| CODE | IHC2015 | ||||||||||||
| TITLE | Smoking, Tobacco, Nicotine and Health | ||||||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 02 - Years 2, 3 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 5 | ||||||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 2 | ||||||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Faculty of Health Sciences | ||||||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit provides a comprehensive exploration of smoking, tobacco, and nicotine, focusing on their health and social impacts, addiction mechanisms, and societal implications. Students will gain an in-depth understanding of tobacco products and usage trends; the immediate short and long term physical and mental health risks and complications associated with smoking; the processes, mechanisms and challenges of nicotine addiction; and the effects of second-hand smoke. The unit also covers strategies for quitting tobacco, examines global and local tobacco control policies, and promotes health advocacy and prevention strategies to create a smoke-free future. This study-unit aims to ensure that students gain a holistic and comprehensive understanding of the multifaceted issues related to smoking, tobacco, and nicotine, and are equipped and empowered to contribute to public health initiatives and tobacco control efforts. Study-unit Aims: The aims of the study-unit are to: - Provide Comprehensive Knowledge: Equip students with a thorough understanding of tobacco products, their usage, new trends in tobacco smoking and nicotine delivery systems including e-cigarettes, as well as the historical context of tobacco consumption; - Highlight Health Risks: Educate students on the severe short and long term physical health consequences of smoking, including respiratory diseases, cancer, and cardiovascular issues; - Understand Nicotine Addiction: Explore the mechanisms of nicotine addiction, its impact on mental health, and the challenges associated with withdrawal; - Raise Awareness of Second-hand Smoke: Examine the detrimental effects of second-hand smoke on non-smokers, particularly vulnerable groups like children and pregnant women; - Promote Quitting Strategies: Discuss the psychological aspects of quitting tobacco, the health benefits of cessation, and effective strategies for quitting, including behavioral therapies and support systems; - Analyze Tobacco Control Policies: Investigate global and local tobacco control policies, such as the World Health Organization's (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), and their effectiveness in reducing tobacco use; - Encourage Health Promotion: Foster discussions on advocacy, community support, and the role of young people in tobacco control efforts to create a smoke-free future. Learning Outcomes: Knowledge & Understanding By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Identify and Describe different types of tobacco products and their usage statistics; - Trace and Discuss the historical development and cultural significance of tobacco use; - Explain the physical health consequences of smoking, including respiratory diseases, cancer, and cardiovascular issues; - Understand and Analyze the mechanisms of nicotine addiction and its impact on mental health; - Identify the withdrawal symptoms associated with nicotine addiction and their effects on the body; - Examine the health risks of second-hand smoke exposure, particularly for children and pregnant women; - Discuss the psychological aspects of quitting tobacco and the immediate and long-term health benefits of cessation; - Explore and Evaluate various strategies for quitting tobacco, including behavioral therapies, support groups, medication, and quit plans; - Analyze global and local tobacco control policies, such as the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), and their effectiveness; - Engage in Discussions about advocacy, community support, and the role of young people in tobacco control efforts to create a smoke-free future. Skills By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Critically Evaluate scientific literature and data related to tobacco use and its health impacts; - Communicate Effectively about the health risks of smoking and second-hand smoke to diverse audiences, including peers, community members, and policymakers; - Apply Analytical Skills to assess the effectiveness of various tobacco control policies and cessation strategies; - Develop and Implement comprehensive quit plans tailored to individual needs, incorporating behavioral therapies and support mechanisms; - Advocate for Public Health by participating in community support initiatives and promoting tobacco control measures; - Collaborate with peers in group discussions to explore innovative solutions for tobacco control and health promotion; - Demonstrate Problem-Solving Abilities in addressing challenges related to nicotine addiction and smoking cessation; - Engage in Reflective Practice to understand personal and societal attitudes towards smoking and tobacco use; - Employ Transferable Skills such as critical thinking, communication, teamwork, and advocacy in various professional and academic contexts. Main text and any supplementary readings: Main text: - Royal College of Physicians. Nicotine without smoke: Tobacco harm reduction. 