Content about Addiction

ATLANTA — Continuing with the success of last year’s national education ad campaign, "Tips from Former Smokers," a second series of ads was launched Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Smokeless tobacco users who said they didn’t want to quit changed their minds or significantly cut back when given nicotine lozenges or tobacco-free snuff in a Mayo Clinic study.

The findings are published in the February issue of Addictive Behaviors.

SCHLIEREN, Switzerland — Cytos Biotechnology will regain rights to an experimental vaccine against nicotine addiction that it had licensed to Novartis, Cytos said Wednesday.

The company said that Novartis would discontinue the project, known as NIC002. Cytos granted Novartis a license for NIC002 in 2007, but phase-2 trial results in October 2009 indicated that the vaccine spurred the development of nicotine-specific antibodies in patients, but did not increase smoking cessation.

WASHINGTON — New results from a national online public opinion poll of Americans 18 and older show that 34% of smokers plan to quit smoking as a New Year’s resolution in 2013, as compared to only 18% who reported that quitting smoking was a New Year’s resolution in 2012. Increasing costs of cigarettes (67%) and concerns about the health risks associated with smoking (58%) were two of the key factors motivating smokers to contemplate quitting as a resolution for 2013.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Ballantyne Brands, an electronic cigarette provider, on Monday announced the introduction of a new premium brand, NEO. The company also announced that it has acquired the Mistic brand of electronic cigarettes for an undisclosed amount, and has secured an investment partner to support its business for the long term.

ALLEGAN, Mich. — Perrigo on Wednesday announced that it has received approval from the Food and Drug Administration for its abbreviated new drug applications to market over-the-counter nicotine polacrilex mini lozenge USP in both 2-mg and 4-mg strengths. 

The mint-flavored mini lozenge is comparable with GlaxoSmithKline's Nicorette Mini Lozenge and is indicated to reduce withdrawal symptoms, including nicotine craving, associated with quitting smoking.

DANIA BEACH, Fla. — Vapor recently announced its filing of a nonprovisional patent for an electronic cigarette cartridge that will give its electronic cigarette line the same tactile feel of a traditional cigarette filter.

ATLANTA — Sales of smoking-cessation products may realize a March boom following a recent government advertising campaign that encourages Americans to quit smoking.

One week following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's launch of its Tips from Former Smokers campaign, calls to the 1-800-QUIT-NOW quitline were up 130.4%, the agency reported Monday. Calls were up an additional 3.5% in the subsequent week.

A record 34,413 calls were fielded between March 26 and April 1, the CDC reported.

HALLANDALE, Fla. — Vapor recently expanded its e-cigarette offerings across its Krave brand.

The company has constructed a complete retail-rack-ready, rechargeable e-cigarette program for its vendors of Krave1000 and Krave1001. The e-cigarettes are available in four versions featuring a high/low nicotine level option and tobacco and menthol flavors, along with starter kits and charger accessories.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens on Tuesday partnered with Passport Health Plan, a local Medicaid health plan in Louisville, Ky.,  on a new smoking-cessation program that launched in early January. The program is free to Walgreens customers and Passport members and aims to improve the community’s health by giving smokers the tools, resources and ongoing clinical pharmacist counseling to help them achieve their cessation goals.

BOSTON — Nicotine replacement therapies designed to help people stop smoking, specifically nicotine patches and nicotine gum, do not appear to be effective in helping smokers quit long-term, even when combined with smoking-cessation counseling, according to a new survey by researchers at Harvard School of Public Health and the University of Massachusetts Boston posted in an advance online edition of Tobacco Control Monday.

DANVILLE, Pa. — Geisinger Health System may be the largest employer to discriminate against a declining minority — smokers — beginning Feb. 1.

Geisinger last week announced it will no longer hire job applicants who use tobacco products, including cigarettes, cigars and chewing or smokeless tobacco.