The trade of illicit cigarettes in Ghana: Insights from a policy synthesis and qualitative study.

The illicit trade of tobacco products trade continues to challenge tobacco control efforts in several African countries, including Ghana. Ghana recently ratified the Framework Convention for Tobacco Control (FCTC) Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products ('the Protocol'). This Protocol aims to eliminate all kinds of illicit tobacco.

Exploring public support for novel tobacco and alcohol control policies in Great Britain 2021-2023: A population-based cross-sectional survey.

Objective And Rationale: This study assessed support for novel tobacco compared with alcohol control policies among adults in Great Britain in 2021-2023. Objectives were to assess 1) overall level of support for tobacco compared to alcohol control policies; 2) level of support for tobacco compared to alcohol control policies among people who smoke tobacco or who consume alcohol at increasing and higher risk levels, or who do both; 3) level of support for tobacco compared to alcohol control policies among different sociodemographic groups?

Methods: Data were collected in September/October 2021-2023 in a monthly population-based survey on smoking and drinking behaviour of adults across Great Britain (N = 6311), weighted to match the overall population. Outcome measure was level of support for each seven tobacco and alcohol control policies.

Incentives for smoking cessation.

Background: Financial incentives (money, vouchers, or self-deposits) can be used to positively reinforce smoking cessation. They may be used as one-off rewards, or in various schedules to reward steps towards sustained smoking abstinence (known as contingency management). They have been used in workplaces, clinics, hospitals, and community settings, and to target particular populations.

The Context of the Emergency Department as a Location for a Smoking Cessation Intervention-Process Evaluation Findings From the Cessation of Smoking Trial in the Emergency Department Trial.

Introduction: Hospital emergency departments (ED) offer an opportunity to engage with large numbers of people who smoke to prompt cessation, although the acceptability of opportunistic intervention in this context has been questioned. This process evaluation study was embedded into the Cessation of Smoking Trial in the Emergency Department (COSTED) randomized controlled trial and sought to explore the context of intervention delivery within the ED.

Aims And Methods: Qualitative interviews were conducted with participants and staff across six EDs participating in the COSTED randomized controlled trial.

Cost-utility analysis of provision of e-cigarette starter kits for smoking cessation in emergency departments: An economic evaluation of a randomized controlled trial.

Aims: To assess the cost-effectiveness of the Cessation of Smoking Trial in Emergency Department (COSTED) intervention compared with signposting to local stop smoking service (SSS) from the National Health Service (NHS) and personal social services (PSS) perspective.

Design, Setting And Participants: This was a two-group, multi-centre, pragmatic, individually randomized controlled trial set in six Emergency Departments (EDs) in urban and rural areas in the United Kingdom. Adult (≥ 18 years) daily smokers (at least one cigarette or equivalent per day) but not daily e-cigarette users, with carbon monoxide reading ≥ 8 parts per million, attending the ED (n = 972) were included.

Systematic review of randomised controlled clinical trials examining effectiveness of contingent financial rewards for smoking cessation during pregnancy: intention-to-treat and causal effects on birthweight.

Background: To examine birth weight change caused by adding financial rewards for smoking cessation compared to no rewards for pregnant women. To estimate the average expected birth weight change for those who quit because of rewards.

Methods: This study updates a previous systematic review and refocuses the outcome from smoking cessation to birth weight.

Engagement With Stop Smoking Services After Referral or Signposting: A Mixed-Methods Study.

Introduction: Screening for smoking when people interact with healthcare services and referral of those who smoke to stop smoking services (SSSs) is a key component of efforts to tackle tobacco use. However, little is known about what happens after someone is referred or signposted to SSSs.

Methods: As part of the Cessation of Smoking Trial in the Emergency Department (NCT04854616), those randomized to intervention (n = 505) were referred to local SSSs (along with receiving brief advice and an e-cigarette starter kit) and those randomized to control (n = 502) were given contact details for the same services (signposted).

Nicotine strength of e-liquids used by adult vapers in Great Britain: A population survey 2016 to 2024.

Background And Aims: In March 2024, the UK government announced plans to introduce a Vaping Products Duty that will tax e-liquids based on their nicotine strength. This study examined trends in the nicotine strength of e-liquids used by adult vapers and differences in those currently used across relevant subgroups.

Design: Nationally-representative, cross-sectional household survey, July 2016 to January 2024.

The FRESHAIR4Life study: Global implementation research on non-communicable disease prevention targeting adolescents' exposure to tobacco and air pollution in disadvantaged populations.

The FRESHAIR4Life study aims to reduce the non-communicable disease (NCD) burden by implementing preventive interventions targeting adolescents' exposure to tobacco use and air pollution (AP) worldwide. This paper presents the FRESHAIR4Life methodology and initial rapid review results. The rapid review, using various databases and PubMed, aimed to guide decision-making on risk factor focus, target areas, and populations.

Smoking, nicotine and pregnancy 2 (SNAP2) trial: protocol for a randomised controlled trial of an intervention to improve adherence to nicotine replacement therapy during pregnancy.

Introduction: Smoking during pregnancy is harmful to unborn babies, infants and women. Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) is offered as the usual stop-smoking support in the UK. However, this is often used in insufficient doses, intermittently or for too short a time to be effective.

Behavioural support and nicotine replacement therapy for smokeless tobacco cessation in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan: A pilot randomized controlled trial.

Background And Aims: Smokeless tobacco (ST) use in South Asia is high, yet interventions to support its cessation are lacking. We tested the feasibility of delivering interventions for ST cessation in South Asia.

Design: We used a 2 × 2 factorial design, pilot randomized controlled trial with a duration of 26 weeks, including baseline and follow-up (6, 12 and 26 weeks) assessments.

