Press Release
One in four smokers think hand-rolled cigarettes is healthier
New research from the NHS Smoking Helpline (0800 169 0 169) reveals that 24% of smokers believe that hand-rolled tobacco poses less of a health risk than manufactured cigarettes(1). The results have been released on World No Tobacco Day (31st May), an annual international initiative which this year aims to raise awareness of the fact that tobacco is “deadly in any form or disguise”. The proportion of smokers who roll their own has shot up in recent years. In 1990, just 11% smoked mainly roll-ups, compared with 24% of smokers today - 35% of male smokers and 14% of female (2). Public Health Minister, Caroline Flint, said: “It‟s so important that we de-bunk the myths associated with rolling tobacco – it‟s not less harmful, it‟s not more natural and you‟re just as likely to develop a smoking related illness. Tobacco is deadly in any form and I would urge people to seek help in giving up by contacting their local NHS Stop Smoking Services or by calling the NHS Smoking Helpline.” When asked why they choose hand-rolled, most smokers said it was because they are cheaper (57%). However, many also think that hand-rolled is a healthier option: 47% of those who smoke mainly hand-rolled think manufactured cigarettes are more dangerous 18-24 year old smokers are most likely of all age groups to believe that hand-rolled poses less of a health risk (39%) 1 in 5 of those who smoked hand-rolled cigarettes (19%) said they thought it made them smoke less. Over 55 year olds were most likely to offer this as an explanation for choosing hand-rolled over manufactured cigarettes (35%). Professor Martin Jarvis, University College London, said: “Smokers are attracted to ownrolled because they offer a cheaper nicotine fix. But they should not delude themselves that they are somehow more natural or less toxic. In fact, because more dependent
smokers with higher nicotine needs are particularly attracted to own-rolled, the risks of smoking related disease are even greater than from packeted cigarettes”. The NHS Smoking Helpline examines the facts behind the hand-rolled myths… Myth: Hand-rolled is healthier Fact: There are no data indicating that hand-rolled cigarettes are less toxic than commercially manufactured cigarettes. In fact, studies have suggested an increased risk of lung and oesophagal cancer as well as cancer of the mouth, pharynx and larynx in hand-rolled tobacco smokers compared with those smoking manufactured cigarettes. A report from Australia also concludes that although at present there is insufficient epidemiological evidence to link large-bowel cancer with smoking, nevertheless an excess risk was observed for male smokers of hand-rolled cigarettes and for cigar and pipe smokers(3). However it is difficult to measure the exact health effects of hand-rolled as the smoker decides how much tobacco to use in the cigarette and research also shows that smokers modify how they smoke cigarettes in order to „satisfy‟ the level of nicotine to which they have become addicted. What we do know is that tobacco smoke contains over 4,000 chemicals, many of which are toxic and carcinogenic. The vast majority of these chemicals are present naturally in the tobacco and transfer into the smoke or are formed as a by-product when the tobacco is burnt. Myth: Only old men smoke roll-ups Fact: Younger people and women are now taking up the „old man‟s habit‟ of smoking roll-ups. In the early 90s only 2% of women smoked mainly roll-ups compared with 14% today(2). And smokers over the age of 55 are now the least likely group to smoke rollups at least some of the time (32% compared with 38% average). Those between 18 and 24 years of age were the most likely group to switch between hand-rolled and manufactured (22% compared with 16% average). Myth: Rolling your own helps you ‘cut down’ Fact: Evidence suggests that smokers who may otherwise have been motivated to quit due to the increased cost of smoking have instead „traded down‟ to hand-rolled tobacco(4). Statistics from the Office for National Statistics also show that people who smoke hand-rolled at least some of the time are less likely to want or expect to give up. For example, 42% of smokers of manufactured cigarettes said they intended to give up within the next 6 months compared with 31% of those who smoked mainly hand-rolled and 32% of those who smoked both types of cigarettes(5).
Smokers who want to quit can ring Rotherham Stop Smoking Service at 01709 302444 for information and advice NB: You are four times more likely to stop smoking for good if you use your local NHS stop smoking service. The support is FREE and right on your doorstep ENDS………..
