American Lung Association and the American Thoracic Society Response to Philip Morris International’s Purchase of British Producer of Respiratory Treatments

In response to an announcement from Philip Morris International that the company has agreed to acquire Vectura, a British inhaled medicine company, American Lung Association President and CEO Harold Wimmer and American Thoracic Society President Lynn Schnapp MD, ATSF shared the following statement:

Starting Smoking Cessation in Hospitalized Patients Would Reduce Many Premature Deaths

Each year in the U.S., about 30 million hospitalizations occur in individuals 18 and older. Of these, more than 7 million are current cigarette smokers whose average hospital stay is several days. Researchers say that starting smoking cessation therapy during hospitalization and maintaining high adherence post-discharge can markedly improve permanent quit rates in these patients with minimal to no side effects. Cessation therapy also should include long-term counseling and at least 90 days of a prescription drug, specifically, varenicline.

Smoke Chemistry, In Vitro Cytotoxicity, and Genotoxicity Demonstrate Enhanced Toxicity of Cigarillos Compared to Cigarettes

This study found that there is significantly greater toxicity in the tested US-marketed cigarillos than cigarettes for tobacco constituent levels, cytotoxicity, and genotoxicity. These findings are important, not only for improved understanding of the toxicity from the use of cigarillos…