2012 looks set to be the best year yet as the European Commission offers new thinking and support to quit smoking with their innovative campaign, “Ex-Smokers are Unstoppable.”

A New Year is a new start – and the European Commission is dedicated to helping smokers across the European Union to become unstoppable; finally stopping smoking and enjoying a better life. According to a recent survey, nearly 80 percent of people who make New Year’s resolutions will fail to stick to them, as many lose motivation and focus instead on the downside of not achieving their goals.

Uniquely, “Ex-smokers are Unstoppable” offers an inspiring and motivating approach to quitting smoking, inviting smokers to think again about the benefits of giving up cigarettes, which include better health, better social interaction, more money, and of course, a better quality of life.

In less than half a year, over 150,000 smokers in the European Union have registered with the European Commission’s innovative digital tool iCoach, launched in June 2011. This step-by-step personalized support tool has already helped thousands of smokers across the EU to quit and aims to support thousands more to achieve their New Year’s resolutions and become unstoppable ex-smokers in 2012.

iCoach offers:

- Personalized tips and advice to support smokers to kick the habit

- Regular emails to provide support at every step of the journey to a smoke-free life

- A forum to allow smokers to support each other and share their own inspiring stories

- Graphs showing the user’s progress towards their end goal: Becoming an unstoppable ex-smoker

“I am delighted that “Ex-Smokers are Unstoppable” has helped 150,000 smokers so far,” said Commissioner Dalli. “We look forward to supporting many more thousands of smokers to achieve their goal of a smoke-free life in 2012.

As we enter this new year, there is an opportunity to make 2012 the best year it can be as the “Ex-smokers are Unstoppable” campaign will be even bigger and better. I gave up smoking myself some years ago, and I really understand just how great it feels to be an ex-smoker.”

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New results from a national survey show that over one in ten smokers (13%) in the United States did not disclose their smoking status to their health-care providers (HCP), who are among the most important resources that a smoker could have in quitting successfully.

Furthermore, social stigma around smoking may contribute to why smokers sometimes keep their smoking status a secret from their doctors. The survey of 3,146 adult participants in the U.S. (smokers and former smokers) was conducted using the web-enabled KnowledgePanel, a probability-based panel designed to be representative of the U.S. population.

Researchers from Legacy, a national public health organization dedicated to building a world where anyone can quit, say that while a majority of smokers did admit their smoking status, only one-quarter sought help from their doctors or health care providers during their last quit attempt. Although most smokers surveyed stated they are honest with their health care provider (HCP), one in ten smokers reported they do not disclose their smoking status. The findings have important implications for how HCPs can more effectively reach smokers with resources to help them quit.

“Health care providers play a critical role in reaching smokers with appropriate messages and resources for quitting, especially now that insurance coverage has expanded to include some smoking cessation treatments. It becomes a missed public health opportunity if what amounts to more than six million smokers in the United States do not talk to doctors and nurses about smoking and quitting,” said Cheryl G. Healton, Dr. PH, President and CEO of Legacy.

Using a nationally representative panel, researchers surveyed smokers and former smokers to examine issues that might affect a smokers’ decision to conceal their smoking status. The results found that smokers who concealed their smoking from HCPs were more likely to perceive high smoking-related stigma compared to those who had not ever concealed their smoking.

“There has been a significant shift in the social climate around tobacco and smoking in our country in recent years as people recognize the health consequences of tobacco and second-hand smoke. As an unintended result of higher prices of cigarettes, increased measures to ban smoking in public places, and create smoke-free workplaces, many smokers may feel marginalized and less compelled to discuss smoking with their physicians and other providers,” said Healton.

To address the void between doctors and all smokers, Legacy has developed a guide for HCPs with strategies on how to conduct more meaningful and effective conversations with their patients about smoking and quitting. “If we can start the conversation by acknowledging smoking behavior, we can get smokers on a path to quit,” Healton said.

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Hitting the treadmill to work off the festive pounds traditionally tops the New Year resolutions list, but according to research by moneysupermarket.com, Brits are shunning the gym this year.

Research by Britain’s number one comparison site found over two thirds of consumers (68%) won’t be joining or renewing their membership as they believe the gym is an unnecessary cost, and they keep fit and healthy in other ways. This is compared to 46% of respondents in 2009.

One in ten Brits (12%) are concerned about the cost implications with 5% not planning to renew their membership as they rarely used it this year and need to cut costs. A further 6% are unsure about signing up due to the current economic climate and needing to rethink their spending.

The research also found the younger generation favour the gym with almost one in five (18%) of 18-34 year olds stating they already regularly exercise and plan to renew their membership in the new year compared to just 6% of those aged over 55. Instead an overwhelming 81% of this age group stated the gym is a waste of money and find alternative ways to keep fit and healthy rather than signing up to a fitness club.

James Clarke, Head of Protection at MoneySupermarket.com said: “Despite the indulgence of Christmas it seems gym membership is not high on the priority list for a New Year health kick as Brits look to cut costs. Joining a gym can be a huge financial commitment, and with many gym-goers admitting to rarely using their membership, it’s important to consider whether their hard-earned cash can be used more effectively.”