Process evaluation of a pragmatic feasibility trial on smokeless tobacco cessation intervention delivered in dental hospitals.

Background: Article 14 of the WHO 'Framework Convention on Tobacco Control' recommends, that all oral healthcare providers provide support for tobacco cessation, to all patients. Despite evidence on the effectiveness of tobacco cessation interventions in dental settings, implementation remains low in most high-burden countries like Pakistan. A pragmatic pilot trial of a dentist-delivered behavioural support intervention for smokeless tobacco (ST) cessation, was conducted in dental hospitals in Pakistan.

Who We Test For: Aligning Relational and Public Health Responsibilities in COVID-19 Testing in Scotland.

COVID-19 testing programs in the UK often called on people to test to "protect others." In this article we explore motivations to test and the relationships to "others" involved in an asymptomatic testing program at a Scottish university. We show that participants engaged with testing as a relational technology, through which they navigated multiple overlapping responsibilities to kin, colleagues, flatmates, strangers, and to more diffuse publics.

A qualitative study of using nicotine products for smoking cessation after discharge from residential drug and alcohol treatment in Australia.

Introduction: Tobacco smoking is highly prevalent among alcohol and other drugs (AOD) service clients and, despite interest in quitting, abstinence is rarely sustained. Nicotine products may assist after discharge from residential treatment services, but little is known about client receptivity to them. This study examined AOD withdrawal service clients' experiences of two types of nicotine products for smoking cessation post-discharge, combination nicotine replacement therapy (cNRT) and nicotine vaping products (NVP).

Effect of 3 months and 12 months of financial incentives on 12-month postpartum smoking cessation maintenance: A randomized controlled trial.

Background And Aims: Offering financial incentives is effective for smoking cessation during pregnancy. We tested the effectiveness of financial incentives for maintaining postpartum cessation, comparing 12-month and 3-month incentives with each other and with usual care (UC).

Design, Setting And Participants: This study was a pragmatic, multi-centre, three-arm randomized controlled trial involving four English, National Health Service, stop smoking services.

'Stopping the start': support for proposed tobacco control policies - a population-based survey in Great Britain 2021-2023.

Objectives: This study assessed public support for four proposed tobacco control policies in Great Britain: (1) Raising the sales age of tobacco by 1 year every year (Smokefree Generation); (2) Raising the sales age of tobacco from 18 years to 21 years; (3) Providing prescription e-cigarettes as smoking cessation aids to adults who smoke; (4) Restricting e-cigarette advertising to prevent youth uptake.

Design: Repeat cross-sectional population-based survey weighted to match the population of Great Britain.

Setting: The survey was conducted in England, Scotland and Wales in September 2021, October 2022 and October 2023.

Cessation of Smoking Trial in the Emergency Department (COSTED): a multicentre randomised controlled trial.

Background: Supporting people to quit smoking is one of the most powerful interventions to improve health. The Emergency Department (ED) represents a potentially valuable opportunity to deliver a smoking cessation intervention if it is sufficiently resourced. The objective of this trial was to determine whether an opportunistic ED-based smoking cessation intervention can help people to quit smoking.

Smoking prevalence and purchasing of menthol cigarettes since the menthol flavour ban in Great Britain: a population-based survey between 2020 and 2023.

Background: Menthol cigarettes have been banned in Great Britain (GB) since May 2020. Still, menthol accessories and unlabelled cigarettes perceived as mentholated are available, and people can buy menthol cigarettes overseas or illicitly. This study assessed: trends in smoking menthol cigarettes among all adults and 18-24-year-olds in GB between October 2020 and March 2023; trends in and differences between England, Scotland and Wales during the same period and purchase sources among people smoking menthol versus non-flavoured cigarettes.

Safety of e-cigarettes and nicotine patches as stop-smoking aids in pregnancy: Secondary analysis of the Pregnancy Trial of E-cigarettes and Patches (PREP) randomized controlled trial.

Aims: The aim of this study was to examine the safety of e-cigarettes (EC) and nicotine patches (NRT) when used to help pregnant smokers quit.

Design: A recent trial of EC versus NRT reported safety outcomes in the randomized arms. We conducted a further analysis based on product use.

Behavior Change Intervention for Smokeless Tobacco Cessation Delivered Through Dentists in Dental Settings: A Pragmatic Pilot Trial.

Introduction: Evidence on smokeless tobacco (ST) cessation interventions is scarce. The South Asian (SA) region that shares more than 90% of the burden of ST use is grossly underrepresented in research on ST cessation. This study aimed to assess the feasibility of delivering and investigating a behavioral support intervention for ST cessation in dental settings in Pakistan.

Helping pregnant smokers quit: a multi-centre randomised controlled trial of electronic cigarettes versus nicotine replacement therapy.

Background: Some pregnant smokers try e-cigarettes, but effectiveness and safety of such use are unknown.

Objectives: To compare effectiveness and safety of nicotine patches and e-cigarettes in pregnancy.

Design: A pragmatic multi-centre randomised controlled trial.

How Do Adolescent Smoking Prevention Interventions Work in Different Contextual Settings? A Qualitative Comparative Study Between the UK and Colombia.

Background: Adolescent smoking is associated with significant health and social risks. Previous research has demonstrated the effectiveness of interventions based on behavior change theories in preventing adolescent smoking uptake. However, evidence from the theory-based perspective of evaluation is limited, especially for how such complex interventions work, and how they work when implemented in different contextual settings.

BabyBreathe trial: protocol for a randomised controlled trial of a complex intervention to prevent postpartum return to smoking.

Introduction: Many people quit smoking during pregnancy, but postpartum smoking relapse is common. Maintaining smoking abstinence achieved during pregnancy is key to improving maternal and child health. There are no evidence-based interventions for preventing postpartum smoking relapse.