Smoking Cessation.. With Lasers? - euroClinix

October 11, 2010| Stop Smoking

Author: Jonathan Moore

A company in Connecticut is offering laser therapy for anyone seeking to quit smoking.

The smoking cessation service uses low-level lasers to target acupuncture points on the body, relating to addiction, metabolism and stress. The company goes so far as to claim that after a single session, you will stop smoking.

"When you smoke a cigarette, you artificially tell your brain to release endorphins," Frank Pinto, the owner of Innovative Laser Therapy, explained to Reuters Health.

Laser technology similar to this has already been used to treat arthritis-related pain. But can it really work in terms of smoking cessation?

Reuters reports that there's limited research showing that laser therapy helps some smokers quit. A 2008 report published in the Journal of Chinese Medicine does indicate that smokers who had more laser therapy were more likely to quit smoking. But a lack of information about the trial invites scepticism. In Singapore a study of adolescents found no difference in 3-month quitting rates for patients who underwent laser surgery.

One specialist, Dr Adrian White, says: "In scientific terms, this one study is not enough evidence to recommend laser for smoking cessation."

Smoking cessation can be achieved in a variety of ways. Some smokers are able to stop through willpower alone. But many need a helping hand. This help may come in the form of quit smoking books, or quit smoking counselling from a trained specialist. In recent years people looking to quit smoking have also had the option of taking Champix, a quit smoking medication. Champix works to reduce your bodies? cravings for nicotine.

Smoking cessation with lasers may be possible. But at the moment, there is little evidence to suggest that this will be the next big thing in smoking cessation.

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NHS Halton and St Helens Health Improvement Team summer stop smoking campaign ... - Runcorn and Widnes Weekly News

Oct 8 2010 Runcorn and Widnes Weekly News

A GROUP of ‘heroes’ who helped encourage healthier lifestyles has been praised by NHS workers.

NHS Halton and St Helens Health Improvement Team and the SUPPORT Stop Smoking Service have reported that their summer campaign to get people to quit smoking was a success.

The ‘Quit hero’ drive involved real life quitters who had successfully used the SUPPORT Stop Smoking Service by getting them to star in a campaign.

Research revealed people are more likely to quit smoking if they can easily relate to the people used in a piece of advertising.

Coordinator Julie Tipton said: “The success would not have been possible without some of our previous quitters showing their willingness and determination in getting behind this campaign.

“They have been the driving ambassadors who have spurred others across into becoming our latest group of successful quit heroes.”

The Health Improvement Team randomly congratulated a number of nominated quit heroes at a recent certificate presentation ceremony.

John Barth, 67, from Palacefields, was nominated by his wife Carole. She said: “John quit smoking after 40 years having smoked 20 a day.

“He never thought he would do it without the help of the SUPPORT ladies, his willpower and myself. I’m so proud of him.”

Maria Lucock, also of Runcorn, was nominated by her friend and work colleague Joan Cook, who said: “After many years of smoking, she now even notices the lingering smell of smoke on clothes and in rooms the day after a smoker’s been around.

“She is a great ambassador for the programme, and I have nothing but admiration for her dedication.”

Early results show the number of smokers accessing the Stop Smoking Service during the campaign increased by 10% percent.

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Stop smoking products and lose weight program helping in crafting a healthier ... - Webnewswire.com (press release)

“Advanced Certified Hynotherapist Jeff Rosen offers cutting edge weight loss program and effective stop smoking products to craft a healthier and smoke free society.”

The fact is smoking is typically a mental addiction which slowly and steadily ruins your life.Although the smokers try to be oblivion of the fact that smoking is more than 90 percent a psychological addiction,however that does not change the reality. Smoking has hardly anything to do with the physical addiction.This is when the novel alternative therapy ‘smoking hypnosis’ is playing its part in helping you to say NO to the next cancer stick.The stop smoking products are typically designed to support you in eliminating your dependence on the cigarettes.

