Tobacco Taxation in Spain: A Tax Laggard With a Brighter Possible Future.

Introduction: In recent years tobacco taxation in Spain has regressed, with its Tobacconomics tax scorecard falling from 3.9 points (out of 5) in 2014, to only 2.625 in 2020.

Particle Exposure Hazards of Visiting Outdoor Smoking Areas for Patients with Asthma or COPD Even in EU Countries with Comprehensive Smokefree Laws.

Smokefree laws are intended to protect against second-hand smoke (SHS) in outdoor areas. We examined if exposure to PM2.5 particles in outdoor smoking areas changed breathing rates in 60 patients with asthma ( = 30) or with COPD ( = 30), in an open, non-randomised, interventional study model in Czechia, Ireland and Spain.

Promoting convergence and closing gaps using affordability-based minimum taxes: an illustration using the European Union Tobacco Tax Directive.

Background: The rules governing tobacco taxation in the European Union (EU) are currently under revision. Earlier research has proposed reforms aimed at stimulating price convergence across countries by linking national minimum taxes to a measure of average prices across the EU. This paper proposes that revised tax rules include an affordability criterion whereby minimum taxes are required to be no less than a common prespecified fraction of domestic average disposable income.

Electronic Cigarette Use in 12 European Countries: Results From the TackSHS Survey.

Background: Limited data on electronic cigarette prevalence, patterns, and settings of use are available from several European countries.

Methods: Within the TackSHS project, a face-to-face survey was conducted in 2017-2018 in 12 European countries (Bulgaria, England, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Poland, Portugal, Romania and Spain). Overall, 11,876 participants, representative of the population aged ⩾15 years in each country, provided information on electronic cigarette.

Ciprofloxacin in Layered Double Hydroxides: Looking for the Best Synthesis Method.

It is important to develop new methods of release to improve pharmacokinetic parameters of drugs, especially antibiotics, whose plasmatic concentration is determinant to ensure an effective treatment. Layered double hydroxides (LDH) are inorganic and biocompatible materials with high drug intercalation capacity and release properties that can be tuned by controlling the pH value. These materials can be an excellent choice to achieve a sustained release and an optimal drug concentration in plasm.

Steepest-descent algorithm for simulating plasma-wave caustics via metaplectic geometrical optics.

The design and optimization of radiofrequency-wave systems for fusion applications is often performed using ray-tracing codes, which rely on the geometrical-optics (GO) approximation. However, GO fails at wave cutoffs and caustics. To accurately model the wave behavior in these regions, more advanced and computationally expensive "full-wave" simulations are typically used, but this is not strictly necessary.

Promoting convergence and closing gaps: a blueprint for the revision of the European Union Tobacco Tax Directive.

Background And Aims: Despite the European Union (EU) Tobacco Tax Directive (TTD), a lack of convergence in EU tobacco prices promotes high levels of cross-border shopping and down-trading from factory-made (FM) to roll-your-own tobacco (RYO) cigarettes. This study presents a blueprint for reform, whereby minimum taxes are related to the overall price level in the EU and where taxation of RYO is related to that of FM.

Methods: Longitudinal data on prices and taxes on FM and RYO in 25 member states over 2011-2019 are used to estimate econometric models for their weighted average prices as a function of taxes.

Secondhand smoke exposure assessment in outdoor hospitality venues across 11 European countries.

Objective: Due to partial or poorly enforced restrictions secondhand tobacco smoke (SHS) is still present in outdoor hospitality venues in many European countries. This study aimed to assess SHS concentrations in outdoor hospitality venues across Europe and identify contextual exposure determinants.

Methods: Cross-sectional study.

Risk aversion, trust in institutions and contingent valuation of healthcare services: trying to explain the WTA-WTP gap in the Dutch population.

Background: The preferences of citizens are a basic element to incorporate into the decision-making process when planning health policies. Contingent valuation (CV) is a common method for calculating the value for citizens that new technologies, interventions, and the provision of services or policies have. However, choosing the correct CV tool may not be a neutral decision.

Synthesis of Layered Double Hydroxides Intercalated With Drugs for Controlled Release: Successful Intercalation of Ibuprofen and Failed Intercalation of Paracetamol.

This work examines the effect of drug structure and ionization degree on the formation and properties of biocompatible layered double hydroxides (LDH) intercalated with ibuprofen and paracetamol. Ibuprofen (pKa = 5.3) is in its anionic form, whereas paracetamol (pKa 9.

Burden of disease from second-hand tobacco smoke exposure at home among adults from European Union countries in 2017: an analysis using a review of recent meta-analyses.

Smoke-free legislation reduced second-hand smoke (SHS) exposure in public places, and indirectly promoted private smoke-free settings. Nevertheless, a large proportion of adults is still exposed to SHS at home. The aim of this paper is to quantify the burden of disease due to home SHS exposure among adults in the 28-European Union (EU) countries for year 2017.

Secondhand smoke exposure in outdoor children's playgrounds in 11 European countries.

Introduction: Tobacco presence in outdoor children's playgrounds is concerning not only because it leads to secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure, but also cigarette butt pollution and tobacco normalization.

Objectives: This study aimed to assess SHS exposure in children's playgrounds, according to area-level socioeconomic status (SES), smoke-free regulations, national smoking prevalence, and SHS exposure prevalence in playgrounds (2017-2018).

