Prevention Matters

Sales of moist snuff have doubled since the 1980s, and many smokeless tobacco users mistakenly believe the products are less hazardous to their health because they do not expose the user to tobacco smoke. But a new study presented at a recent meeting of the American Chemical Society, shows some of the most popular smokeless tobacco and snuff brands contain an additional 21 smoke-related polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), which are potent toxins and carcinogens.

"This study once again clearly shows us that smokeless tobacco is not safe," researcher Irina Stepanov, PhD, of the University of Minnesota at Minneapolis, says in a news release. "Our finding places snuff on the same list of major sources of exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons as smoking cigarettes."

Until recently, researchers thought smokeless tobacco contained only trace amounts of PAH because the tobacco was not burned when used.

A “transportation prescription” for health was named Partnership for Prevention's "Best Prevention Idea of the Week," while the ouster of a Florida public health doctor for criticizing doughnuts on his office sign was named “Worst Prevention Idea of the Week.”

The Best/Worst Idea awards are a regular feature of Prevention Matters, the blog of Partnership for Prevention. Each week, Partnership for Prevention's staff will choose the designees based on nominations of items in the previous week's news submitted by members, staff and the public at large. To submit a nomination or for more information, contact Damon Thompson at dthompson@prevent.org.



BEST

“Transportation Prescription” for Health Outlined
http://www.convergencepartnership.org/atf/cf/%7B245a9b44-6ded-4abd-a392-ae583809e350%7D/TRANSPORTATIONRX.PDF

The Convergence Partnership has commissioned a new report by PolicyLink and Prevention Institute entitled The Transportation Prescription: Bold New Ideas for Healthy, Equitable Transportation Reform in America. It's a guide to how healthy, equitable transportation policies can improve the quality of life for everyone, and in particular for vulnerable communities. The report presents a collection of policies and programs that can improve health and transportation in underserved communities while simultaneously creating economic opportunities.


WORST

Public Health Doctor “Dunked” over Anti-Doughnut Message
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/08/13/national/main5240179.shtml

Jason Newsom, a public health doctor in Bay County, Florida, was forced to step down after running messages on an electronic sign outside the health department where he worked that included messages such as “Donuts = Diabetes” and “America Dies on Dunkin.” With the backing of a county commissioner who owns a doughnut shop, two lawyers who own a new Dunkin' Donuts on Panama City Beach threatened to sue. Newsom’s bosses at the Florida Health Department made him remove the anti-fried dough rants and eventually forced him to resign. “I think he was somewhat of a zealot,” the county commissioner with the doughnut shop told the Associated Press.