Support for cigarette filter waste policies among US adults

Ecotoxicological assessment of cigarette butts on morphology and photosynthetic potential of Azolla pinnata

Cigarette butts (CBs) have become the most ubiquitous form of anthropogenic litter globally. CBs contain various hazardous chemicals that persist in the environment for longer period. These substances are susceptible to leaching into the environment through waterways. The recent study was aimed to evaluate the effects of disposed CBs on the growth and development of Azolla pinnata, an aquatic plant. It was found that after a span of 6 days, the root length, surface area, number of fronds, and photosynthetic efficacy of plant were considerably diminished on the exposure of CBs (concentrations 0 to 40). The exposure of CBs led to a decrease in the FM, FV/F0, and φP0, in contrast, the φD0 increased in response to CBs concentration. Moreover, ABS/CSm, TR0/CSm, and ET0/CSm displayed a negative correlation with CB-induced chemical stress. The performance indices were also decreased (p-value ≤ 0.05) at the highest concentration of CBs. LD50 and LD90 represent the lethal dose, obtained value for LD50 is 20.30 CBs and LD90 is 35.26 CBs through probit analysis. Our results demonstrate that the CBs cause irreversible damage of photosynthetic machinery in plants and also reflect the efficacy of chlorophyll a fluorescence analysis and JIP test for assessing the toxicity of CBs in plants.

Messages about climate, pollution and social justice harms of tobacco as motivators to quit: an untapped communication opportunity?

BACKGROUND

Campaigns highlighting the health harms of smoking have demonstrated success in motivating people who smoke to quit. Tobacco production and use also exert a toll on the environment, sustainable development and human rights. However, messages highlighting these harms of tobacco have been relatively unexplored as a cessation motivation strategy. In this study, we examined the extent to which a range of messages about climate, pollution and social justice harms of tobacco are perceived as motivating among people who smoke, overall and by sociodemographics.

DATA AND METHODS

Australian adults who smoke (n=395) aged 18-59 years reported the 'extent to which each of the following motivated them to quit smoking' and were then presented with messages about climate (four items), pollution (three items) and social justice (three items) harms of tobacco, which they rated on a 5-point scale ranging from 1 'Not at all' to 5 'Very much so' in this online cross-sectional survey. Differences by age, education, gender, socioeconomic status (SES) and geographical region were examined using prevalence ratios from generalised linear models with log-link (Poisson regression).

RESULTS

For each of the 10 messages, between one-half and two-thirds of the overall sample perceived them as motivating (49-65%), particularly messages highlighting harms to human or animal life and welfare (all ≥60%). Across all message themes, younger adults (18-35 years) and those who completed tertiary education were more likely to perceive some messages as motivating. Perceived motivation did not vary significantly by gender, SES or geographical region.

CONCLUSION

Findings suggest that value-based messaging featuring the environmental and social justice footprint of tobacco is perceived as motivating for smoking cessation, especially among younger people and those with higher education who may be more engaged with these issues. Inclusion of such messages as part of a comprehensive antitobacco communication strategy may provide an untapped opportunity by potentially providing people who smoke with additional compelling reasons to quit.

Illusion of filtration: Evidence from tobacco industry documents

INTRODUCTION

We compared the design features of popular filtered and non-filtered cigarettes sold in the United States between 1960 and 1990, to assess the relationship between cigarette filter and tobacco weight.

METHODS

We analyzed data on the design features of six popular filtered and three non-filtered cigarette brands sold in the US including the weight of tobacco used provided in the Cigarette Information Reports produced by Philip Morris Tobacco Company between 1960 and 1990. We also collected information on other design features such as stick length and circumference, the percentage of reconstituted tobacco in the blend, among other product parameters. We used joinpoint regression to test for trends in outcome variables for each brand assessed between 1960 and 1990.

RESULTS

In all years, filtered cigarettes had less tobacco by weight compared to non-filtered cigarettes. The lower average weight of tobacco found in filtered cigarettes appears to be due to a combination of factors including stick and filter length, and the amount of reconstituted tobacco in the blend. The average percentages of total alkaloids and expanded tobacco increased over time but were similar between filtered and non-filtered brands.

CONCLUSIONS

While various design features of popular filtered and non-filtered brands changed between 1960 and 1990, the observed reduction in tobacco weight among filtered brands was perhaps the most salient in terms of disease risk. Less tobacco in a filtered cigarette calls into question the presumed exclusive role of cigarette filter tips in the reduced health risks of filtered versus non-filtered cigarette smoking.

Epigenetic and Long-Term Effects of Nicotine on Biology, Behavior, and Health

Tobacco and nicotine use are associated with disease susceptibility and progression. Health challenges associated with nicotine and smoking include developmental delays, addiction, mental health and behavioral changes, lung disease, cardiovascular disease, endocrine disorders, diabetes, immune system changes, and cancer. Increasing evidence suggests that nicotine-associated epigenetic changes may mediate or moderate the development and progression of a myriad of negative health outcomes. In addition, nicotine exposure may confer increased lifelong susceptibility to disease and mental health challenges through alteration of epigenetic signaling. This review examines the relationship between nicotine exposure (and smoking), epigenetic changes, and maladaptive outcomes that include developmental disorders, addiction, mental health challenges, pulmonary disease, cardiovascular disease, endocrine disorders, diabetes, immune system changes, and cancer. Overall, findings support the contention that nicotine (or smoking) associated altered epigenetic signaling is a contributing factor to disease and health challenges.

Cellulose acetate cigarette filter is hazardous to human health

The World No Tobacco Day 2022 theme emphasised tobacco's adverse environmental effects, including through agriculture, manufacturing, distribution, use and the disposal of tobacco product waste. A main concern regarding this toxic waste is the cigarette filter, which is attached to nearly all commercial cigarettes and is predominantly made from a plant-based plastic (cellulose acetate). Laboratory studies have demonstrated the chemical toxicity of discarded cigarette butts, and there is growing public concern regarding environmental plastic pollution resulting from single-use cellulose acetate filters. Important considerations are whether the filter has any protective role against the harms of smoking and whether it should be regulated as a plastic environmental pollutant. There is persistent misunderstanding among smokers and policy makers about the implied value of the cigarette filter. The cellulose acetate filter is simply a marketing tool that encourages smoking initiation and reduces intentions to quit smoking. This is because it makes smoking easier and implies added safety through the presumed filtration of inhaled smoke. The sale of filtered cigarettes should be prohibited to protect public health and the environment.