Imperial Tobacco, the second biggest tobacco company in Europe and the fourth biggest in the entire world, has reported its first drop in earnings since it listed on the stock market in 1996.

In the previous six-month period, profits fell by 6.5 per cent to 1.43 billion pounds ($2.22 billion), the British company reported on 29 April 2013.

The reason given was the “difficult” economic situation throughout Europe, but especially in France, Germany and Spain.

The real reason is the simple fact that millions of smokers across Europe are giving up smoking cigarettes as more and more of them realise that tobacco smoke is a deadly concoction of poisons and carcinogens. Now that there are more products for quitting smoking than ever before, such as the e-cigarette, people are finding it easier to give up their unhealthy habit.

One can only hope that Imperial Tobacco’s fall in profits signals the beginning of the economic death of the big tobacco corporations.

Source: Gabi Thesing, “Imperial Tobacco reports first profit decline in 17 years”, Bloomberg, 30 April 2013.

Research conducted by a group of scientists from the University of East London into electronic cigarettes has found that almost 75 per cent of the people who participated in the study reported using the devices as a safer option to tobacco and as a way of quitting smoking altogether.

As part of the study, University of East London researchers contacted some 1400 e-cigarette users between September 2011 and May 2012 through an online survey.

The research findings, which were published in the peer-reviewed scientific journal Addiction on 28 March 2013, demonstrate that approximately 75 per cent of survey respondents started using electric cigarettes as an alternative to smoking, while 22 per cent reported they had started using the devices for other reasons, such as to avoid smoking bans in clubs and other places.

Probably the most significant finding of the study is that 86 per cent of the participants reported not having smoked tobacco cigarettes for several weeks or months since using the electronic cigarette. Furthermore, the amount they smoked had decreased dramatically. The researchers also discovered that most of the survey respondents felt their health had improved greatly since using the e-cigarette.

Doctor Lynne Dawkins, who headed the study on behalf of the University of East London, said that “despite the growing popularity of electronic cigarettes, little is known about who uses e-cigarettes and why. We know that the majority of people reported great health benefits: a reduction in coughing and improved breathing for example. The benefits are most likely from people smoking fewer cigarettes, rather than as a direct effect of the devices.”

She added that the “public need[s] to be better informed about what we know and what we don’t know about e-cigarettes. This survey is just a starting point, and further research is clearly needed to evaluate their effectiveness and long-term safety.”

The effectiveness rate of electric cigarettes found in the most recent study is much greater than that of a similar study conducted at the Boston University School of Public Health which found that 31 per cent of e-cigarette users quit smoking after a six-month period. The University of East London study is more scientifically sound because its survey population is much greater (1341 people) than the Boston University study (222 people).

These studies provide more evidence that the electronic cigarette is the most effective way to quit smoking.

With more and more scientific research being published that demonstrates electronic cigarettes are much less harmful than tobacco cigarettes and can help significant numbers of smokers quit smoking, it might surprise people to learn that eight leading anti-smoking organisations in the United States have called for them to be banned.

This might seem strange, especially given that the aim of these groups is to reduce and ideally eliminate the use of tobacco cigarettes and the negative health consequences of smoking. Why would these organisations call for the banning of a product which could save the lives of millions of Americans?

Part of the answer might lie in the fact that all eight groups received money from Pfizer, a multi-billion dollar international pharmaceutical corporation known for its illegal and immoral business practices, which range from illegally marketing painkillers in the United States to experimenting on children in Nigeria, killing some of them and leaving others with mental and physical deformities.

Pfizer manufactures one of the most popular quit smoking drugs, Chantix, which generated $720 million in sales in 2011 alone. With the growth in popularity of the electronic cigarette, Pfizer stands to lose hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue.

Pfizer gave the anti-smoking groups the following sums of money in 2011 and the first half on 2012:

American Medical Association: $857,500
American Academy of Pediatrics: $720,800
American Legacy Foundation: $300,000
American Cancer Society: $252,750
Action on Smoking and Health: $200,000
American Lung Association: $190,250
American Heart Association: $136,000
Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids: $100,000
TOTAL: $2,757,300

All eight organisations submitted briefs to the United States District Court urging it to permit the Food and Drug Administration to ban electronic cigarettes. One is left wondering if their opposition to e-cigarettes stems from the facts or the influence of Pfizer’s generous monetary gifts.

Fortunately for American smokers, the judges hearing the case in question decided that electronic cigarettes were tobacco products and thus were to be regulated in the same way as regular cigarettes, which means that they can be imported into the United States.

Electronic cigarettes are readily and legally available in Australia to people who want to quit smoking. There do not appear to have been any calls to ban them here, but if such calls should appear, it would be worthwhile to see whether those making them have been on the receiving end of donations from pharmaceutical corporations like Pfizer for whom the e-cigarette is a threat to their bottom line.

No matter how many years you have smoked, it is a great idea to quit. Quitting smoking will improve your health, greatly reduce your chances of getting cancer or heart disease, and extend your life. Remember that you are never too old to quit. The following tips are the ten best tips for quitting smoking. If you apply all of them, you will greatly improve your chances of giving up for good. You have nothing to lose, but so much to gain.

