Walgreens Sees Smoke Over San Francisco’s Tobacco Ban

San Francisco recently passed a city-wide ordinance that bans the sale of all tobacco-based products in pharmacies, such as Walgreens. The ban, scheduled to take effect October 1, has stirred up a fire at the nationwide pharmacy chain, Walgreens leading officials to ask for an injunction against the ban. Read more

Pfizer: Chantix Safe for Mentally Ill Smokers Who Want to Kick the Habit

In an announcement made Thursday, Pfizer Inc, defended its drug, Chantix, prescribed to help smokers break the desire for nicotine. Chantix has been linked lately to thoughts of suicide and depression when taken by people who suffer from mental illness. Read more

Quitting Reduces Dangers of Smoking for Women

Within just five years of quitting cigarette smoking, women enjoy a reduced risk of coronary heart disease and a lowered risk of death from cancers related to smoking by about 20%. These are the findings from an extensive observational study, the Nurses’ Health Study, involving 104,519 females followed from 1980 to 2004. Read more

Tobacco Company Paid For Cancer Study

The New York Times released a recent report regarding a connection between a tobacco company and a funded lung cancer study. In 2006, Dr. Claudia Henschke of Weill Cornell Medical College stunned the cancer world with her research suggesting that near 80% of lung cancer deaths could be prevented with the use of CT scans. Read more

Link Found Between Smoking and Diabetic Neuropathy

Researchers have found a link between smoking and diabetic neuropathy. A study found that 62 percent of patients with diabetic neuropathy smoked cigarettes compared with 33 percent of patients who didn’t smoke.

Patients were entered into the study if they scored greater than 12 on the self-completed Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptoms and Signs (S-LANSS) pain scale, self-reported nerve pain, or were treated at hospitals with neuropathic pain as noted in hospital charts.

The participants in the study then underwent a clinical evaluation to determine whether their pain was truly part of the neuropathic pain complex. Their current smoking habits were also determined; about 13% of the patients smoked. The researchers found that the 13% of smokers in the study made up 21% of the patients who were suffering from neuropathic pain.

“When a smoker comes into your office and complains of diabetic neuropathy, it may be a good teaching moment,” commented Rollin Gallagher, M.D., a clinical professor of psychiatry and anesthesiology at the University of Pennsylvania.
He said it is a good time to outline for the patient how smoking and diabetes both cause insult to the nerves, especially the long nerves of the legs and arms.
“It is not clear exactly why smoking appears to increase the risk of diabetic neuropathy,” said Toby Weingarten, M.D., a co-author of the study with Todd Call, M.D. and a Mayo colleague. He said some doctors believe that smoking causes some sort of ischemic injury secondary to diabetes in exacerbating the pain.

New Safety Warnings for Chantix

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has requested Pfizer to change its safety and precautions information regarding the use of Chantix (varenicline). The agency has evaluated reports on adverse effects of the drug since November 20, 2007. It now appears that there may be an association between Chantix and neuropsychiatric changes, such as agitation, depressed mood and suicidal behavior. Read more