2016. https://www.rcp.ac.uk/media/xcfal4ed/nicotine-without-smoke_0.pdf - The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO, 2003; WHO, 2005). https://fctc.who.int/convention - WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control : guidelines for implementation article 5.3, article 8, articles 9 and 10, article 11, article 12, article 13, article 14. (2013 edition.). (2013). World Health Organization. Available in Library HD9130.6 .W46 2013 - Healey, J. (2011). Tobacco smoking (1st ed.). Spinney Press. Available in Library HV5740 .T63 2011 - Berridge, V., Bayer, R., Fairchild, A. L., Hall, W., Hall, W., Bayer, R., Fairchild, A. L., & Berridge, V. (2023). E-Cigarettes and the Comparative Politics of Harm Reduction: History, Evidence, and Policy (1st ed.). Springer Nature. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-23658-7 Supplementary Readings: - Siddiqi, K., Husain, S., Vidyasagaran, A. et al. Global burden of disease due to smokeless tobacco consumption in adults: an updated analysis of data from 127 countries. BMC Med 18, 222 (2020). - Afolalu, E.F., Spies, E., Bacso, A. et al. Impact of tobacco and/or nicotine products on health and functioning: a scoping review and findings from the preparatory phase of the development of a new self-report measure. Harm Reduct J 18, 79 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12954-021-00526-z - Khouja JN, Sanderson E, Wootton RE, Taylor AE, Church BA, Richmond RC, et al. (2024) Estimating the health impact of nicotine exposure by dissecting the effects of nicotine versus non-nicotine constituents of tobacco smoke: A multivariable Mendelian randomisation study. PLoS Genet 20(2): e1011157. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1011157 - Jackson SE, Hill E, Shahab L, Beard E, Michie S, Brown J. Prevalence and correlates of long-term e-cigarette and nicotine replacement therapy use: a prospective study in England. BMJ Open. 2019;9(10):e029252. Epub 2019/10/13. pmid:31604784; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6797372. - Shahab L, Dobbie F, Hiscock R, McNeill A, Bauld L. Prevalence and Impact of Long-term Use of Nicotine Replacement Therapy in UK Stop-Smoking Services: Findings From the ELONS Study. Nicotine Tob Res. 2017;20(1):81–8. Epub 2016/09/25. pmid:27664995; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5896546. - Lee PN, Fariss MW. A systematic review of possible serious adverse health effects of nicotine replacement therapy. Arch Toxicol. 2017;91(4):1565–94. Epub 2016/10/05. pmid:27699443; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5364244. - Liu MZ, Jiang Y, Wedow R, Li Y, Brazel DM, Chen F, et al. Association studies of up to 1.2 million individuals yield new insights into the genetic etiology of tobacco and alcohol use. Nat Genet. 2019;51(2):237–+. WOS:000457314300010. pmid:30643251 - Buchwald J, Chenoweth MJ, Palviainen T, Zhu G, Benner C, Gordon S, et al. Genome-wide association meta-analysis of nicotine metabolism and cigarette consumption measures in smokers of European descent. Mol Psychiatry. 2020. Epub 2020/03/12. pmid:32157176; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7483250 - West R. Tobacco smoking: Health impact, prevalence, correlates and interventions. Psychol Health. 2017;32(8):1018–36. Epub 2017/05/30. pmid:28553727; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5490618 - Jayes L, Haslam PL, Gratziou CG, Powell P, Britton J, Vardavas C, et al. SmokeHaz: Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses of the Effects of Smoking on Respiratory Health. Chest. 2016;150(1):164–79. Epub 2016/04/23. pmid:27102185 - Millard LAC, Munafò MR, Tilling K, Wootton RE, Davey Smith G. MR-pheWAS with stratification and interaction: Searching for the causal effects of smoking heaviness identified an effect on facial aging. PLOS Genetics. 2019;15(10):e1008353. pmid:31671092 - Benowitz NL, Burbank AD. Cardiovascular toxicity of nicotine: Implications for electronic cigarette use. Trends Cardiovasc Med. 2016;26(6):515–23. Epub 2016/04/16. pmid:27079891; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4958544. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture and Tutorial | ||||||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Roderick Bugeja |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2025/6. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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