If Legalizing Pot, Consider Health, Not Profits, Analysis Says
A new analysis of marijuana legislation offers a framework for states that are considering legalizing the drug and want to protect public health, rather than corporate profits.
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One Minute of Second-Hand Marijuana Smoke Impairs Cardiovascular Function
One minute of exposure to second-hand smoke from marijuana diminishes blood vessel function to the same extent as tobacco, but the harmful cardiovascular effects last three times longer, according to a new study in rats led by UCSF researchers.
Lung Disease May Evade Diagnosis in Half of Heavy Smokers, Ex-Smokers
Approximately 50 percent of current and ex-smokers with normal lung function have chronic breathing symptoms and flare-ups that are similar to patients with a disease that is the nation’s third most common killer, according to a multisite study led by UCSF.
Health Care Costs Drop Quickly After Smokers Quit
A new national analysis by UCSF of health care expenditures associated with smoking estimates that a 10 percent decline in smoking in the U.S. would be followed a year later by an estimated $63 billion reduction in total national health care costs.
Legalized Marijuana In California Could Hurt Public Health, Analysis Says
Pending ballot proposals to legalize retail marijuana in California could lead to the development of a powerful new industry that could thwart public health measures for the sake of building revenues, according to a policy analysis by researchers at UCSF.
For Breast Cancer Patients, Never Too Late To Quit Smoking
Documenting that it’s never too late to quit smoking, a large study of breast cancer survivors has found that those who quit smoking after their diagnosis had a 33% lower risk of death as a result of breast cancer than those who continued to smoke.
E-Cigarettes, As Used, Aren’t Helping Smokers Quit, Study Shows
Electronic cigarettes are widely promoted and used to help smokers quit traditional cigarettes, but a new analysis from UCSF found that adult smokers who use e-cigarettes are actually 28 percent less likely to stop smoking cigarettes.
Cutting Nicotine Key to Helping Smokers Quit
Two decades after a UCSF researcher proposed that reducing nicotine in cigarettes as a national regulatory policy might facilitate quitting, a new study he co-authored has added to a body of evidence that indicates that doing just that may accomplish this goal.
Around The World, Those Treated for Addiction Far More Likely to Smoke
Review of studies from 20 countries indicates that tobacco use is not addressed in substance abuse treatment programs, says UCSF professor.
Video Game Warnings Fall Far Short in Rating Tobacco Content
Video games are not adequately rated for tobacco content, according to a new UCSF study that found video gamers are being widely exposed to tobacco imagery.
Smoke-Free Zones, Higher Taxes Deter Youth Smoking, Study Shows
Banning smoking in the workplace and increasing taxes on cigarettes have discouraged teens and young adults from taking up smoking, according to a study by researchers at UCSF and UC Merced.
Low-Nicotine Cigarettes Fail to Sway Smokers
Smokers who successfully lowered their nicotine intake when they were switched to low-nicotine cigarettes were unable to curb their smoking habits in the long term, according to a study by UCSF and San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center.
As Smoking Declines, More Are Likely to Quit
A UCSF study shows that as smoking has declined, continuing smokers have smoked less and are more likely to try to quit.
Online Smoking Intervention Shows Cost-Effective Way to Distribute Health Resources Worldwide
An online smoking cessation program that offered personalized guidance and support free of charge to smokers worldwide prompted thousands to quit, and should be used as a blueprint for other global health initiatives, according to Ricardo F. Muñoz, PhD, professor emeritus of psychiatry at UCSF
Hollywood and Tobacco: New Spotlight on Smoking At The Movies
UCSF is launching a revamped Smokefree Movies website that offers the public unusual insight into Hollywood’s role in the global tobacco epidemic, projected to kill one billion people this century.