The stop smoking hypnosis CD along with other quit smoking resources stands as the drug less methods in eliminating the mental addiction of smoking.Perhaps you have tried to quit smoking by chewing gum or by using patch,however the fact is you are still using nicotine (just in a different form) to get rid of your nicotine habit.No,it does not make much sense because the best way to stop using nicotine is to actually stop using it.This is where the concept of stop smoking products comes to take care of you ‘Mind ‘over ‘matter’.The basic idea of the stop smoking products is thus to helm the subconscious mind to control the urge to smoke.

Not just to help you in quitting smoking this alternative treatment of hypo therapy also aids in reducing stress and also supports you to lose weight fast and safe.The weight loss program works as one of the most sought after and proven alternative medicine to help the overweight patients in eating less during and in-between meal times.The best part is this lose weight program also supports one to eat health foods and to reject junk foods,fattening foods and unhealthy food habits.

The stop smoking products and also the lose weight fast and safe has a higher success rate than any other method.The Advanced Certified Hypnotherapist Jeff Rosen offers cutting edge lose weight program and effective stop smoking products to craft a healthier and smoke free society.

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Top award for Stop Smoking team - Yellow Advertiser

Top award for Stop Smoking team

Thursday, 07 October 2010

STUB IT OUT: Chaimanr Afzal Akram with Lynn Harlon, Janet McCaulsky and a giant cigarette from the Stop Smoking Service. Picture by Roy Tillett

By Martyn Dolton

WALTHAM Forest’s Stop Smoking team has won an award for its work in getting locals to stub it out.

The team managed to get 1,666 people in the borough - one of the highest numbers in London - to give it up and were praised for their use of a giant cigarette costume to spread the word.

The team used the costume to catch the imagination of children at Larkswood Primary School, Chingford, in a drama session about how hard it can be for members of their families to stop
smoking.

As a result, 19 parents decided to stop smoking with the help of the NHS Waltham Forest team.

The group met once a week for seven weeks with each smoker given four weeks’ free nicotine replacement, before attending their local ‘drop in to quit’ clinic for more support and a prescription for a further eight weeks.

Lynn Hanlon, Stop Smoking service co-ordinator, said the team was delighted with the award.

She said: “The giant cigarette costume helped us get the message across to the children.

“They then told their parents about the play and its message, and we were on hand to support them with starting the weekly group - it was a great success.”

NHS Waltham Forest’s Stop Smoking service offers free support and advice to smokers who want to stop and the team will be out on the streets at tube stations and supermarkets throughout October to help smokers quit.

Weekly groups run all year, and the next one starts on Satuday, October 30.

If you smoke and want to give up, you can get your free info pack by calling the Stop Smoking service on 020 8430 7443 or e-mail stopsmoking.admin@wf-pct.nhs.uk and quote ‘Yellow Advertiser 01’.

Email: waltham@yellowad.co.uk

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Roadwork, stop smoking, tour events - Pensacola News Journal

The new Santa Rosa County budget has less money in it for roadwork; smoking cessation classes to be offered for free at the county Health Department; and festivals fill the weekend as the Beaches to Woodlands Tour continues.

1 If you live in an unincorporated area of Santa Rosa County, it may take longer to get the roads in your neighborhood resurfaced than it would have just a few years ago.

As of Oct. 1, the start of the fiscal 2011 budget, Santa Rosa County has less money for paving and other roadwork, and fewer employees to do that work.

The new budget allocates $750,000 ? divided evenly between the county's five road districts ? toward road and bridge work, a decrease of half over the past four years, according to Santa Rosa County Public Information Officer Joy Tsubooka.

The new budget also decreases by four the number of road crew members. That's on top of five positions lost last year. However, Tsubooka said it does not represent a loss of road crews teams.

"Positions are cut from various crews which results in smaller crews," she said. "We have 15 road crews but some of these have only two and three employees per crew. In these cases, one supervisor is over multiple crews."

However, one crew was eliminated in fiscal 2009 during a department reorganization.

2 Starting Thursday, the Santa Rosa County Health Department will offer free smoking-cessation classes in Milton. The Health Department is partnering with the West Florida Area Health Education Center to offer the service.

