Programa de controle do tabagismo em Mato Grosso do Sul: oferta, adesão e efetividade / Smoking control program in Mato Grosso do Sul: offer, adherence and effectiveness / Programa de control del tabaquismo en Mato Grosso do Sul: oferta, adherencia y efectividad

Objetivo: O estudo teve por objetivo avaliar o Programa Nacional de Controle do Tabagismo (PNCT) em Mato Grosso do Sul, taxas de cobertura, abandono, cessação, uso de medicamentos, rede de serviços de saúde e as razões pelas quais algumas Equipes de Saúde da Família de Campo Grande ainda não aderiram ao programa. Métodos: Trata-se de uma pesquisa descritiva, com abordagem quantitativa, baseada em dados primários e secundários sobre o PNCT em Mato Grosso do Sul. Os dados primários foram obtidos por meio de questionário aplicado aos profissionais das Equipes de Saúde da Família (ESF) de Campo Grande, sem oferta do programa e avaliados quanto à frequência e presença de correlação entre as variáveis analisadas utilizando V de Cramer e teste de χ2. Os dados secundários foram obtidos do consolidado do Instituto Nacional de Câncer José Alencar Gomes da Silva com os registros produzidos pelos serviços. Resultados: As taxas de adesão, efetividade e apoio farmacológico na capital e interior foram: 66,80 e 59,79%; 20,58 e 34,91%; 32,14 e 99,86%, respectivamente. A oferta do programa ocorreu em 49,37% municípios e 43,85% das Unidades Básicas de Saúde (UBS) estimadas. Houve correlações entre ser capacitado e implantar o programa; treinamento de ingresso e oferta na UBS. As dificuldades relatadas pelos profissionais foram a pandemia de COVID-19, a sobrecarga e/ou equipe pequena e/ou falta de tempo e a ausência de capacitação/treinamento. Conclusões: O PNCT em Mato Grosso do Sul apresenta baixa cobertura e oferta restrita na rede de saúde, além do desempenho mediano de assistência aos tabagistas. Evidencia-se a necessidade de investimento em capacitação/treinamento, prioritariamente para as ESF de Campo Grande, dando-lhes condições de responder às necessidades de promoção da saúde, reconhecendo o programa como de maior custo-efetividade.

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the National Tobacco Control Program (PNCT) in Mato Grosso do Sul, coverage rates, dropout, cessation, use of medication, the health services network and the reasons why Family Health Teams in Campo Grande have not yet joined the program. Methods: This was a descriptive study with a quantitative approach, based on primary and secondary data on the PNCT in Mato Grosso do Sul. The primary data were obtained by means of a questionnaire administered to Family Health Teams (ESF) in Campo Grande, which did not offer the program and evaluated the frequency and presence of correlation between the variables analyzed using Cramer's V test and the χ2 test. The secondary data were obtained from the consolidated records of the José Alencar Gomes da Silva National Cancer Institute with the records produced by the services. Results: The rates of adherence, effectiveness and pharmacological support in the capital and interior were: 66.80 and 59.79%; 20.58 and 34.91%; and 32.14 and 99.86%, respectively. The program was offered in 49.37% of the municipalities and 43.85% of the Basic Health Units (UBS) estimated. There were correlations between being trained and implementing the program and entry training and provision in the UBS. The difficulties reported by professionals were the COVID-19 pandemic, overload and/or a small team and/or lack of time and the absence of training. Conclusions: The PNCT in Mato Grosso do Sul has low coverage and restricted supply in the health network, in addition to average performance in assisting smokers. There is a clear need to invest in capacitation/training, primarily for the ESF in Campo Grande, enabling them to respond to the needs of health promotion, recognizing the program as more cost-effective.

