Smoking While Pregnant Affects Baby's Cholesterol Reported June 27, 2011
Can't figure why God is not more concerned with babies and young children.
(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- New research reveals another reason moms-to-be may want to quit smoking. Babies of women who smoke during pregnancy have lower levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) -- the good cholesterol that is known to protect against heart disease later in life.
Smoking during pregnancy has been linked to many childhood health problems including behavioral problems, neuro-cognitive problems, and sudden infant death. However, it has been unclear what effect prenatal cigarette smoking had on a child's risk of cardiovascular disease.
Australian researchers found that by 8 years of age, children born to moms who smoked while they were pregnant, had HDL cholesterol levels that were about 1.3 millimoles per litre compared to the more normal levels of 1.5 millimoles per litre among children who were born to mothers who did not smoke.
"Cholesterol levels tend to track from childhood to adulthood, and studies have shown that for every 0.025mmol/L increase in HDL levels, there is an approximately 2-3% reduction in the risk of coronary heart disease. If we extrapolate this, we can suggest that the difference of 0.15mmol/L between children of smoking mothers versus non-smoking mothers might result in a 10-15% higher risk for coronary disease in the children of smoking mothers. This is an approximation only, but the best one we have," Professor David Celermajer, from the University of Sydney, was quoted as saying.
The investigators studied a group of 405 healthy 8-year-olds who were born between 1997 and 1999. They collected data before the children were born and as they grew up. This included information on the mothers' smoking habits; the children's exposure to passive smoking; and measurements of height, weight, waist circumference and blood pressure.
The link between prenatal smoking and cholesterol remained significant even after adjusting for factors such as postnatal smoke exposure, duration of breastfeeding, physical inactivity and body mass index. The researchers say the prevalence of smoking during pregnancy is still high. In fact, it's around 15 percent in many Western countries.
"Children born to mothers who have smoked during pregnancy will need to be watched particularly carefully for other coronary risk factors, like high blood pressure, high LDL, 'bad' cholesterol levels, and especially cigarette smoking themselves," Professor Celermajer said.
Cutting smoking would lead to a HUGE saving for the health system over years. Individuals getting off ALL medication which are not required for physical and/or mental health would also help heaps.
Tough for the Tea Partiers and the party of NOers, though. Not fair they are under such terrible stress. Can understand their attempts to destroy the American economy now.
Sod, they are as RM said .. "disgusting" people ..
THE first cigarettes in plain packaging have hit the major supermarkets - and they don't comply with the government's strict new rules.
One company, Imperial Tobacco, is using the new packaging to directly challenge the government by telling its Peter Stuyvesant brand customers "it's what's on the inside that counts''.
"Soon no one will see Peter Stuyvesant on the outside but we don't care. We're going plain early, because we know Peter Stuyvesant will continue to live on inside,'' the company says in a leaflet advertising its packaging change to retailers.
Fellow tobacco giant Philip Morris has also failed to comply with the rules - despite making a more serious attempt. Health Minister Tanya Plibersek has lashed out at Imperial Tobacco's claim that its what's on the inside that counts, as "the ultimate sick joke from Big Tobacco''.
Diseased lungs, hearts and arteries are the reality of what is happening on the inside to a smoker,'' she said.
Imperial Tobacco told News Limited the new striptease style labels that show the old labels being ripped off to reveal plain packaging were essentially "a mechanism to provide factual information about upcoming legislative changes to adult consumers of the Peter Stuyvesant brand of cigarettes.''
Imperial Tobacco is using the new packaging to directly challenge the government by telling customers "it's what's on the inside that counts''. Picture: Kym Smith
"It is also important to inform our adult consumers that the product itself will remain unchanged,'' a spokeswoman for the company said.
New regulations will require cigarette companies to start manufacturing cigarettes and tobacco products in drab packaging that includes large and graphic health warnings covering 75 per cent of the front of the pack from October 1.
From December 1 retailers will have to ensure all the tobacco products they sell are in the new packaging or risk heavy fines.
The Department of Health has signalled it will vigilantly police the new rules.
It has written to Philip Morris warning its new plain packaging of its Bond Street cigarettes only ``heavily resembles the plain packaging requirements''.
