Impact of regulatory tightening of the Hungarian tobacco retail market on availability, access and cigarette smoking prevalence of adolescents.

INTRODUCTION: Policies that reduce tobacco retail density to decrease tobacco use among the youth are critical for the tobacco endgame. This paper reviews a Hungarian tobacco regulatory measure, which, since 2013, has confined the sale of tobacco products exclusively to so-called National Tobacco Shops, summarises the changes in the national tobacco retail marketplace and reports on analyses of the impact of this intervention on illegal sales to minors and adolescent smoking behaviour. METHODS: We reviewed the available national statistical data on the structure and dynamics of the tobacco retail market. Changes in lifetime and current (past 30 days) use of cigarettes among Hungarian adolescents aged 13-17 years were assessed using data from international youth surveys on health behaviours collected in 2010-2020. RESULTS: Since the start of policy implementation, the density of tobacco shops in Hungary decreased by 85%, from 4.1 to 0.6 per 1000 persons. The prevalence of lifetime and current cigarette smoking among adolescents declined by 13-24 percentage points (pp) and by 4.8-15 pp, respectively. The rate of illegal sales of tobacco products to minors decreased by 27.6 pp, although the prevalence of compensatory access strategies, especially asking others to buy cigarettes for minors, increased. CONCLUSIONS: After a significant decrease in the nationwide availability of licensed tobacco retailers, Hungary experienced short-term reductions in youth smoking prevalence. However, the sporadic implementation of complementary, evidence-based tobacco control strategies might limit further declines in youth smoking initiation and tobacco product use.

COVID-19 vaccination refusal in the active Hungarian adult population in December, 2021 An exploratory study / A COVID-19 elleni oltóanyagot elutasítók az aktív korú felnott magyar lakosság körében 2021 decemberében

Introduction: In 2021, vaccines against COVID-19 became widely available in Hungary, but a part of the population refuses to be vaccinated, which hinders the control of the pandemic. Objective: To explore the sociodemographic characteristics of the Hungarian vaccination-refusing population and to preliminarily explore the reasons behind their refusal. Methods: In December 2021, survey data were collected online using quota-sampling among the Hungarian population aged 18-65 years with internee access. Sociodemographic variables, individual variables, and reasons for refusal were asked. 1905 completed questionnaires were included in this analysis. After variable selection using LASSO regression, binary logistic regression was used to identify the influencing variables. Reasons for rejection were examined both descriptively and using hierarchical classification. Results: Respondents with lower income, lower education, females, younger age, people living in smaller municipalities and who perceived their own health as better were more likely to refine vaccination. No similar associations were found with marital status, household size, life satisfaction and loneliness. Distrust of vaccination, safety concerns (especially side effects) and efficacy concerns are the main reasons for refusal, and to a lesser extent, the belief of immunity. Conclusions: Vaccination refusal is higher in vulnerable groups, which further increases their health risks. Alongside a well-designed health communication campaign, restoring trust in scientific and health institutions, transparent communication and a community-based approach appear to be important to increase vaccination uptake in Hungary.

The epidemiology of smoking and e-cigarette use in the Hungarian adult population in 2018 / A dohányzás és az e-cigaretta-használat epidemiológiája a felnott magyar népesség körében 2018-ban.