Objetivo: El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar el Programa Nacional de Control del Tabaco (PNCT) en Mato Grosso do Sul, las tasas de cobertura, el abandono, la cesación, el uso de medicamentos, la red de servicios de salud y las razones por las que los Equipos de Salud de la Familia en Campo Grande aún no se han unido al programa. Métodos: Se trata de un estudio descriptivo con abordaje cuantitativo, basado en datos primarios y secundarios sobre el PNCT en Mato Grosso do Sul. Los datos primarios se obtuvieron por medio de un cuestionario aplicado a los Equipos de Salud de la Familia (ESF) de Campo Grande, que no ofrecían el programa y evaluaron la frecuencia y la presencia de correlación entre las variables analizadas utilizando la V de Cramer y la prueba de la χ2. Los datos secundarios se obtuvieron de los registros consolidados del Instituto Nacional del Cáncer José Alencar Gomes da Silva con los registros producidos por los servicios. Resultados: Las tasas de adherencia, eficacia y apoyo farmacológico en la capital y en el interior fueron: 66,80 y 59,79%; 20,58 y 34,91%; 32,14 y 99,86%, respectivamente. El programa fue ofrecido en el 49,37% de los municipios y en el 43,85% de las Unidades Básicas de Salud (UBS) estimadas. Hubo correlación entre estar capacitado e implementar el programa; capacitación de entrada y oferta en las UBS. Las dificultades relatadas por los profesionales fueron la pandemia del COVID-19, la sobrecarga y/o un equipo pequeño y/o la falta de tiempo y la ausencia de capacitación. Conclusiones: El PNCT en Mato Grosso do Sul tiene baja cobertura y oferta restringida en la red de salud, además de un desempeño medio en la asistencia a los fumadores. Hay una clara necesidad de invertir en la creación de capacidad / formación, principalmente para la ESF en Campo Grande, lo que les permite responder a las necesidades de promoción de la salud, reconociendo el programa como más rentable.

Is India on a path to reduce the tobacco industry's influence in tobacco control? Insights from the Global Tobacco Industry Interference Index (2019-2023).

Introduction: The tobacco industry (TI), driven by profit motives, consistently conceals health risks through deceptive strategies, notably in countries like India. These tactics create vulnerabilities that hinder effective tobacco control measures and enable the TI to exploit legal gaps. Understanding these TI strategies is essential for policymakers to take appropriate preventive and corrective measures in order to limit tobacco industry interference (TII) in policy-making. The study aims at understanding the trend of TII in India between 2019 and 2023. Methodology: The secondary data from the Global Tobacco Industry Interference report, consisting of seven major domains of the TII index, viz. policy participation, corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities, industry benefits, unnecessary interaction, transparency, conflict of interest, and preventive measures, were retrieved. A composite score was obtained after adding scores of different domains, for each year. Results: The findings of the study demonstrated an initial improvement in India's implementation of WHO FCTC Article 5.3, as evidenced by a decreasing score between 2019 and 2021. However, this trend halted in 2023, with data showing a slight increase in the score. When compared with other Asian countries, India shows marginal improvement in score than Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Thailand, and South Korea. Some of the countries in the region, including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Brunei, China, and Vietnam experienced a decline in TII. Discussion: There has been a rise in CSR activities, forms of unnecessary interactions of TII with policymakers, and participation in policy development; however, improvements are observed in providing benefits to the TI, conflict of interest, and preventive measures. In order to fortify the regulatory framework, it is imperative to create awareness among stakeholders on conflict of interest, denormalize corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives by the TI, provision of a watchdog for TII in the country and "whole of government" approach in implementation of FCTC Article 5.3.

Association Between Cigarette and Bidi Purchase Behavior (Loose vs Pack) and Health Warning Label Exposure: Findings From the Tobacco Control Policy India Survey and In-Depth Interviews With People Who Smoke.

BACKGROUND: The sale of loose cigarettes or bidis can undermine the purpose of requiring health warning labels (HWLs) on cigarette packs and bidi bundles by diminishing their visibility and legibility. OBJECTIVE: This mixed-methods study aims to examine the association between purchase behavior (loose vs pack or bundle), HWL exposure, and responses to HWLs among Indian adults who smoke. METHODS: Data were analyzed from the 2018-2019 India Tobacco Control Policy Survey and from 28 in-depth interviews conducted with Indian adults who smoked in 2022. The Tobacco Control Policy Survey sample included tobacco users who bought cigarettes (n=643) or bidis (n=730), either loose or in packs or bundles at their last purchase. Ordinal regression models were fit separately for cigarettes and bidis, whereby HWL variables (noticing HWLs, reading and looking closely at HWLs, forgoing a cigarette or bidi because of HWLs, thinking about health risks of smoking, and thinking about quitting smoking cigarettes or bidis because of HWLs) were regressed on last purchase (loose vs packs or bundles). In-depth interviews with participants from Delhi and Mumbai who purchased loose cigarettes in the last month were conducted, and thematic analysis was used to analyze the interview data. RESULTS: Survey findings indicated that about 74.3% (478/643) of cigarette users and 11.8% (86/730) of bidi users reported having bought loose sticks at their last purchase. Those who purchased loose cigarettes (vs packs) noticed HWLs less often (estimate -0.830, 95% CI -1.197 to -0.463, P<.001), whereas those who purchased loose bidis (vs bundles) read and looked closely at HWLs (estimate 0.646, 95% CI 0.013-1.279, P=.046), thought about the harms of bidi smoking (estimate 1.200, 95% CI 0.597-1.802, P<.001), and thought about quitting bidi smoking (estimate 0.871, 95% CI 0.282-1.461, P=.004) more often. Interview findings indicated lower exposure to HWLs among those who purchased loose cigarettes, primarily due to vendors distributing loose cigarettes without showing the original cigarette pack, storing them in separate containers, and consumers' preference for foreign-made cigarette brands, which often lack HWLs. While participants were generally aware of the contents of HWLs, many deliberately avoided them when purchasing loose cigarettes. In addition, they believed that loose cigarette purchases reduced the HWLs' potential to deliver consistent reminders about the harmful effects of cigarette smoking due to reduced exposure, an effect more common among those who purchased packs. Participants also noted that vendors, especially small ones, did not display statutory health warnings at their point of sale, further limiting exposure to warning messages. CONCLUSIONS: Survey and interview findings indicated that those who purchased loose cigarettes noticed HWLs less often. Loose purchases likely decrease the frequency of exposure to HWLs' reminders about the harmful effects of smoking, potentially reducing the effectiveness of HWLs.