"We note that if these products are sold, offered for sale or otherwise supplied after 1 December 2012 the packaging would not be compliant with the Act.
''The breach of the act could possibly expose the company to massive fines of up to $1.1 million.The department takes issues with the use of the word `cigarettes' in small type on the side of the packet, it says the outer surfaces of the packet must have a "matt finish'' and warns the pack may not be the correct colour - Pantone 448C.
The department has referred the health warnings contained on the pack to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to see if they comply with regulations.
Major retailers are expecting to receive deliveries of the new packs this week and Ms Plibersek says she will "be closely watching the new packages to ensure that they comply with the regulations because we know that Big Tobacco will use every trick in the book to try and get around the new requirements''.
"Where we identify any examples of possible non-compliance before the implementation dates we will be letting the companies know so they can rectify any issues,'' she said.
Australia’s plain tobacco packaging law at the WTO
15 May 2013, 2.36pm EST
Earlier this month, Cuba became the fourth country to challenge Australia’s plain tobacco packaging law by requesting consultations with Australia through the World Trade Organization (WTO). Tobacco companies can’t bring claims directly in the WTO, but the industry has stated publicly that it is helping…
Authors
Tania Voon Professor and Associate Dean (Research) at University of Melbourne Andrew Mitchell Professor at University of Melbourne
Disclosure Statement .. inside ..
[darn can't get the image copied] The tobacco industry has stated publicly that it’s helping countries bring claims against Australia’s tobacco plain packaging law. LUKAS COCH/AAP
The industry has already suffered major setbacks in its campaign against plain tobacco packaging.
In 2012, the Australian government successfully defended claims under constitutional law brought by the multinational tobacco companies British American Tobacco, Imperial Tobacco, Japan Tobacco and Philip Morris in the High Court of Australia .. http://www.hcourt.gov.au/cases/case-s389/2011 .
More recently, New Zealand announced its eventual aim of introducing similar laws. A question of development or profits?
------ We welcome Cuba’s decision to join the list of developing countries that are fighting for the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of tobacco workers. ------
The idea that tobacco control is a developed country tactic opposed by developing countries is ludicrous. The burden of tobacco-related death and disease falls disproportionately on the developing world .. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs339/en/ .. and on the poorest people of countries worldwide, and the profound negative impact of tobacco on social and economic development is universally recognised.
The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control .. http://www.who.int/fctc/signatories_parties/en/index.html (WHO FCTC) has 176 parties (including Australia, Honduras and Ukraine) and covers 88% of the people of the world. Developing countries from Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and the Pacific have championed the high standards set by the treaty and its guidelines.
So the underlying interests fighting Australia’s plain packaging law are not developing countries, farmers or workers but the global tobacco industry. Tobacco companies have brought direct and indirect claims against Australia in every tribunal possible, beginning with the High Court case already mentioned.
And what is the industry’s connection to Cuba? The Cuban monopoly that exports Cuban cigars and other tobacco products, Habanos SA, is half owned by a subsidiary of Imperial Tobacco .. http://www.habanos.com/article.aspx?aid=13&lang=en .
Likely outcomes at the WTO
Australia has strong grounds to win the WTO dispute.
All four countries' complaints concern the impact of the Australian law on intellectual property (such as tobacco trade marks) and imported products (cigarettes and cigars).
But the law applies equally to all tobacco products from all countries, including Australia and New Zealand. The law is also based on years of research showing that standardised packaging will reduce the appeal of tobacco products and enhance the effectiveness of health warnings. Finally, the law implements Australia’s obligations under the WHO FCTC. All these factors enhance Australia’s position in the WTO dispute.
If it proceeds, Cuba’s complaint is likely to be heard alongside those of the other three countries by a single panel of three people. Panel proceedings usually take around a year and are often followed by an appeal lasting several more months.
If Australia did lose the WTO dispute, it would not be required to pay any financial compensation. Instead, it would have time to change its plain packaging laws to accord with WTO rules.
For the industry, whether Australia wins or loses, supporting the WTO challenge is simply part of its long-standing strategy of delaying and hindering tobacco control regulations wherever possible.
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