Employers ponder tough tactics to Halt Smoking - June 17, 2008

"We're talking about ending an epidemic. This is a global pandemic," said Dr. Julie Gerberding, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, likening Weyers' approach to controlling an outbreak of disease.

About 45 million Americans, 4 million of whom live in California , smoke cigarettes despite more than three decades of public efforts to encourage people to quit.

A Statement from GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare on 2008 update to the US Public Health Service Guideline on Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence - May 7, 2008

We believe the 2008 update is of particular significance as it includes the addition of the Commit nicotine lozenge which can reliably increase long-term smoking abstinence. The Commit lozenge is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to help withdrawal symptoms and cravings associated with quitting smoking, has a groundbreaking dosage selector (Time to First Cigarette) so a smoker can choose the strength that's right for them and provides low, safe doses of nicotine to ease withdrawal from cigarettes.

See Your Doc to Stop Smoking - November 29, 2007

Two researchers from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health published a review in the November 20th issue of the Canadian Medical Association Journal, of several hundred smoking studies. They conclude that success in quitting depends on a combo of meds and non-pharmacotherapy, but that a key component is the role of the physician. Just advising a patient to quit, actually doubles their quit rates. And long term follow-up, at least one year, is critical the researchers say.

PHARMA MARKET: Pfizer Anti-Smoking Drug Off To Strong Start - October 3, 2007

Despite recent setbacks, Pfizer Inc. (PFE) has had some successes including the new smoking-cessation drug Chantix. Before it went on sale last year, Pfizer predicted annual revenue would exceed $1 billion in 2010. The numbers indicate Chantix could reach that target early despite spotty patient-insurance coverage so far. A 5% price increase in July and a new consumer-advertising campaign could give an extra boost to sales.

Smokers More Likely to Develop Dementia - September 4, 2004

Current smokers are 50 percent more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease or dementia than people who don't smoke or who gave up smoking, a Dutch report says.

What Smoking Cost Me - August 17, 2007

Bad breath, yellow skin, and increased risk for stroke, osteoporosis, and cancer. And the financial costs of smoking are pretty ugly, too.

Breaking the Addiction: Finding the Motivation to Quit Smoking - July 20, 2007

It comes as no surprise; you've heard the statistics before. Smoking is the number one cause of preventable death and disease in the United States , yet each year millions of Americans continue to light up. So why is it that you can't seem to break the habit that you know is so bad for you? Because smoking is part addiction, part habit and it's not an easy process.