Tobacco Control Policy in India: Progress and Challenges Quantified Using the Tobacco Control Scale.

INTRODUCTION: One of the most vexing challenges to public health today is the menace of tobacco. Despite the large body of evidence indicating the vast scale of health hazards, tobacco use continues to be a major cause of preventable death. This study was conducted with the objective of quantifying the progress and challenges of the tobacco control policy of India. METHODS: The Tobacco Control Scale (TCS) was used, which has a maximum score of 100 and assesses nine components including, price of cigarettes, smoke-free public and work places, spending on public information campaigns, comprehensive bans on advertising and promotion, large pictorial health warning labels, treatment to help smokers stop, illicit tobacco trade, tobacco industry interference and ratification of the WHO FCTC. The components of the TCS for India were scored based on data obtained from the WHO, Report on The Global Tobacco Epidemic, 2021 and the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act 2003 and their amendments and the Tobacco India 2023 country profile. RESULTS: The total score for the tobacco control scale placed India at 65 points, scoring highest with respect to 'large pictorial health warning labels', and lower with respect to 'spending on public information campaigns', 'illicit tobacco trade' and 'price of cigarettes'. CONCLUSIONS: Strong tobacco control legislation and its equally robust implementation is an affirmative step in achieving the vision of the WHO-FCTC and empowering the world towards being tobacco free.

End TB strategy: Role of tobacco control.

Tobacco use and Tuberculosis (TB) presents a huge public health challenge globally. Tobacco and TB have consistent and strong epidemiological evidence with smokers having higher odds of TB infection, disease, mortality, delayed diagnosis etc. Overall, limited evidence exists about the extent of TB-tobacco integration. The aim of the current short communication is to highlight comprehensive strategy for addressing TB-tobacco comorbidities.

Tobacco control policies and the multidimensional context of tobacco use by gender: The case of Türkiye.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to determine the indicators of tobacco use in Türkiye within a multidimensional context as socio-demographic, physical, behavioural, and psychological as a response to the tobacco control policies. METHODS: The Turkish Health Survey data in 2014 and 2019 are employed within a probit model approach and the differences in tobacco are decomposed use by gender in order to reveal the gender differences. The samples in 2014 (total n = 19,129; males = 8 721, females = 10,408) and 2019 (total n = 17,084; males = 7 784, females = 9300) were restricted to 15-year-old and above. RESULTS: The findings indicate that being in the 30-49 age cohort, having lower education, and being married increase the likelihood of tobacco use. Future policies and campaigns should specifically target the single, pre-obese, employed males who consume alcohol. For females, the gender-specific policies should aim to reduce the prevalence of smoking, especially among separated or widows, obese, and out of the labour force. The contribution of mental health indicators on tobacco use has declined over the 5 years, which could be a result of the supportive free health services in Türkiye. The findings provide evidence for a significant and increasing gender difference in tobacco use in Türkiye along with reporting that the most significant contributors to gender differences in tobacco use are alcohol consumption and education level. CONCLUSION: Even though the Ministry of Health and the government have been implementing anti-tobacco policies, legislations, and campaigns for years, the tobacco use prevalence has remained high and even increased in Türkiye.