Összefoglaló. Bevezetés: Nagyszámú kutatás igazolta, hogy a dohányzás növeli a legjelentosebb krónikus betegségek kockázatát. Habár 2009 óta csökkeno tendenciát mutat Magyarországon a hagyományos dohányzók aránya, az e-cigarettát kipróbálóké az utóbbi években folyamatosan növekszik. Célkituzés: A 2018-ban a felnott lakosság körében végzett Népegészségügyi Felmérés dohányzásra és e-cigaretta-használatra vonatkozó eredményeinek bemutatása az elozo vizsgálatok tükrében. Módszer: A kérdoíves felmérésben 1586 fo került személyesen lekérdezésre. Az iteratív súlyozás a többlépcsos mintavételi designhatást és a 2016-os mikrocenzus adatait vette figyelembe. Eredmények: 2018-ban a dohányzók aránya a magyar felnott lakosság körében 28,7% (95% MT: 26,3-31,1%), az e-cigarettát használók aránya pedig 1,7% (95% MT: 1,1-2,5%) volt. Az iskolai végzettség a 65 év alattiak esetében a dohányzást befolyásoló tényezo volt (EH: 3,32; 95% MT: 2,53-4,34), de a 65 éves és annál idosebb korcsoportban már nem (EH: 1,11; 95% MT: 0,59-2,09). Az e-cigarettát kipróbálók és használók között a leginkább említett (54,3% 95% MT: 44,0-64,5%) motivációs tényezocsoport a dohányzásról való leszokással, az ártalomcsökkentéssel és a visszaesés megelozésével volt kapcsolatos. A 65 éves és idosebb korcsoportban a dohányzók aránya 2015-höz képest emelkedett. 2018-ban az alapfokú iskolai végzettséguek körében volt a legmagasabb a dohányzók aránya, míg 2014-ben az érettségivel nem rendelkezo középfokú végzettséguek körében. Következtetés: Bár összességében csökkent, az alacsony iskolai végzettséguek és az idosek körében emelkedett a dohányzók aránya Magyarországon. Az e-cigarettát kipróbálók és használók száma növekvo tendenciát mutat hazánkban. Eredményeink az alacsony iskolai végzettséguekre kiemelten fókuszáló, megelozo és leszokást támogató népegészségügyi alprogramokat is tartalmazó komplex beavatkozást sürgetnek. Orv Hetil. 2022; 163(1): 31-38. INTRODUCTION: The body of evidence suggests that smoking increases the risk of the most prevalent chronic diseases. Although the proportion of traditional smokers in Hungary has been on a declining trend since 2009, the proportion of those who tried e-cigarette has been steadily increasing in recent years. OBJECTIVE: To present - in the light of previous studies - the results of the Public Health Survey among adults in 2018 on smoking and e-cigarette use. METHOD: 1586 persons were personally interviewed in a survey. The iterative weighting algorithm considered both the design effect of multistaged sampling and the 2016 Hungarian microcensus. RESULTS: In 2018, the proportion of smokers in the Hungarian adult population was 28.7% (95% CI 26.3-31.1%), and the proportion of e-cigarette users was 1.7% (95% CI 1.1-2.5%). Educational level was a predictor of smoking among respondents younger than 65 years old (OR 3.32; 95% CI 2.53-4.34), but not for those aged 65 years or older (OR 1.11; 95% CI 0.59-2.09). Among e-cigarette ever or current users, the most commonly mentioned (54.3% 95% CI 44.0-64.5%) motivational factor-group to try or use e-cigarettes included motivations to quit smoking, to reduce harm, and to avoid relapsing. In the population aged 65 years old or older, the proportion of smokers increased compared to 2015. The proportion of smokers was the highest among those with primary education in 2018, while in 2014, it was the highest among those with secondary education without a graduation certificate. CONCLUSION: In Hungary, although overall smoking rates are declining, the smoking rate in the low educational group and among the elderly increased. The number of people trying or using e-cigarettes is showing an increasing trend in our country. Our results call for a complex public health intervention program including prevention and smoking cessation supporting subprograms with high focus on those with primary education. Orv Hetil. 2022; 163(1): 31-38.

Vaping-Related Adverse Events and Perceived Health Improvements: A Cross-Sectional Survey among Daily E-Cigarette Users.

Web-based samples of e-cigarette users commonly report significant vaping-related health improvements (HIs) and mild adverse events (AEs). This cross-sectional study with in-person interviewing data collection examined self-reported AEs and perceived HIs among Hungarian adult current daily exclusive e-cigarette (n = 65) and dual users (n = 127), and former daily e-cigarette users (n = 91) in 2018. Logistic regression was used to evaluate associations between reporting any AEs/HIs, vaping status, and covariates. More former users (52.7%) reported AEs than current users (39.6%; p = 0.038). Exclusive and dual daily users reported similar rates of AEs (44.6% and 37.0%, respectively; p = 0.308). More current users (46.9%) experienced HIs than former users (35.2%; p = 0.064). Exclusive daily users were more likely to report HIs than dual users (63.1% versus 38.6%; p = 0.001). Former user status and smoking cessation/reduction reasons increased the odds of reporting AEs, whereas nicotine-containing e-liquid use and older age decreased the odds of reporting AEs. Exclusive vaper status, using advanced generation devices, and smoking cessation/reduction reasons increased the odds of experiencing HIs. This study, which used a traditional data collection methodology, found a higher rate of AEs and a lower rate of HIs compared to web-based surveys. Our results highlight that experiencing AEs and HIs is affected by users' characteristics, in addition to the device and e-liquid type.

[Psychedelics and quasi-psychedelics in the light of contemporary research: medical cannabis, MDMA, salvinorin A, ibogaine and ayahuasca]. / Pszichedelikumok és kvázi-pszichedelikumok a modern kutatások tükrében: orvosi kannabisz, MDMA, szalvinorin A, ibogain és ayahuasca.

In lack of professional research and appropriate concepts our scientific knowledge of psychedelic agents is limited. According to the long-held official view these drugs are entirely harmful and have no medical use. However, a recent surge of clinical and pharmacological studies in the field indicates that many psychedelic-like agents have therapeutic potentials under proper circumstances. In this paper, from a biomedical and psychological perspective, we provide a brief review of the general effects and promising treatment uses of medical cannabis, 3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA), salvinorin A, ibogaine and the dimethyltryptamine-(DMT)-containing ayahuasca. In Hungary - similarly to many other countries - these compounds are classified as "narcotic drugs" and their research is difficult due to strict regulations.

Network analysis of neurotransmitter related human kinase genes: possible role of SRC, RAF1, PTK2B?

Previous co-expression analysis of human kinase genes highlighted 119 genes in neurotransmitter-related activity (based on Go:Terms). Using a merged interactome dataset, we analyzed the network of these Neurotransmitter Related Human Kinase Genes. Using the full interactome dataset we extended the network and calculating degrees and closeness centralities we identified SRC, MAPK1, RAF1, PTK2B and AKT1 kinase genes as potentially relevant nodes which did not show relevant activity in the original experimental study. As AKT1 and MAPK1 have already been indicated in various neuronal functions, we hypothesize a potential direct or indirect role for SRC, RAF1, PTK2B genes in neurotransmission and in central nervous system signaling processes.