SCHEER Opinion on additives used in tobacco products (Tobacco Additives II)

Today, the European Commission and its Scientific Committee on Health, Environmental and Emerging Risks (SCHEER) publish the final Opinion on additives used in tobacco products (Tobacco Additives II). This second Opinion on tobacco additives was requested by the European Commission to assist its work in developing guidelines for assessing individual tobacco additives.

With this Opinion, the SCHEER provides guidelines which include recommendations on the most suitable methodologies and studies that manufacturers and importers of tobacco products should follow. The Opinion also includes a reporting table to be used in studies for the priority list of 15 additives as well as any other additives that may be added to the list in the future.

In line with the Tobacco Products Directive 2014/40/EU and following a previous SCENIHR Opinion (Tobacco Additives I), the Commission has established a priority list of 15 additives contained in cigarettes and roll-your-own tobacco that require enhanced reporting obligations  that is to be updated on a regular basis.

With the "Tobacco Additives II" Opinion, in addition to providing the aforementioned guidance, the SCHEER has analysed major data gaps for the 15 priority additives, in particular, information on toxicity, addictiveness and the characterising flavour and the identification of tobacco products that burn at elevated temperatures (so-called "pyrolysis products").

Smokers at twice risk of prostate cancer recurring after surgery‏

 Current smokers, and those who have quit smoking less than 10 years previously, have twice the risk of a recurrence of prostate cancer after surgery, according to new research presented at the European Association of Urology conference in Madrid.

Prostate cancer is the third most common male cancer in Europe, accounting for over 92,000 deaths in 2012 (9% of male deaths). Around 30% of all prostate cancer patients treated with radical prostatectomy experience biochemical recurrence (defined by an increase in PSA, prostate specific antigen) within 10 years after surgery

An international group of scientists and clinicians from the USA and Europe retrospectively looked at biochemical prostate cancer recurrence - in 7191 men who had had their prostate removed by radical prostatectomy.  Of these men, roughly a third were never smokers (2513, or 34.9%), a third were former smokers (2269, or 31.6%) and a third were current smokers (3409, or 33.5%). These patients were followed up for an average of 28 months.

The results showed that after a median of 28 months, current smokers had around double (HR 2.26) the chance of the cancer recurring than did patients who had never smoked (see abstract below for full results). Even those who had quit smoking within the last 10 years still had a significantly higher risk of cancer recurrence, at about the same level (HR 2.03) as that for current smokers. It wasn’t until 10 years after a patient had quit smoking that the risk of cancer recurrence dropped significantly.

According to lead researcher Dr Malte Rieken (University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland):

“This is a new analysis, but it seems to confirm results we have seen in many other types of cancer:  basically, smoking increases the risk of cancer recurrence after initial treatment. Prostate cancer mortality varies widely throughout Europe. The fact that cancer recurrence can vary so dramatically due to smoking is probably one of the factors which may contribute to differences in prostate cancer mortality. It’s just another reason not to smoke at all, but the fact that the risk drops after 10 years means that anyone who has prostate cancer, would be well advised to quit immediately”.

Commenting former EAU Secretary-General, Per-Anders Abrahamsson (Malmo, Sweden) said:

“Prostate cancer is a leading cause of cancer death for man in the western world. A number of studies have addressed how diet and environmental factors affect the risk of prostate cancer. This is the first report that clarifies that smoking increases the risk of prostate cancer recurring after surgery and, therefore, a major step forward to advise our patients to stop smoking when diagnosed with prostate cancer”.

Smoking while breastfeeding puts children at risk of obesity later in life

Children of mothers who smoke while breast feeding are more likely to develop serious health problems such as obesity, hypothyroidism, diabetes and cardiovascular disease later in life, according to new research done in rats. Scientists are calling for better information for new mothers on the long-term effects of nicotine exposure on their children’s health.

The study, published today in the Society for Endocrinology’s Journal of Endocrinology, was carried out on rats that were fitted with nicotine-producing implants to model the effect of smoking during breastfeeding. The rats nursed their offspring as normal and the health of the offspring was monitored into adulthood. The adult offspring developed obesity and hypothyroidism while rats raised by mothers lacking the nicotine implant remained healthy.

