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| July 4, 2009 »
Florida cigarette tax might finally get people to quit.
Smokers in Florida now have a big incentive to give up their deadly habit once and for all: $1 per pack, $10 per carton. In extra taxes.
On May 27, the state legislature passed a law imposing the surcharge, which went into effect on Wednesday. The increased tax is expected to generate approximately $945 million in revenue for the state in the first year, while the state's long-term health savings from the decline in smoking is estimated to be $6.9 billion.
Internet used to help young smokers quit | Technology | Reuters .
The University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) is leading a $2.9 million National Cancer Institute project to increase demand for evidence-based, Internet-based smoking cessation treatment for young adults aged 18 to 24 years.
"Surprisingly, this age group has the highest rate of smoking compared to any other age group," psychology professor Robin Mermelstein, principal investigator of the 5-year study, noted in a UIC podcast. "In fact, smoking starts to escalate between the ages of 18 and 24, and even though many young adults think about quitting and actually want to stop, they have among the lowest rates of quitting and trying to quit."
FDA: Anti-smoking drugs can make you crazy | Booster Shots | Los Angeles Times.
The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday announced it has ordered the makers of the prescription anti-smoking medications Zyban and Chantix (also known by their pharmaceutical names bupropion and varenicline) to warn patients that taking the drugs may cause changes in behavior and mood, including hostility, agitation, depression and suicidal thoughts or behavior. The new warnings will be included in a "black box" intended to alert consumers to important side effects of a drug.
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