the report, in Northumberland alone, 18 per cent of adults are estimated to smoke regularly. However, smoking rates in Northumberland are lower than the English average.

This makes approximately 46,500 smokers in total across the county.

Sue Milner, the director of public health for Northumberland, commented on the report saying, “Smoking is the single greatest cause of preventable illness and premature death in Newcastle, North Tyneside and Northumberland. The benefits of giving up smoking are instant. After 20 minutes blood pressure starts to fall, in 24 hours the body is free from carbon monoxide and in 10 years an ex-smoker has lowered their risk of heart disease to the same level as someone who has never smoked before. Quitting smoking remains the single most important thing you can do to improve your health.  There is a variety of help and support available for people who would like to give up smoking and I want to urge as many people as possible to give it a try.”

In Northumberland, there will be approximately 445 deaths every year which are directly linked to smoking. This is the same as 225.3 deaths per 100,000. Patients may come in for various reasons, including COPDs where smokers have difficulty breathing due to constant smoking over the years, they may also have a stroke or other complaints like bad breath or rotting gums. There are a whole host of complaints a smoker may have after a lifetime of smo

The names Bond, James Bond. Never has there been such an iconic catchphrase in the British movie industry. James bond is notorious for his fast cars, super cool gadgets and his licence to kill smoke.

Ok maybe I made that last one up, but according to Australian public health expert, Prof Simon Chapman, a scheme which would require a smoker to pay for a licence before being able to purchase cigarettes is suggested as the latest in a bid to discourage smoking.

Smoking Test

It has been suggested that the application process for such a scheme could even include a test of some sorts to discover if the current smoker understands the implications and risks of smoking. The professor from the University of Sydney was quoted as saying it could be of interest to “high-income nations that are actively pursuing tobacco control goals”.

The problem we currently face is that every attempt to discourage smoking from educating our children through their school years to publicly creating awareness though stop smoking campaigns is that none of them have had any significant effect. This new scheme has been promoted as the next generation of anti smoking measures to truly discourage smoking once and for all.

The new scheme as it currently stands would work by utilizing a model that would in essence run parallel to the pharmaceutical model. Anyone in the UK cannot obtain restricted dugs without first being prescribed a prescription by their GP. Likewise a smoker would not be able to purchase tobacco products without access to this smoking licence.

Upon being awarded a swipe card a smoker would be limited to a set number of purchases daily – this could perhaps be around 50 or less.

Live and Let Die

Smokers could arguably point out that smoking is their right and that as long as they are smoking outside or within a designated smoking area they are doing no wrong. They could see this as an attack on th

Many people may wonder what the difference is, between real and e cigarettes.

First, you probably know what a real cigarette is, so here is a definition of an e cig:

An electronic cigarette is a battery-powered inhaler device that provides doses of nicotine. The vapour it gives off is harmless and the taste usually mimics a flavour, like a cigar, or even fruit flavours and chocolate. There is no actual combustion involved so nothing burns with the e cig.

Most e-cigs are designed to also look like an actual cigarette. You hold it in the same way and inhale it in the same way.... so it feels just the same.

E-cigarettes are generally made up of these elements:

• a rechargeable battery
• the atomizer (heating element)
• the cartridge (resembling the filter)

Both real contain nicotine.

Nicotine is the drug your brain is addicted to. It works like caffeine. You can choose the level of nicotine you have in your e cig, but opting for differing e liquid strengths .

Real cigarettes are more dangerous, though.

Nicotine is addictive but if that were all you were getting from a real cigarette, it wouldn't so bad. The real danger is in the fact that there are more than 4,000 chemicals found in tobacco smoke. Many of these chemicals are medically proven and known to cause cancer. Real cigarettes contain chemicals like carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, hydrogen cyanide and benzene.

E-cigarettes do not burn and do not contain tar. They also do not contain any other chemicals. This makes it a healthier alternative to smoking.

E cigs don’t pose the same risk as real cigs

There are many more facts about cigarettes which make you realise how dangerous they are, not just for your health. The smell -- smokers d