Netflix will limit scenes depicting smoking. Will it affect youth tobacco use?
Netflix says it will try to limit scenes depicting smoking in it original programing, like "Stranger Things," after a report showed the streaming service's content is rife with instances of tobacco use.
View ArticleLegalizing recreational marijuana could impact alcohol and tobacco industries...
Newly-released research shows that once recreational marijuana is legalized, online searches for tobacco increase, while searches for alcohol decrease.
View ArticleJuul allegedly marketed e-cigarettes to children during school programs
Juul deployed a "sophisticated program" that deliberately targeted children and teenagers at schools, summer camps and public programs – all in an attempt to sell e-cigarettes, according to a U.S....
View ArticleFDA proposes larger, visual health warnings for cigarette packs, advertisements
On Thursday, the FDA said it seeks a rule to require new, science-based warnings to "promote greater public understanding of the negative health consequences of smoking."
View ArticleVaping habit caused Delco teen's severe lung illness, family warns
A Delaware County teenager reportedly has been placed in a medically-induced coma for a severe lung illness possibly linked to his vaping habit.
View ArticleMichigan becomes first state to ban flavored vapes
Michigan is set to become the first state to prohibit flavored e-cigarettes as federal health officials continue investigating hundreds of severe respiratory illnesses tied to vaping.
View ArticleVaping may make your lungs more vulnerable to infections, study finds
Vaping may impair the ability of immune cells in the lungs to fight infections like influenza, even among e-cigarette products that do not include nicotine or THC.
View ArticleTobacco sales to minors in Philly skyrocketed in 2018, health department says
Philadelphia retailers sold more than twice as many packs of cigarettes to minors in 2018 as they did in the previous year, according to the results of an annual survey released on Tuesday.
View ArticleTrump administration to ban flavored e-cigarettes
The Trump administration reportedly is ready to ban flavored e-cigarettes as federal health officials continue to investigate hundreds of lung illnesses tied to vaping.
View ArticleFlavored e-cigarettes more likely to turn youth into regular users, study finds
"If your first experience included flavor and/or nicotine, then you're more likely to have a subsequent e-cigarette," lead researcher Janet Audrain-McGovern said. "In fact, 18 months later, you're more...
View ArticleSouth Jersey teens sue Juul for deceptive marketing
Three South Jersey teenagers have filed separate federal lawsuits against Juul Labs, alleging the e-cigarette maker targeted youth through its marketing strategies, product design and flavors.
View ArticlePennsylvania has at least 17 vaping-related lung disease cases
Pennsylvania health secretary Dr. Rachel Levine is urging residents to refrain from vaping – particularly any unregulated marijuana products.
View ArticlePotential carcinogen in menthol e-cigarettes exceeds safety levels, study finds
The chemical – known as pulegone (and pronounced pju-leh-goan) – was banned as a food additive last year by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration due to its carcinogenic properties. The FDA does not...
View ArticleCamouflaged vaping devices are hoodwinking parents and schools
A computer mouse. A phone case. Backpacks. USB jump drives. The vaping kit options colorfully advertised online are fashionable and many.
View ArticleVaping-related lung disease deaths hit double-digits
Twelve people have now died of lung illnesses tied to the vaping, according to federal health officials.
View ArticleTHC products the 'most prominent link' among vaping-related illnesses
Vaping products containing THC are the "most prominent link" among the hundreds of people who have suffered vaping-related lung illnesses, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
View ArticleMost high school vapers prefer Juul e-cigarettes
High school students who vape have some clear brand and flavor preferences, according to a survey published by the Journal of the American Medical Association. They mostly prefer to vape Juul and...
View ArticleSmoking linked to increased risk of depression, schizophrenia
Smoking linked to increased risk of depression, schizophrenia
View ArticleCigarette smoking at lowest level in 55 years, but more adults are vaping
The percentage of U.S. adults who smoke cigarettes has sunk to the lowest level since the surgeon general first warned about the dangers of smoking. But health officials remain concerned about the...
View ArticleTrump reportedly reverses course on vaping ban
President Donald Trump reportedly refused to sign off on a flavored e-cigarette ban drawn up by federal regulators despite previously claiming he'd do just that. Paper work for the ban had been...
View ArticleSome smokers credit e-cigarettes with saving their lives – does that matter?
Although e-cigarettes in the U.S. are not regulated or approved by the FDA as smoking cessation devices, they may have helped thousands quit cigarettes.
View ArticleNew Pennsylvania law boosts minimum age to buy tobacco, e-cigarettes
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf signed a bill into law Wednesday which prohibits the sale of tobacco and nicotine products in Pennsylvania to anyone under the age of 21.
View ArticleAs e-cigarette popularity surges, 6.2 million American youth are using...
Some 6.2 million middle and high school students used tobacco products this year, a figure driven by the popularity of e-cigarettes, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
View ArticleCongress considers restricting tobacco sales to anyone under age 21
Congress has been working on a new federal law that will limit the sale of tobacco to people 21 and over.
View ArticleNearly as many teens are vaping marijuana as nicotine, NIH reports
The National Institutes of Health warns that percent of teenagers who vape marijuana has increased, raising concern over possible negative health consequences.
View ArticleFDA greenlights sale of cigarettes with 95% less nicotine
A new type of cigarette that has nearly 95% less nicotine than those currently on the market has been granted approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
View ArticleTrump administration unveils tamer ban on flavored e-cigarette pods only
E-cigarette cartridges containing flavors that appeal to youth will no longer be permitted under a new policy formulated by the Trump administration and the FDA.