Tip 1: Find the method that works best for you. There is no such thing as a technique of quitting that works for everybody. For some people, it is the “cold turkey” approach where you simply stop smoking. Other people find that a gradual reduction in the number of cigarettes that they smoke in a day is the best method. Some people are successful with the aid of one or more of the many products that can be purchased on the market, such as electronic cigarettes or nicotine patches. Do what you think is best for you and don’t be afraid to try a number of different techniques.

Tip 2: Set yourself a date on which you will quit. Try to make this date sooner rather than later. Commit yourself to this date and work towards it. Make all of the necessary preparations before the big day. If you feel very confident, make today the day that you quit smoking.

Tip 3: Tell your family, friends and work colleagues that you plan to quit. Ask them to help you. One way that they can help you is by not smoking around you or offering you cigarettes. Quitting with your partner or a close friend will increase your chances of successfully quitting. Build a support network among family, friends and work colleagues.

Tip 4: Throw away any cigarettes, lighters, matches, ashtrays and other smoking related items. Do not merely put them away – throw them in the bin where they belong. Air out your home. Wash your clothes. Clean your car. Do everything you can to get rid of the smell of smoke.

Tip 5: Consider the various nicotine replacement therapies and other associated products on the market. There is a wide array of electronic cigarettes, nicotine patches, chewing gums, inhalers and prescription drugs that have helped people to quit smoking. Talk to your general practitioner or health professional about what is available and what they recommend.

Tip 6: Be aware that there are situations in which you will be tempted to have a cigarette such as parties and other social gatherings. Plan ahead for these situations. It is a good idea to avoid these situations in the early stages of the quitting process. Alternatively, sit in a non-smoking section if one is available. If there are things that trigger your smoking, such as coffee, alcohol or telephone conversations, make small changes that break the habit. Try drinking your coffee with the other hand or while standing up. Carry something around that you can use to keep your hands busy.

Tip 7: Think about all of the reasons that you want to quit smoking and about all of the positive benefits of quitting. Write this down on a piece of paper and carry it around with you all of the time. Keep it next to your bed at night. Let it serve you as a constant reminder of why quitting smoking is one of the best things that you can do in your life.

Tip 8: Learn how to deal with cravings. There are a number of things you can do when you have the urge to have a smoke. One of the best methods is to have a drink of water. Another method is to close your eyes, breathe deeply and concentrate on something else. The trick is to do something: go for a walk, call a friend, eat a piece of fruit, brush your teeth. Anything other than lighting a cigarette. Remember that most cravings pass after a few minutes.

Tip 9: If you drink a lot of coffee or if coffee is one of the triggers for your smoking, it is a good idea to cut down on the amount of coffee that you drink. Remember that caffeine is a stimulant and it will make you jittery. If you smoke when you drink alcohol, it is a good idea to avoid alcohol while you are quitting.

Tip 10: Give the friendly and helpful people at the National Tobacco Campaign’s Quitline a call on 137 848. They can help you deal with any issues that you might have.

A recent study conducted by researchers at the Boston University School of Public Health found that electronic cigarettes are nearly twice as effective as other nicotine replacements therapies such as gums, lozenges, patches and puffers at helping people stop smoking.

The electronic cigarette, which is also known as the e cigarette, electric cigarette or e cig, is a battery operated device that looks like a normal tobacco cigarette and produces a vapour that is inhaled and exhaled in the same way as tobacco smoke. Rather than containing dried tobacco leaves, it contains a liquid usually composed of vegetable glycerin or propylene glycol.

The study found that 31 per cent of respondents reported that they had successfully stopped smoking for a six month period with the aid of the e cigarette. This is significantly greater than the abstinence rate for traditional nicotine replacement therapy products that most people are familiar with such as gums, lozenges, patches and puffers which have a success rate of between 12 and 18 per cent.

On the potential health benefits of electronic cigarettes, one of the authors of the study, Dr Michael Siegel, said that “this study suggests that electronic cigarettes are helping thousands of ex-smokers remain off cigarettes”, but added that more research was necessary: “they [e cigarettes] are worthy of further study using more rigorous research designs.”

One possible explanation for the greater success of the electronic cigarette over traditional nicotine replacement therapies might be the link between the physical simulation of smoking associated with e cigarettes. Dr Siegel elaborated on this: “While it is well-recognized that nicotine plays a role in smoking addiction, little attention has been given to the behavioral aspects of the addiction”. Furthermore, he said that “these devices simulate the smoking experience, which appears to make them effective as a smoking cessation tool.”

Dr Siegel is a professor and lecturer in the Department of Community Health Services at Boston University. He has authored numerous academic books and articles and is recognised as an expert in the field of tobacco control. He has served as an expert witness in a number of major tobacco litigation cases in the United States.

Founded in 1976, the Boston University School of Public Health states that its mission is to “improve the health of local, national and international populations, particularly the disadvantaged, underserved and vulnerable, through excellence and innovation in education, research and service.”