Re: Statistics and studies on quitters

General

Statistics and studies on quitters

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Anonymous 12-05-2007, 3:36 PM
There is quite a bit of data on this site concerning the relative risks of both smoking and ST use. However, what research is there about quitters? Are there any studies that show the extent to which risk changes once you quit smoking or quit ST's? Any information would be much appreciated.

Re: Statistics and studies on quitters

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admin 12-10-2007, 10:17 AM
Regarding the change in risk after quitting smoking, one good resource is the October 2007 release by the Royal College of Physicians Harm reduction in nicotine addiction (see page 115).  The health effects of smoking are so dramatic that there are substantial changes following cessation. The problem with finding similar information on quittiing smokeless tobacco use is that the risk is already so low, that to measure changes in it is next to impossible.  Though we think that using no tobacco at all is safer than using smokeless tobacco, that difference is already too small to accurately measure. 

Re: Statistics and studies on quitters

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Anonymous 12-29-2007, 8:50 AM
"The health effects of smokking are so dramatic that there are substantial changes following cessation....[with respect to ST] to measure changes [after stopping] is next to impossible."

Are you suggesting, then, that there are so few physical changes that occur after one stops ST that they cannot even be measured? In other places, you mention that the relative risk of developing cancer as a result of ST is quite low, when compared to smoking. For instance, the RR of a non-smoker would be 1.0, that of a smoker would be 10.0, and that of a ST user would be about 1.1 (these numbers are taken from the Royal College Physicians report on your front page). Would these numbers also support the notion that there are few, if any, physical changes (particularly measurable ones) after stopping ST? I suppose that it also follows that if there are few changes after stopping, then there were few changes to begin with, and as such, few changes that would lead to cancer...

Re: Statistics and studies on quitters

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admin 01-03-2008, 9:29 AM

In regards to physical changes following cessation of smokeless tobacco use you need to distinguish between the long and short term changes. 

 In reference to the risk of cancer, which can only be detected at the population level after time, the differences between users of smokeless tobacco and those using no tobacco at all are quite subtle.  Compared to the vast difference between smoking and using smokeless tobacco (10 compared to 1.1) or smoking and not using any tobacco (10 and 1.0), it is difficult to be certain of any substantial differences between smokeless tobacco use and not using tobacco (1.1 and 1.0).  Some researchers have written that once relative risks fall below 2.0, it is difficult to be certain of the effect.

In regards to short term changes, any leukoplatia should disappear and any risks from the nicotine itself (it is plausible that there are small risks for stroke or heart disease). And you are correct, these are the same few small changes that could occur if you started using smokeless tobacco (if not using any tobacco to begin with).  If you were a smoker, switching would have the effect of removing a host of effects, radically diminishing others and maintaining the cardiovascular effects of nicotine.