OMS publica primeiras diretrizes para tratamento clínico de adultos que querem parar de fumar

A Organização Mundial da Saúde (OMS) divulgou suas primeiras diretrizes para o tratamento de adultos que querem parar de fumar. As recomendações incluem um conjunto abrangente de intervenções como suporte comportamental oferecido por profissionais de saúde, intervenções digitais e tratamentos farmacológicos.

Cannabis policy liberalization is only associated with increased blunt use if states lack strong tobacco control.

INTRODUCTION: Co-use of tobacco and cannabis has long been an issue for prevention and intervention efforts targeting these substances. Blunt use-cannabis inside a cigar wrapper-has been a consistent mode of cannabis consumption since the 1990s. Since then, both tobacco control and cannabis policies have changed considerably. This paper examines the influence of tobacco taxes and smoke-free policies as well as medical and recreational cannabis policies on blunt use among young people. METHODS: Combining state-level tobacco control and cannabis policy data with the restricted-access youth cohort of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) study, we use multilevel logistic regression models to examine the impact of these policies on past-year blunt use. RESULTS: While we found a main effect whereby both legal medical and recreational cannabis policies are associated with higher odds of blunt use among youth, interaction effects demonstrate that this association only emerges in states lacking a comprehensive tobacco smoke-free policy. In states with smoke-free policies, we found no significant associations between cannabis policy and odds of blunt use. CONCLUSIONS: Denormalization through smoke-free policies may mitigate the effects of recreational and medical cannabis policies on blunt use. Smoke-free policies represent a possible cost-effective mechanism to curb the co-use of tobacco and cannabis in the form of blunts. States with medical and recreational cannabis policies may benefit from greater prevention efforts for young people specifically focused on blunt use, especially in states that do not have strong tobacco control.

The Perfect Storm: Applying the Multiple Streams Framework to Understand the Adoption of a WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control-Based Policy in Mexico.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to document how Mexico adopted a WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC)-based national tobacco control law. METHODS: We analyzed publicly available documents and interviewed 14 key stakeholders. We applied the Multiple Streams Framework (MSF) to analyze these findings. RESULTS: Previous attempts to approve comprehensive FCTC-based initiatives failed due to a lack of political will, the tobacco industry's close connections to policymakers, and a lack of health advocacy coordination. Applying the MSF reveals increased attention towards collecting and sharing data to frame the severity of the problem (problem stream). The expansion of a coordinated health advocacy coalition and activities led to increased support for desired FCTC policy solutions (policy stream). The election of President López Obrador and legislative changes led to a deep renewed focus on tobacco control (politics stream). These three streams converged to create a policy window to secure a strong FCTC-based initiative on the political agenda that was ultimately passed. CONCLUSIONS: The Mexican experience illustrates the importance of continued health advocacy and political will in adopting FCTC-based policies. Other countries should follow Mexico's lead by collecting and sharing data through coordinating efforts in order to be prepared to seize political opportunity windows when strong political will is present.

[Application of the cigarette purchase tasks in achieving China' s tobacco control goals].

