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In 1998 the government stepped in and made the tobacco industry promise that it wouldn’t direct their advertising and marketing towards underage teens.  However, recent studies have shown an increase in teen smoking and researchers found that the source is Camel cigarettes.

The controversial advertisements are for R.J. Reynold’s Camel No. 9 cigarettes and that were featured in popular women’s magazines like Vogue, Glamour and Lucky in 2007.  The ads were made to blend in with the pages of a fashion magazine. The cigarettes are featured with dresses, shoes, jewelry and purses.  Basically the cigarettes were mixed with fashion items that teen girls would find appealing.

“The ads had a lot imagery that is girl-like,” says Cheryl Healton with the American Legacy Foundation, an anti-tobacco advocacy group. “The cigarettes were described as light and luscious and featured pink packaging. Making them almost like candy.”

Over the course of several years, the girls were asked, “What is the name of the cigarette brand of your favorite cigarette advertisement?”  In 2004, 10 percent of girls chose Camel as their favorite brand.  In 2008, a year after R.J. Reynolds launched its new female friendly campaign, 22 percent of girls chose Camel as their favorite brand.

“The majority of these kids had not reported a favorite ad before,” says the study’s author, John Pierce with the University of Southern California-San Diego’s Moores Cancer Center.

This increase has public health officials concerned.  Studies have found that teens who can tell you the name of the brand of their favorite cigarette ad are 50 percent more likely to take up smoking in the next three years.

When asked their thoughts the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company said that it “adheres to numerous restrictions on how it markets its tobacco products and does not take any action to target youth.” The company’s statement goes on to say, “Camel No. 9 was developed in response to female adult smokers…who were asking for a product that better reflected their taste preferences and style.”

Pierce estimates Camel’s 2007 marketing campaign may have influenced 174,000 underage girls to start smoking.

SOURCE: http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/2010/03/15/was-it-a-cigarette-ad-campaign-that-worked-on-teenagers/

It’s that time of year!  Making those healthy resolutions for 2010 is a great practice for turning yourself into a better, healthier person!  Breaking these five bad habits are an easy way to help you start the New Year the healthy way!

Nail biting

Nail biting is completely unattractive and could interfere with normal nail growth, damage the outer layer of your teeth, and cause nail deformities such as split nails. Harmful bacteria such as staphylococcus also live underneath nails, which could be ingested through nail biting.

Experts suggest that you receive a professional manicure once every 2 weeks.  When your nails look pretty, you’ll be less likely to bite them.  You can also try to keep your nails trimmed short because you’ll have less nail to bite, and harmful bacteria will have less space to grow. You can also try substituting a healthy habit for the negative one.  Instead of biting your nails, try rubbing cuticle cream on your nails. Nail biting could also be a nervous habit that is often an expression of some deeper anxiety.  Pay attention to how you feel when you are biting your nails.  Are you anxious?  Depressed?  Bored?  It could be a serious disorder and you may need to seek medical attention.

Forgetting to floss

Our dentists have reminded us for numerous years, but we seldom follow their instructions.  Flossing helps prevent gum disease and keeps your teeth and gums looking good, but it may also stave off non-mouth-related diseases: A 2005 study in the journal Circulation showed that older adults with higher levels of four gum disease-causing bacteria in their mouths also tend to have thicker carotid arteries, which raise the risk of stroke and heart attack. That’s scary business, because 90% of dentists say that most patients don’t floss regularly.

To break this bad habit and to get you to floss more, try a floss-holding device, such as the FlossMate Floss Holder to make the process easier and faster. In an Indiana University study, 50% of previous nonflossers were doing so regularly 6 months after introducing floss to their routine; 85% of the new flossers used a holding device—only 15% preferred doing without the aid. Then incorporate flossing into your morning routine before or after brushing.

Eating late at night

Adding those extra calories before bed does serious damage to your weight and you may not sleep well later, thus affecting your energy level the next day.  Snacking late at night can also exacerbate symptoms for those prone to heartburn, as lying down after eating makes it easier for stomach acid to flow into the esophagus. 

Often late night cravings are due to boredom and not hunger, says Pamela Peeke, MD, author of Fit to Live. Once the craving hits focus on an activity that engages you until it’s time to go to sleep, such as e-mail, a crossword puzzle, or meditation. It’s also common for people to chow down while watching TV. In fact, a study from the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago found that people who were allowed to eat as many potato chips as they wanted ate 44% more chips while watching TV.  Keep your hands busy while you watch by folding laundry, using your phone, or knitting.  By first understanding that you are hungry because you are bored and being proactive and keeping yourself busy, you can avoid the late night purges.

Smoking

We know all the health risks associated with smoking such as heart attack, lung cancer, emphysema, and cancer of the mouth, throat, stomach, bladder, kidney, and cervix, but here’s one you might not have considered: money. The cost of one pack plus taxes averages $4.50, so if you smoke a pack a day, you’re turning a close to $2000 a year into nothing but smoke, disease and cancer.

To help stop smoking, ask your doctor about drugs that can help kick-start your quitting process and help you combat cravings and withdrawal. Even if you’ve tried (and failed) before, there are new drugs and new attitudes to help stop you from smoking.  For instance, Zyban, an antidepressant, helps reduce psychological withdrawal symptoms such as frustration, restlessness, anxiety, and irritability. Chantix blocks the effects of nicotine on your brain, which helps reduce cravings. According to a study, 44% of smokers were able to quit after 12 weeks using Chantix, and another study showed that Zyban was nearly twice as effective as a nicotine patch in helping smokers quit.

The sun

The sun’s ultra violet rays damage your skin’s DNA, increasing your risk of skin cancer.  Too much sun is also responsible for sunspots, sagging skin, and wrinkles. In fact, as much as 90% of wrinkles, brown spots, and sagging are caused by sun damage, according to the American Skin Association.

Other experts recommend getting at least 20 minutes of sunlight each day to increase your body’s Vitamin D, but make sure you wear sunscreen every day, including during winter. The skin cancer foundation recommends applying 1 ounce of SPF 15 sunscreen with UVA and UVB protection to your entire body 30 minutes before going outside on a typical day, and then reapply every 2 hours. If you’re spending the day outdoors, wear a wide-brimmed hat and cover exposed skin with clothing, preferably with built-in sunscreen.

SOURCE:  http://shine.yahoo.com/event/newyear/5-habits-to-break-in-2010-555884/