Nicotine Patches for Pregnant Smokers, No Effects

Nicotine patches do not help women given up smoking during pregnancy, according to landmark research by the University of Nottingham. Scientists from the university's UK Centre for Tobacco Control Studies have just completed the largest clinical study into whether standard-sized patches help pregnant women to quit. A total of 1,050 woman, between the ages of 16 and 50 and between 12 to 24 weeks pregnant, were randomly chosen from seven antenatal clinics to take part in the study.

RYO Cigarette Stores Business End Soon

The “roll-your-own” machines at Holy Smokes in La Crosse will continue to crank out cigarettes for now, but their days likely are numbered. The $105 billion federal transportation bill that passed Friday included an amendment reclassifying businesses with the machines as tobacco manufacturers, which would require that they obtain permits, put health warnings on packs and pay taxes on the cigarettes made. “When it slipped in, no one even knew about it,” said Craig Squires, co-owner of La Crosse’s two Holy Smokes shops. “Shutting us down is one little paragraph.”

Tobacco Use in Norcross City Banned

The Norcross city council has voted to rescind the citywide tobacco ban. CBS Atlanta reports that the ban was supposed to go into effect Monday. But the council voted unanimously to scrap the entire ordinance, which would have banned all tobacco use in the city. The council members in February passed a new ordinance banning smoking in Norcross, meaning no smoking on sidewalks downtown, at city hall and in public parks. Residents spoke out against the ban during the public comment part of Monday's council meeting. Council member Ross Kaul says he might consider a more focused ban at some point in the future.

Smoking Ban in Parks Not Enough

An alderman proposing a ban on tobacco use in Spring Hill parks will now target smoking only. Alderman Keith Hudson’s proposal last month also made it a minor municipal offense to use smokeless tobacco in a park within the city. But he made clear at Monday night’s Board of Mayor and Aldermen work session that he wants to focus only on smoking and he’ll bring forward an amendment at the June 18 regular meeting.

Smoking During Pregnancy Very Bad

A new study lead by the University of Zaragoza evaluates the differences in body composition and proportional distribution of body mass between babies born to mothers who have or have not smoked during pregnancy. Published in the Early Human Development journal, the study reveals that children of woman who did not smoke during pregnancy weigh and measure more. Their corporal dimensions are also significantly higher compared to the children of mothers who did smoke during pregnancy. But, this is not the same as body weight index (the relationship between height and cubic weight).