Are US tobacco companies conspiring to make tobacco more addictive through additives or aren't they? Ever since the first reports published in 1999, this has been debated off and on for years as the tobacco lobby defended itself against allegations of racketeering and outright lies. Recently they lost the case. But the question of American cigarettes being more addictive than others still remains unsettled.
posted by infini on Jun 11, 2009 - 16 comments

It looks like a cigarette. It smokes like a cigarette. But it's actually the e-cigarette, and it might be the future of smoking. [more inside]
posted by showbiz_liz on Jul 17, 2008 - 80 comments

The Australian cigarette health warnings have pretty much filtered down to every retail packet that's bought now. They're pretty gruesome and some smoking acquaintances cover them up with stickers. I thought I'd have a look around and see what other countries warnings were like. None of them were pulling any punches except for Uruguay.
posted by tellurian on May 17, 2006 - 118 comments

Fox pussies out. Recently a bill passed in mexico legalizing all drugs under certain specified quantities. The bill was promoted By Vincente Fox's party, and came from his offices. However he decided not to sign it under U.S. pressure.

There go my vacation plans.
posted by Paris Hilton on May 4, 2006 - 57 comments

What's China Smoking?
posted by daksya on Jun 15, 2005 - 36 comments

Speaking Of weight loss and exercise... Those who like their booze also like their nicotine. People who drink to excess also tend to be chronic smokers, and a new report suggests the combination of the two might prove more toxic than either one alone. a small study found chronic smoking + alcohol dependence = increased severity of brain damage. The frontal lobes (short-term storage sites) turn out to be the most damaged. A separate study used rats to show that alcoholism and excessive food intake may share the same chemical pathways in the brain. Forbes has the HealthDayNews report that focuses mainly on the smokes, MSNBC looks more at the eats. They also have an interesting Addictions Sections. Could it be that some folks are just prone to addictions and everyone settles on something different?
posted by Blake on Dec 17, 2004 - 21 comments

Another smoking gun. Tobacco companies fought the marketing of anti-smoking products in the 1980s and '90s, by exerting financial pressure on companies that make nicotine gum and patches--like Dow Chemical. (NYT, reg req'd - CBS News version here)
posted by gottabefunky on Aug 14, 2002 - 3 comments

FDA stops nicotine lollipop, lip balm sales As a follow up to This Thread, kiss your pops good bye... CNN Says The Food and Drug Administration warned three pharmacies Wednesday to stop selling nicotine lollipops and nicotine lip balm on the Internet, calling the products "illegal." They said said the lollipops and lip balm are "unapproved drugs" that need, but do not have, FDA approval. And the pops are "candy-like products present a risk of accidental use by children."
posted by Blake on Apr 11, 2002 - 6 comments

Nicotine Lollipops: Next up on the list of products to help you quit smoking but not the addiction. NicoStop, NicoPop and Likatine are some of the brand names these laced suckers carry, but the interesting thing here is that it's not a giant pharmaceutical company making them -- it's your neighborhood pharmacy, and they're doing it below the radar of the FDA. (more inside.)
posted by me3dia on Apr 3, 2002 - 22 comments