View ArticlePhilly health department busts 149 businesses for selling tobacco to minors
The Philadelphia Department of Public Health announced that 149 city stores caught illegally selling tobacco to minors will not be allowed to renew their 2020 sales permits. The list of busted...
View ArticleAs vaping-related deaths slow, Texas teen becomes youngest to die in outbreak
The death of a 15-year-old teenager from Texas reportedly is the youngest vaping-related fatality in the United States since an outbreak of lung injuries associated with e-cigarettes and vaping began...
View ArticleQuit smoking at least 4 weeks before surgery, WHO advises
People who quit smoking tobacco at least four weeks prior to surgery have a lower risk of complication and show better results six months later, according to a joint study conducted by the World Health...
View ArticleMore stringent regulations are reducing tobacco retailers in Philly, study finds
The number of tobacco retailers in Philadelphia is falling due to more stringent licensing regulations, according to a study published by the American Journal of Public Health. Still, Philly's tobacco...
View ArticleJuul pitches locked e-cigarette that blocks underage users
Juul reportedly is pitching the FDA on an age-locked e-cigarette that would prevent people under 21 from using the addictive devices. The device is part of its plan to curb youth vaping. The San...
View ArticleLike secondhand smoke, scientists find 'thirdhand' smoke also may pose health...
Thirdhand smoke may increase the chances of non-smokers contracting smoking-related illnesses in addition to secondhand smoke, a new study found. Thirdhand smoke describes the transfer of toxins that...
View ArticleSmokers have greater risk of severe coronavirus complications, research shows
Smokers and people with lung diseases have a greater risk of developing severe coronavirus cases, according to research from China, where the COVID-19 pandemic originated. The virus attacks the lungs,...
View ArticleOne way to reduce smoking: Mandate standardized packaging, higher taxes
The United Kingdom has coupled standardized packaging and higher taxes to send cigarette sales falling, according to a study conducted by the University of Bath's Tobacco Control Research Group.
View ArticleSmoking doubles young adults' risk of severe coronavirus complications
About one-third of young adults are at high risk of developing severe COVID-19 complications, according to a study by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco. But smoking greatly...
View ArticleSmokers should begin cessation drugs, then decide when to quit
The American Thoracic Society released new smoking cessation guidelines that call for patients to begin taking medications like varenicline before deciding when to quit using cigarettes and other...
View ArticleVaping increases COVID-19 risk among teens, young adults, Stanford study finds
Teenagers and young adults who use e-cigarettes are five times more likely to be diagnosed with COVID-19, Stanford University researchers found. Those who both vape and smoke traditional cigarettes are...
View ArticleVaping rates among teens declining, but addiction appears to be on the rise,...
Fewer U.S. high school and middle school students used e-cigarettes or other vaping products this year than last year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Youth usage dropped...
View ArticlePeople with substance use disorder need action plans to mitigate COVID-19...
Substance use disorder makes people more vulnerable to severe COVID-19 complications, according to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health. Addiction experts recommend health care providers...
View ArticlePhilly sues e-cigarette maker JUUL for sparking youth vaping epidemic
Philadelphia officials have filed a lawsuit against JUUL, claiming the e-cigarette manufacturer is responsible for creating a vaping epidemic among the city's youth. The suit, filed in California,...
View ArticleYouth vaping threatens to wipe out gains in cigarette use, health experts warn
Youth who use e-cigarettes are three times more likely to become smokers as adults, a new study finds. Health experts worry that the recent surge in vaping will reverse the decline in traditional...
View ArticleThe COVID-19 pandemic has made it tougher to quit smoking
The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted a substantial drop-off in the number of people seeking to quit smoking, according to an analysis of quitline call volumes. And cigarettes sales have essentially...
View ArticleNearly 60 years ago, U.S. Surgeon General Luther Terry released report...
It was exactly 58 yers ago on Tuesday that the federal government published a studying establishing a link between cigarettes and cancer. Since then, smoking rates in Philadelphia have dropped...
View ArticleE-cigarettes are not an effective tool for smoking cessation, study suggests
E-cigarettes have long been promoted as a tool to help adults quit smoking, but new research suggests they are not a cessation aid. A study found nearly 60% of recent former smokers who were vaping...
View ArticleMarijuana smokers are twice as likely as cigarette users to develop...
Marijuana smokers are twice as likely as people who only smoke tobacco to develop paraseptal emphysema, a serious lung disease without a cure, a new study shows. Researchers say cannabis users may be...
View ArticleTo reduce tobacco use, Pennsylvania and New Jersey need to do much more,...
The American Lung Association's 2023 "State of Tobacco Control" report graded Pennsylvania and New Jersey poorly for their efforts to reduce smoking and vaping. The annual report graded all 50 states...
View ArticleE-cigarette sales surged during the pandemic, CDC says
Sales of e-cigarettes, particularly those with flavors that appeal to children, surged during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, prompting warnings from health officials about the potential...
View ArticleThere's a new effort in New Jersey to ban smoking in casinos
New Jersey lawmakers plan to advance legislation that would end a carveout to the state's indoor smoking ban within gambling facilities. New Jersey banned indoor smoking in 2006 but allowed the...
View ArticleHoping to clear the air in casinos, workers seek to ban tobacco smoke
Casino workers and public health advocates are seeking to ban smoking in casinos, which are often exempt from public smoking bans, citing the hazards of secondhand smoke. But they're facing stiff...
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