"We did not initially schedule classes in Milton, but we have a very high demand for the Quit Smoking Now classes in that area," said Susan Cook, certified tobacco treatment specialist with the West Florida center. "We hope interested residents will still be able to attend."

Classes are open to all Santa Rosa residents; smokeless tobacco users are also welcome. Classes are 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Thursdays at the Health Department in Milton, 5527 Stewart St. The class lasts six weeks.

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In Santa Rosa, 23.5 percent of adults smoke, according to Health Department statistics. The same study reports that 17.9 percent of respondents claimed exposure to secondhand smoke in the last seven days.

The Health Department also promotes the Florida Quitline, which also is free. Quitline provide free nicotine-replacement therapy, while supplies last, for callers who choose phone counseling services. The Quitline is 1-877-822-6669.

3 The annual monthlong Beaches to Woodlands Tour continues this weekend. Here are some highlights:

n St. Rose of Lima International Fall Festival and 5K: 6450 Park Ave., Milton. Admission: Free; 5 to 10 p.m., Friday; Noon to 10 p.m., Saturday; and Noon to 5 p.m., Sunday. Details: 623-3600.

n Monarch Madness Butterfly Festival: Panhandle Butterfly House, 8581 U.S. 98, Navarre. Donations accepted. Details: Theresa Friday, 623-3868, or visit http://www.panhandlebutterflyhouse.org/.

Saturday:

n Juana's Pagodas Charity Chili Cook-off and Volleyball: 1451 Navarre Beach Causeway, Navarre. Volleyball registration at 11 a.m. Chili setup at noon and tasting from 2 to 4 p.m. Details: Kevin Rudzki, 939-2130, or visit http://www.juanaspagodas.com/.

n Munson Community Heritage Festival: Blackwater River State Forest (Krul Recreation Area), Munson. Admission is free, parking is $5. Details: 957-6140, or visit www.fl-dof.com/state_forests/blackwater/heritage_festival.html.

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FDA warns E-cig makers on stop-smoking claims - CNN (blog)

Distributors of 5 types of electronic cigarettes have been warned by the Food and Drug Administration that their products are considered unapproved new drugs and in violation of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.

The FDA sent warning letters E-Cig Technology, Inc of Las Vegas, Nevada;  Gamucci America, Jacksonville, Florida; E-CigaretteDirect, LLC of Parker, Colorado; Johnson Creek Enterprises, LLC, Jackson Creek, Wisconsin; and Ruyan America Inc, of Minneapolis, Minnesota.

The letter reads in part: "Any product that bears labeling claims that it helps stop or reduce the cigarette urge, helps stop or reduce smoking, or similar claims is a smoking deterrent drug product."

"Products that are labeled, represented, or promoted as smoking deterrents, such as the electronic cigarette and cigar products marketed by your firm, are regarded as new drugs," the FDA letter continues.

The Electronic Cigarette Association also was alerted by the FDA.  It was told the devices need to go through the agency's new drug application process. The first step in that process is to file an investigational new drug application, which would require manufacturers to provide data on animal studies and even human clinical trials.

The companies were given 15 days to notify the FDA in writing what corrective actions they plan to take.

Keith King, sales manager for E-CigaretteDirect, said his  company would comply. "It's really unclear whether the FDA has any jurisdiction over electronic cigarettes. We do not promote the electronic cigarette as a stop smoking aid, but the FDA has misinterpreted some of the material on our website. We are going to have to meet their request and make some changes to our website."

Ruyan America president William Bartkowski said his company hadn't offered a nicotine product in the United States in more than a year. "We will promptly respond to the FDA."

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Is Eddie Windass going to stop smoking? - Coronation Street Blog (blog)

Sorry to go on about the Windasses AGAIN (I will stop now, honest), but it occurred to me that having successfully passed the rigors of the adoption panel, Eddie Windass is still rolling up fags (he had his "baccy tin" out in the most recent episode) and presumably they're for himself.Becky and Steve struggled to give up smoking, because as prospective adoptive parents they were forced to. Why is Eddie still blasting away willy nilly?It's not like I blame him, what with the stress of Gary going away and all, but still.

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