OBJECTIVE: To assess cigarette demand among Chinese smokers through a cigarette purchase task (CPT) and to evaluate cigarette prices under different hypothetical scenarios in order to meet the goals of smoking prevalence reduction in China. METHODS: In the study, 447 participants completed a hypothetical CPT at baseline assessments of a trial, thus, cigarette demand curves were individually fitted for each participant using an exponentiated version of the exponential demand model. Typically, five demand indices were derived, intensity (consumption when free), breakpoint (first price at which consumption is suppressed to 0), maximum output (Omax), maximum price (Pmax, price at which Omax occurred), and elasticity (the ratio of the change in quantity demanded to the change in price). A one-way analysis of variance was used to explore the correlations between the cigarette purchase task indices and socio-demographic and smoking characteristics. The one-way decay model was employed to simulate the smoking cessation rates and determine optimal cigarette prices in a series of scenarios for achieving 20% smoking prevalence. RESULTS: The price elasticity drawn from CPT was 0.54, indicating that a 10% price increase could reduce smoking by 5.4% in the participated smokers. Smokers with higher income were less sensitive to cigarette prices (elasticity=-2.31, P=0.028). Cigarette purchase task indices varied significantly among the smokers with different prices of commonly used cigarettes, tobacco dependence, and smoking volume. The smokers who consumed cigarettes of higher prices reported higher breakpoint, Omax and Pmax, but lower intensity (P=0.001). The smokers who were moderately or highly nicotine dependent reported higher intensity, breakpoint, Omax and Pmax, and they had lower intensity (P=0.001). The smokers who had a higher volume of cigarettes reported higher intensity and Omax, and lower intensity (P < 0.001). To achieve the goal of reducing smoking prevalence to 20% in mainland China, we estimated the desired increase on smoking cessation rate and prices accordingly in a series of scenarios, considering the gender variance and reduced smoking initiation. In scenario (a), to achieve a smoking prevalence goal of 20%, it would be necessary for 24.81% of the current smokers to quit smoking when there were no new smokers. Our fitting model yielded a corresponding value of 59.64 yuan (95%CI 53.13-67.24). Given the assumption in scenario (b) that only males quitted smoking, the desired cessation rates would be 25.82%, with a higher corresponding price of 62.15 yuan (95%CI 55.40-70.06) to induce desired cessation rates. In the proposed scenario (c) where 40 percent of the reduction in smoking prevalence came from reduced smoking initiation, and females and males equally quitted smoking due to increased cigarette prices, the price of a pack of cigarettes would be at least 37.36 yuan (95%CI 32.32-42.69) (equals to $ 5.20) per pack to achieve the cessation rate of 14.89 percent. In scenario (d) where only males quitted smoking due to increased cigarette prices considering the reduced smoking initiation, the respective smoking cessation rates should be 15.49% with the desired prices of 38.60 yuan (95%CI 33.53-44.02). After adjusting for education levels and income levels in scenario (c), the price of cigarettes would be at least 37.37 yuan/pack (equals to $ 5.20) (95%CI 30.73-44.94) and 37.84 yuan/pack (equals to $ 5.26) (95%CI 31.94-44.53), respectively. CONCLUSION: Cigarette purchase task indices are significantly associated with income levels and prices of commonly used cigarettes, levels of tobacco dependence, and smoking volume, which is inspiring in studying price factors that influence smoking behavior. It is suggested that higher cigarette prices, surpassing the current actual market level, is imperative in mainland China. Stronger policy stra-tegies should be taken to increase tobacco taxes and retail cigarette prices to achieve the Healthy China 2030 goal of reducing smoking prevalence to 20%.

Impacts of the Massachusetts 2019 An Act Modernizing Tobacco Control on tobacco retailer settings: A multi-methods study.

BACKGROUND: In November 2019, the Massachusetts legislature passed An Act Modernizing Tobacco Control and became the first state to restrict retail sales of all flavored (including menthol) cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and other tobacco products. Our study aims to provide the retailer experience of the new law from the perspectives of multiple stakeholders, including tobacco retailers themselves, public health officials, and Massachusetts residents. METHODS: We conducted in-depth interviews with seven tobacco retailers and ten public health officials from March 2021 to April 2022. Monthly repeated cross-sectional surveys were administered through the online survey panel Prodege from April 2021 to August 2022 (adult sample: N = 765; adolescent sample: N = 900). Themes from interviews were identified by drawing on deductive codes informed by the interview guide, followed by inductive coding of data. Survey data were descriptively analyzed in R. RESULTS: Key themes included retailer frustration over loss of sales to neighboring states, factors associated with retailer compliance, and the need for increased education regarding the law. Survey results showed that a minority of adolescents (13.3%) and adults (26.1%) who vaped in the past 30-days were traveling to border states to purchase vape products. Less than one-quarter of adolescent participants and less than half of adult participants could correctly identify which products Massachusetts did not sell. CONCLUSIONS: Evidence from the retailer, public health, and end-user perspectives support mutual benefits of adjacent states enacting flavored tobacco sales restrictions, improved policy education for retailers and the public, and improved retailer enforcement.

[Tabacco harm reduction: the need for a paradigm shift in German tobacco control policy]. / Tabak Harm Reduction: Die Notwendigkeit eines Paradigmenwechsels in der deutschen Tabakkontrollpolitik.

The consumption of tobacco continues to be the greatest preventable health risk in Germany. Every year, more than 127,000 people die prematurely as a result of using tobacco - one in five new cases of cancer is a consequence of smoking. Germany's current tobacco control policy, consisting of advertising bans, the promotion of smoke-free environments, and an abstinence-only paradigm, are only able to initiate slow change. Other countries have shown how the number of smokers can be reduced and deaths prevented by integrating harm reduction as a complementary measure and providing a much more active support for people who want to quit. This article first presents the current situation and current measures in Germany. Then recommendations for changes to the current tobacco control policy in Germany are derived from a look at the United Kingdom, which is considered a pioneer throughout Europe with its tobacco control policy, as well as a summary of the current state of research.