Quitting smoking is also another resolution many vow to take as part of leading a healthier lifestyle. A recent poll run of MoneySupermarket site users found over 13% of respondents successfully quit last year, and a further 5% have vowed to kick the habit in 2012.

James Clarke continued: “For those exercise fanatics who commit to the gym and work out on a regular basis it is worth knowing there are life insurance and critical illness policies that reward a healthy lifestyle. The same also applies for smokers who quit the habit, as there is a huge price difference between policies for smokers and non-smokers. Brits could see average savings of GBP4,347 over the term of the policy – a significant sum of money!”

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Lung Cancer Alliance (LCA) announced that its efforts to secure continued increases in federal research funding for lung cancer achieved another victory as an additional $10.2 million was included in the Department of Defense (DOD) Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP) which was part of the FY2012 budget compromise worked out late last night by the House and Senate.

This $1 trillion omnibus spending package includes nine appropriations measures which establish budgets for hundreds of programs across ten Cabinet agencies including the Department of Defense. The President is expected to sign the bill.

The $10.2 million in DOD research funding is in addition to $47.8 million secured to date by LCA since it first established the DOD lung cancer research pipeline three years ago which  targets research for early detection with special emphasis on high risk military bringing the total appropriated to date to $58 million.

“We are proud to share that our advocacy work to date has secured $58 million for lung cancer research funding via this new program,” said Laurie Fenton-Ambrose, President and CEO of LCA.  “Increasing the federal research pipeline for lung cancer has been – and will continue to be – LCA’s core mission.”

The omnibus spending package also includes a $30.7 billion increase in funding for research programs including lung cancer research within the National Institutes of Health – an increase strongly advocated for by LCA.

“Even in times of tight fiscal restraint,” continued Fenton-Ambrose, “we will continue these efforts for patients and survivors as well as our research community because it is essential and critical life-saving work. I thank our congressional leadership for continuing support for this program.”

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among men and women and every ethnic group and among our military who are at an increased risk in comparison to their civilian counterparts. Lung cancer has a 15% 5-year survival rate with the vast majority of cases found late stage.  In addition, nearly 80% of those diagnosed with lung cancer today are former or non-smokers.

Military personnel have a higher exposure to lung cancer carcinogens and thus are more susceptible than the general public. The FY2012 language calls for continued research focus on screening and early disease management, especially among high risk military. For more information go to www.lungcanceralliance.org.

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A study published Thursday December 15 by the American Journal of Public Health provides some of the strongest evidence yet that tobacco prevention and cessation programs not only reduce smoking and save lives, but also save money by reducing tobacco-related health care costs.

The study found that from 2000 to 2009, Washington state’s tobacco prevention and cessation program saved more than $5 for every $1 spent by reducing hospitalizations for heart disease, stroke, respiratory disease and cancer caused by tobacco use.  Over the 10-year period, the program prevented nearly 36,000 hospitalizations, saving $1.5 billion compared to $260 million spent on the program.  These are real savings in tobacco-related hospitalization costs from 2000 to 2009, not projected savings in future health care costs.

According to the study’s authors, the total savings are even greater when other tobacco-related health and productivity costs are included, in addition to the hospitalization costs. The study further found that Washington’s smoke-free workplace law and the state’s multiple cigarette tax increases also contributed to smoking declines and health care savings.

This study sends a powerful message to the nation’s elected officials that disease prevention initiatives, including programs that prevent kids from smoking and help smokers quit, are essential to improving health and reducing health care costs in the United States. It comes at a critical time as funding for such programs is under attack at both the federal and state levels.

The study shows why Congress should protect the Prevention and Public Health Fund created by the health care reform law rather than slash funding by as much as 68 percent, as some lawmakers have proposed. The prevention fund is a vital source of support for tobacco prevention and cessation efforts, including state and community grants, telephone quitlines to help smokers quit, and media campaigns to discourage kids from smoking and encourage smokers to quit.

The new Washington study provides concrete evidence that investing in prevention can pay tremendous dividends by reducing the very diseases that cost the most to treat. Cutting the prevention fund would be a fiscally irresponsible step backward that would increase health care costs.

This study also underscores how penny-wise and pound-foolish the states have been in shortchanging tobacco prevention and cessation programs. In the current budget year (Fiscal Year 2012), the states will collect $25.6 billion in revenue from the 1998 state tobacco settlement and tobacco taxes, but will spend only 1.8 percent of it – $456.7 million – on programs to prevent kids from smoking and help smokers quit, according to a recent report by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and other public health organizations.

Despite the growing evidence that these programs save lives and save money, states have cut tobacco prevention funding by 36 percent over the past four years and now provide just 12 percent of the funding recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  It is incomprehensible given Washington’s success that the state has virtually eliminated funding for its tobacco prevention and cessation program this year.

Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death in the United States, killing more than 400,000 people and costing the nation $193 billion a year in health care bills and lost productivity. The new Washington study confirms that tobacco prevention works to save lives and money.  It makes no sense for elected officials to shortchange programs that are proven to reduce health care costs and save money for taxpayers.

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