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Fall 2007 Newsletter Article
Pediatric Tabacco Issues
2007 Fall Newsletter Article The Pediatric Tobacco Issues SIG (also known as the “Cig-SIG”) is
a unique forum where attendees learn about pediatric tobacco education, increase
their awareness of relevant policies, advocacy work and opportunites, share work
being done in the field, and network with fun and interesting anti-tobacco advocates!
We had an exciting and successful meeting in Toronto this year. First, Jonathan Klein updated us on the Richmond Center, a Center of Excellence at
the AAP, funded by the Flight Attendants’ Medical Research Institute
(FAMRI). The Richmond Center is dedicated to eliminating children’s exposure
to tobacco and secondhand smoke (SHS). The Center encourages research and programming
that addresses SHS. Michael Weitzman then discussed some of his research
sponsored by the Richmond Center; his work uses large data sets to find relationships
to smoking
We are happy that our long awaited APA policy on tobacco was recently published!
The first author and co-founder of this SIG, Dana Best, gave an overview
of the policy. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) declared smoking to
be a “pediatric disease” back in 1995; thus the importance of having
such a policy. Best stressed the success of having a comprehensive APA
tobacco policy with internal and external components. Internal policies include
encouraging and fostering anti-tobacco environments including the support of
recreational smoke-free venues when at the Annual Meeting. External policies
encourage pediatric tobacco control research, comprehensive tobacco curriculums
at all levels of medical education, and public policy and advocacy actions
to decrease pediatric uptake and exposure to tobacco. All APA members are encouraged
to review this document found in the November-December 2006 issues of Ambulatory
Pediatrics.
We were very fortunate to hear Ruth Etzel’s talk
on the cultural uses of tobacco in the Alaska Native and American Indian populations.
Did you
know that the major route of exposure to tobacco among American Indian people
before 1492 was ingestion? Did you know that in 2007, American Indian and Alaska
Natives under 54 years of age had the highest rates of cigarette smoking compared
to other groups? Dr. Etzel explained the importance of the
ceremonial use of tobacco in this population; the traditional understanding
is that tobacco was
considered to be a poison unless it was used in a sacred manner. She discussed
the distrust that Alaska Natives have for federal officials who now want to
address their high smoking rates, and ways that tobacco industry targets this
population by using images, names and icons of American Indian culture to brand
and market products. For more information contact the American Indian Tobacco
Education Network.
We also got an update on smoking in the movies by Suzanne Tanski and
Dr. Tahniat Ansari gave an update on new pharmacotherapy for smoking cessation.
She reviewed the most recent data on Chantix?, an agonist to certain nicotinic
acetylcholine receptors. When these receptors are stimulated, dopamine is released
thus perhaps mimicking their release to control nicotine craving. Studies were
reviewed that showed an increase in abstinence rates when compared to placebo.
Thanks to all of our speakers and congratulations to those who presented at
the national meeting. We encourage APA members interested in pediatric tobacco
issues to contact us for access to our listserv. At next year’s meeting,
we hope to offer a friendly “point—counterpoint” debate.
If you have ideas for our next meeting, please email one of us. Thanks again
and hope to see you in Hawaii!!
Updated
11/1/07
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