Steven W. Gust

Physiologic and subjective changes from smokeless tobacco withdrawal

This study prospectively examined withdrawal symptoms in persons using Copenhagen smokeless tobacco and in persons smoking cigarettes. Smokeless tobacco chewers (N = 16) and cigarette smokers (N = 11) were examined during a 6‐day period, during which time a number of measures were administered. Subjects used smokeless tobacco or smoked cigarettes on an ad libitum basis for a 3‐day baseline period and then underwent tobacco deprivation. The significant changes that occurred relative to baseline after smokeless tobacco deprivation included decreased heart rate and orthostatic pulse change and increased craving for tobacco, confusion, eating, number of awakenings, and total scores on a withdrawal symptoms checklist for both self‐rated and observer‐rated measures. There were more changes and changes of greater severity among cigarette smokers.

Does cigarette nicotine yield affect puff volume

Subjects smoked cigarettes that were similar except for their mean nicotinic yields. Total smoke exposure was found to be inversely related to nicotine content. As nicotine yield decreased, puff volume, puff duration, number of puffs, and carbon monoxide boost increased. Smoking low‐nicotine cigarettes may increase exposure to other harmful smoke constituents.

Temporal Patterns of Smoking Topography in the Natural Environment

Temporal patterns of smoking topography were studied in the natural environment. Six smokers smoked all cigarettes over a 10-day period using a small portable electronic recording device which allowed the measurement of a number of aspects of smoking topography. When the data were averaged in 2-hour blocks across the 10-day smoking period, all subjects except one showed differences in smoking topography as a function of time of day. There was considerable intersubject variability in the aspects of smoking topography which varied over the smoking day, and subjects also differed in the pattern of changes seen.

Relation of puff volume to other topographical measures of smoking.

Puff volume, puff duration, interpuff interval, cigarette interval, puffing rate, and number of puffs per cigarette were recorded in eight normally smoking subjects during five daily one-hour laboratory sessions. Topographical measures showed wide variability across subjects, but measures were relatively stable within subjects. Puff volume was significantly positively correlated with puff duration for five subjects. As the cigarette was smoked, puff duration remained relatively constant, while puff volume decreased systematically and interpuff interval increased initially and then decreased.

The Minnesota Plan for Nonsmoking and Health: The Legislative Experience

The Minnesota Department of Health has successfully introduced nonsmoking legislation which was enacted by the Minnesota Legislature in June, 1985. The legislation raises the excise tax on tobacco products and appropriates a percentage of the excise tax revenues to fund multiple programs comprising a coordinated nonsmoking initiative. Specific appropriations fund statewide tobacco-use prevention curricula targeted for adolescents; a continuum of nonsmoking education from kindergarten through grade 12; a multi-media public education and communications campaign; competitive special project grants to community health service agencies and nonprofit organizations for community-level and statewide smoking prevention programs; and peer-reviewed program evaluation.The launch point for the legislation was a comprehensive statewide smoking control plan, developed by an expert committee with wide-ranging expertise. Support for the legislation was enhanced through coalition-building among organizations concerned with the health and economic effects of cigarette smoking. Detailed health and economic impact arguments, using Minnesota data, provided a clear problem statement, key points of testimony, and compelling justification for nonsmoking legislation.

Recording puff volume in smoking

Recent research on nicotine self-administration has highlighted the need to accurately assess within-cigarette topography in order to estimate changes in puff profiles that occur in response to varying nicotine content. This paper describes equipment and techniques that may be used to record puff volume in the laboratory and discusses methods used by other researchers to study puff volume with an emphasis on methodological advantages of the present technique.

Smoking behavior of type A and type B smokers

Retrospective surveys have compared smoking between Type A and Type B individuals; however, prospective studies using objective measures have not been reported. In Study 1, we used an ambulatory smoking recorder to compare the smoking behavior of Type A and Type B smokers. Individual smoking behaviors and the derived tobacco and nicotine exposures were similar for Type A and Type B smokers. In Study 2, we compared serum nicotine before and after smoking a cigarette between Type A and Type B smokers. Pre-cigarette and post-cigarette nicotine levels and nicotine boost were similar for Type A and Type B smokers. We conclude that Type A and Type B smokers do not differ in smoking behavior or tobacco and nicotine intake.