Methods: We monitored vapor-phase nicotine concentration and tobacco-related variables in 20 different playgrounds in 11 European countries (n = 220 measurements) from March 2017 to April 2018.

Burden of disease from exposure to secondhand smoke in children in Europe.

Background: Secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure at home and fetal SHS exposure during pregnancy are a major cause of disease among children. The aim of this study is quantifying the burden of disease due to SHS exposure in children and in pregnancy in 2006-2017 for the 28 European Union (EU) countries.

Methods: Exposure to SHS was estimated using a multiple imputation procedure based on the Eurobarometer surveys, and SHS exposure burden was estimated with the comparative risk assessment method using meta-analytical relative risks.

Secondhand smoke exposure and other signs of tobacco consumption at outdoor entrances of primary schools in 11 European countries.

Introduction: Although smoking restrictions at child-related settings are progressively being adopted, school outdoor entrances are neglected in most smoke-free policies across Europe.

Objectives: To describe secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure and tobacco-related signs in outdoor entrances of primary schools in Europe according to area-level socioeconomic status (SES), smoke-free policy, national smoking prevalence, and geographical region.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study we monitored vapor-phase nicotine concentrations at 220 school outdoor entrances in 11 European countries (March 2017-October 2018).

Lung function changes in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma exposed to secondhand smoke in outdoor areas.

Background: Further evidence is needed on the effects that short- and long-term exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) have on the respiratory health of patients with lung disease. Within the TackSHS project we aimed to assess the acute respiratory effects in lung function that result from short-term SHS exposure among patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Methods: The study design was an intervention trial with measurements before/after exposure to SHS in legal outdoor smoking areas.

Burden of disease from breast cancer attributable to smoking and second-hand smoke exposure in Europe.

Smoking and second-hand smoke (SHS) exposure have been recently linked to a higher risk of breast cancer in women. The aim of this work is to estimate the number of deaths and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) from breast cancer attributable to these two risk factors in the European Union (EU-28) in 2017. The comparative risk assessment method was used.

Who Smokes in Europe? Data From 12 European Countries in the TackSHS Survey (2017-2018).

Background: Population data on tobacco use and its determinants require continuous monitoring and careful inter-country comparison. We aimed to provide the most up-to-date estimates on tobacco smoking from a large cross-sectional survey, conducted in selected European countries.

Methods: Within the TackSHS Project, a face-to-face survey on smoking was conducted in 2017-2018 in 12 countries: Bulgaria, England, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Poland, Portugal, Romania, and Spain, representing around 80% of the 432 million European Union (EU) adult population.

Tackling second-hand exposure to tobacco smoke and aerosols of electronic cigarettes: the TackSHS project protocol.

Objective: The TackSHS project aims to comprehensively elucidate the impact that exposure to second-hand smoke (SHS) from cigarettes and second-hand aerosols (SHA) from electronic cigarettes have on the respiratory health of the European population according to socioeconomic characteristics and other determinants.

Method: The TackSHS project involves a series of coordinated studies carried out by 11 academic and public health organisations from six European countries. The project will investigate: a) the determinants of SHS and SHA exposure assessed at the individual level (surveys on representative general population samples) and in common environments (environmental sampling in specific settings); b) the overall disease burden, mortality and morbidity attributable to such exposure; and c) its economic impact in terms of direct health care costs.

Burden of disease attributable to second-hand smoke exposure: A systematic review.

Our aim was to provide a systematic review of studies on the burden of disease due to second-hand smoke (SHS) exposure, reviewing methods, exposure assessment, diseases causally linked to SHS, health outcomes, and estimates available to date. A literature review of studies on the burden of disease from SHS exposure, available in PubMed and SCOPUS, published 2007-2018 in English language, was carried out following the PRISMA recommendations. Overall, 588 studies were first identified, and 94 were eligible.

Cognitive impairment in heart failure is associated with altered Wnt signaling in the hippocampus.

Age represents the highest risk factor for death due to cardiovascular disease. Heart failure (HF) is the most common cardiovascular disease in elder population and it is associated with cognitive impairment (CI), diminishing learning and memory process affecting life quality and mortality in these patients. In HF, CI has been associated with inadequate O supply to the brain; however, an important subset of HF patients displays CI with almost no alteration in cerebral blood flow.

Burden of respiratory disease attributable to secondhand smoke exposure at home in children in Spain (2015).

This study aimed to estimate the number of incident cases and hospital admissions attributable to secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure at home for asthma, otitis media (OM), and lower respiratory infections (LRI) in children in Spain. The burden of respiratory disease caused by SHS exposure was estimated in terms of incident cases and hospitalized cases for asthma, OM, and LRI. Estimates were calculated using the population attributable fraction.

Tax harmonisation and tobacco product prices in the European Union, 2004-2015.

Objectives: The European Commission has formally opened a process of revision of its tobacco tax directive. The purpose of this study is to analyse the evolution of cigarette and roll-your-own (RYO) tobacco prices in order to identify avenues for the improvement of public health goals.

Methods: Pooled cross-sectional data on prices and taxes on cigarettes and RYO tobacco in the Member States over 2004-2015 is used to track the distributions of the most popular price category and the weighted average price of these products and to relate them to the underlying tax structure.