Smoking & Tobacco Control
AMA hosts release of updated guidelines for tobacco cessation
On May 7, 2008 the AMA hosted leaders in the field of tobacco at its headquarters in Chicago to present the 2008 Update to the Public Health Service Clinical Practice Guideline: Treating Tobacco Use an Dependence. Despite tremendous reductions in tobacco use, it still remains the number one preventable cause of death in the United States. The AMA endorses the guidelines and will be working to educate physicians on the availability of this valuable resource. According to a Partnership for Prevention report, providing smokers with advice and help in quitting is one of the top five most cost-effective preventative services.
The group of more than 100 medical and health care professionals were welcomed by Dr. Michael Maves, AMA Executive Vice President. Former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. C. Everett Koop offered comments, as did former AMA President Dr. Ron Davis.
Also read Dr. Davis' letter.
Screen Out!
AMA and AMA Alliance, the largest volunteer arm of the AMA representing the families of medicine, are currently engaged in Screen Out!, a three year public awareness campaign with the ultimate goal of getting tobacco out of youth-rated films. Experts estimate that movies with tobacco imagery influence more than one third of all new teen smokers to start.
Take action Sign our online petition urging the Motion Picture Association of America to remove all smoking imagery from new G, PG and PG-13 movies. To learn more about this campaign or to get involved, please visit the Screen Out! Web site.
AMA activities
Tobacco is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States; exposure to secondhand smoke is the third leading cause of death. Tobacco use is a contributor to every chronic disease including diabetes, asthma and heart problems. The American Medical Association (AMA) has historically been an active supporter of passage of clean indoor air laws, increases in excise taxes on tobacco products, and other restrictions on tobacco use, promotion and advertising. The AMA supports the use of clinical interventions and treatments to reduce smoking and helps physicians to help their patients avoid exposure to secondhand smoke and to quit smoking and other tobacco use. Smoking cessation is also one of the four major behavior changes encouraged through the AMA's Healthy Lifestyles Initiative, along with reducing excess alcohol use, encouraging increased physical activity and improved nutrition.
AMA smoking cessation and other tobacco control activities are housed in the Office of Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug Abuse Prevention in the Healthy Lifestyles Division. Federal laws and regulations and international tobacco control activities are also address by the AMA Advocacy staff.
Current activities include development and dissemination of tools for physicians to help patients to quit smoking and two cooperative agreements with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop education and audiovisual resources for physicians to counsel people on the health risks associated with and ways to avoid secondhand smoke exposure. A special focus is to decrease the exposure to secondhand smoke among low income patients and children with asthma and other negative health impacts from exposure.