Top Tips To Stop Smoking
Quitting smoking is not easy, but it can be done. To have the best chance of quitting successfully, you need to know what you‟re up against, what your options are, and where to go for help. To assist people in quitting the Rotherham Quit Smoking Service has come up with some useful tips: -Prepare mentally - You are not alone! 70% of British smokers would like to quit and about 3 million try each year. More than 11 million people in Britain have quit and are now ex-smokers. -Demolish smoking myths… Soon after smoking a cigarette the body and brain starts to want more nicotine and many people begin to feel increasingly uncomfortable until they have the next cigarette. Smoking feels pleasurable, but much of the pleasure of smoking is relief of withdrawal from nicotine. -Understand what to expect…Most people find the first few days difficult and for some it can be a long struggle, but things will typically start to get better after the third or fourth day. -Consider the money -Make a list of reasons why you want to stop smoking -Set a quit date -Involve friends or family -Watch out for relapse -Deal with nicotine withdrawal and avoid temptation 10 20 £818 £1,635 £4,088 £8,176 £8,176 £16,352 £40,880 £81,760 Years of smoking 1 £409 5 £2,044 10 £4,088 20 £8,176 50 £20,440
Cigarettes Per day 5
£16,352 £32,704
40 £3,270 £16,352 £32,704 £65,408 £163,520 -Get professional help…. Ring 0800 169 0 169 or Rotherham Stop Smoking Service at 01709 302444 for information and advice.
Sources/explanations: (1) Online survey conducted by YouGov amongst a sample of 1,011 GB smokers with fieldwork conducted from 19-24 May 2006. NB all statistics quoted in the release are from this source unless stated otherwise. (2) General Household Survey 2004, Office for National Statistics (4) Roll your own smoke yields: theoretical and practical aspects, Keith G Darrall, John A Figgins, Tobacco Control 1998;7:168-175 (5) As the price of manufactured cigarettes has risen, so the proportion of smokers using hand-rolled tobacco has risen (6) Smoking-related attitudes and behaviour 2004, Office for National Statistics Regional breakdowns
Nationally Sample size % of smokers who believe that hand-rolled tobacco poses less of a health risk than manufactured cigarettes Sample size % of smokers who choose handrolled over manufactured cigarettes because they are cheaper % of smokers who choose handrolled over manufactured cigarettes because they think they smoke less as a result 19% 12% 25% 17% 24% 385 66 84 111 74 24% 28% 29% 20% 22% London South of England 202 Midlands North of England 233
1011
220
243
57%
59%
49%
57%
57%
Notes to editors
World No Tobacco Day is an annual international campaign led by the World Health Organisation. This year the campaign aims to raise awareness of the wide variety of deadly tobacco products under the theme: „Tobacco: deadly in any form or disguise‟. A campaign poster and factsheet are available via the following links:
http://www.who.int/tobacco/communications/events/wntd/2006/Poster_encart_RV.pdf http://www.emro.who.int/tfi/wntd2006/PDF/FactSheet_English.pdf
The NHS Smoking Helpline (0800 169 0 169) provides expert, free, and friendly advice to smokers and their families. The helpline is open between 7am and 11pm every day for information requests and referrals, with unlimited access to trained advisers giving one-to-one advice and support from 10am. Since its launch it has received over 1 million calls. A year after first calling the NHS Smoking Helpline, nearly a quarter of callers said they had successfully given up and were still not smoking. NHS Smoking Helpline advisers can refer callers to a local NHS Stop Smoking Service (01709 302444) offers ongoing free face-to-face support and advice. There are 178 throughout the country, offering a range of services including one-to-one meetings and group discussions with trained stop smoking advisers. Nearly 300,000 smokers kicked the habit after receiving help from NHS Stop Smoking Services in the
last year. Government research shows that smokers are up to 4 times more likely to give up successfully if they use their local NHS Stop Smoking Service together with Nicotine Replacement Therapy than relying on willpower alone.