Practitioner observations of oral nicotine use in elite sport: You snus you lose

Should We be Concerned with Nicotine in Sport? Analysis from 60,802 Doping Control Tests in Italy

BACKGROUND

Nicotine is a psychostimulant drug with purported use in sports environments, though the use of nicotine among athletes has not been studied extensively.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to assess the nicotine positivity rate in 60,802 anti-doping urine samples from 2012 to 2020.

METHODS

Urine samples obtained in-competition at different national and international sports events held in Italy during the period 2012-2020 were analysed. All samples were from anonymous athletes that were collected and analysed at the WADA-accredited antidoping laboratory in Rome, Italy. Samples were analysed by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry, with a cut-off concentration for nicotine of > 50 ng/mL. Results were stratified by year, sport and sex.

RESULTS

An overall mean of 22.7% of the samples (n = 13,804; males: n = 11,099; females: n = 2705) showed nicotine intake, with male samples also displaying higher positivity rates than female (24.1% vs 18.5%). Sample positivity was higher during 2012-2014 (25-33%) than 2015-2020 (15-20%). Samples from team sports displayed a higher positivity rate than those from individual sports (31.4 vs 14.1%).

CONCLUSIONS

The current data demonstrates that one in five samples from a range of 90 sports test positive for nicotine in-competition. There is a lower positivity rate in endurance versus power/strength athletes and higher positivity rate in team versus individual sports, probably accounted for by differences in physiological and psychological demands and the desire for socialisation. WADA, international and national sports federations should consider these findings with concern, proactively investigate this phenomenon and act in order to protect the health and welfare of its athletes.

Adolescents' Perceptions of Harmfulness of Tobacco and Tobacco-like Products in Finland

During the recent years, new tobacco and tobacco-like products, e.g., e-cigarettes, have emerged on the market. Adolescents often underestimate health risks in general, including those concerning tobacco. Little is known of adolescents' perceptions of health risks of the newer products. Our paper compares adolescents' perceptions of harmfulness of cigarettes, e-cigarettes, snus, water pipes, and nicotine in Finland, a country with a long history of strict tobacco control policy. Online surveys to nationally representative samples of 12-18-year-olds were conducted in 2017 and 2019, with 7578 answering the surveys. Only 3% of boys and 2% of girls did not agree that cigarettes are harmful to health. The percentages were slightly higher for snus (6% and 3%, respectively) and nicotine (12%, 8%) but much higher for e-cigarettes (30%, 22%) and water pipes (36%, 38%). Those who used the product, whose parents were smokers or had lower education, and whose school performance was lower, less often agreed with the harmful health effects of the products. Our results showed that adolescents understood the harmfulness of older tobacco products better than the harmfulness of the newer ones. Our results also showed the need to strengthen health education and fix adolescents' misperceptions of the health effects of the newer products.

Association between Tobacco Consumption and Problematic Internet Use and the Practice of Physical Activity in Spanish Adolescents

The practice of physical activity (PA) is a healthy habit that offers health benefits. In contrast, the lack thereof may be associated with an increase in diseases, even at an early age. The objective of this study was to analyze the association between unhealthy behaviors, such as tobacco consumption and problematic internet use, and the practice of PA in adolescents. Protective factors (physical activity and sport) and risk factors (leading a sedentary life, tobacco use, and problematic internet use) were evaluated. Other variables such as sex, the intensity of physical activity, and being a member of a sports federation were also evaluated. The sample consisted of a total of 1222 Spanish adolescents. Univariate descriptive analysis and multiple linear regression were used, and confirmatory factor analyses and structural models were also estimated. The results confirm a significant positive association between physical activity, intensity, and being a member of a sports federation, as well as between cigarette consumption and internet use. It is advisable to implement public policies that promote the practice of sports as a direct investment in health, preventing the consumption of tobacco and other habits that are harmful to the health of adolescents.