Previous research has already shown a link between obesity and nicotine exposure during breastfeeding in humans. This study was carried out on rats so that the link could be studied at the molecular level.  The research team, based at the State University of Rio de Janeiro, looked further into the way in which nicotine has such long-lasting effects on the health of offspring. They found that the nicotine exposure caused decreased thyroid hormone levels and resistance to the hormone leptin, which tells us when it’s time to stop eating. It is thought that smoking in human mothers affects the health of children in the same way.

Dr Patricia Lisboa, who led the study said, “We have shown that even a small period of nicotine exposure during breastfeeding can permanently damage the future health of a child. Future work on this project will investigate the addiction potential of nicotine and the neurological effects of smoking while breastfeeding on offspring.”

She is lobbying for changes in advice to new mothers stating that “smoking during breastfeeding can be as dangerous to offspring as smoking during pregnancy”.

Commissioner Dalli and UEFA President Michel Platini agree ‘smoke-free’ EURO 2012 will score goals for Europe’s health

Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy, John Dalli and UEFA President, Michel Platini, today announce their joint support of tobacco-free sporting events to help promote a smoke-free Europe. UEFA's decision to ban tobacco from the world's third-biggest sporting event aligns with the European Commission’s ongoing efforts in tobacco cessation and control and sends a strong and inspirational message to men and women across Europe about the value of a life without tobacco.

Commissioner Dalli is delighted with UEFA's decision and underlined its potential wider impact: "UEFA is leading from the front with a tobacco-free EURO 2012 and setting the standard for sporting initiatives across Europe. Much like our “Ex-Smokers are Unstoppable” campaign, seeking to inspire men and women across Europe to give up cigarettes and become ‘unstoppable’ in their smoke-free lives, a tobacco-free EURO 2012 can inspire millions to quit smoking and score goals for their health! It can mark the beginning of a new life that our campaign can help sustain.”

UEFA President Michel Platini said: “A tobacco-free EURO 2012 is about respecting the health of our spectators and everyone else involved in the tournament. A complete ban on the use, sale or promotion of tobacco in all stadia involved in UEFA EURO 2012 is a demonstration of UEFA's wider commitment to promoting healthy lifestyles through football."

The “Ex-smokers are Unstoppable” campaign is an initiative launched to address the overwhelming burden of tobacco-related disease and mortality across the EU. “Ex-Smokers are Unstoppable” seeks to support men and women across Europe to quit or continue to stay away from tobacco through motivating and inspirational messaging and activities such as football. Uniquely “Ex-Smokers are Unstoppable” promotes the positive benefits of a life without tobacco; which include better health, better social interaction, more money and ultimately a better quality of life.

Background

Tobacco is the single largest cause of avoidable death in the EU, accounting for around 650 000 premature deaths per year. Successful tobacco control must tackle the problem from every conceivable angle. The "Ex-smokers are Unstoppable" campaign is an important element of the Commission's tobacco policy in addition to legislation and support to Member States.

“Ex-Smokers are Unstoppable” includes a website (www.exsmokers.eu) available in all EU languages, 27 national Facebook pages and is realised through a series of pan-European events. Crucial practical support and advice is also available through iCoach, a state-of-the-art online health tool accessed for free through the campaign website.

Support for the campaign has been overwhelming with over a million unique visitors accessing its social media pages, and more than 160, 000 men and women actively seeking support through the iCoach service to date. With further activities planned throughout 2012, the campaign looks set to inspire an ever-growing European audience of smokers and ex-smokers alike.

HELP campaign wins social marketing award!

Last week, the European Commission's 2009-2010 "HELP, for a life without tobacco" campaign was recognised as the top social marketing campaign for its creativity and innovation at the EACA (European Association of Communications Agencies) Care Awards ceremony that took place in Brussels on 23 June 2010. HELP was named overall winner in the "Government Bodies and Related Organisations" category. This prestigious award, aims to recognise excellence in social marketing.
The HELP campaign has won 11 awards since its launch in 2008. Other awards won by HELP include the 2008 and 2009 Empreintes Grand Prix, the 2008 Top Com Consumer marketing Grand Prix, the Cannes Lion 2008 and the Paris E-Marketing 2009 double award.

For more information on the HELP - for a life without tobacco campaign:
http://www.help-eu.com/http://ec.europa.eu/health/tobacco/help/index_en.htm