Ireland was the first country to every ban workplace smoking within its borders, and they implemented the law in 2004. Within one year, the incidence of heart attacks fell by a whopping 10%. Health experts say that Ireland's success should be encouraging for other countries thinking of similar laws. In May, the World Health Association recommended a worldwide ban on workplace smoking and all indoor public places. That's certainly an ambitious goal, but maybe if more countries follow Ireland's lead, public smoking will finally become a thing of the past. What do you think?

I'll admit, when I was a kid, I was allowed to eat candy "cigarettes," those little sugar sticks with red tips that came in a box that looked like a pack of cigarettes ... or the gum that had powder under the wrapper so you could blow on it to create puffs of smoke. That was back in the day, and now that the dangers of smoking are so well known, I had assumed that these candies were no longer manufactured.

No such luck! Candy and gum resembling tobacco products are still available -- as I quickly found out when my 5 year old (who thinks smoking is gross) thought it was so cool to find a candy pack and tell me that he had cigarettes.

My thought is that these candies are undermining nationwide efforts to prevent tobacco among youth. However, I also have to admit that eating these candies never enticed me into becoming an actual smoker. Never, not once, did I ever have the urge to try a cigarette regardless of my exposure. Still, I believe for the most part that it does give the message that tobacco is cool and fun.

What do you think about candy-tobacco products?

If you're trying to quit smoking and are considering hypnosis as a way of doing it then consider this: men have better luck than women. Ohio State University recently did a study, and according to their report men get a slightly better benefit than women when using hypnosis to quit smoking -- men had about a 30% success rate while women came in at only 23%.

So why the difference? Experts think it has less to do with the hypnosis itself and more to do with the fact that women in general have a harder time quitting than men, no matter what method they use. Why is that?

Hypertension is common today, and nearly 1/3 of adults suffering from the condition. Though medication can help to bring your blood pressure back in line, according to Dr. Andrew Weil, there are other natural methods you can try as well that may eventually allow you to reduce or stop your medication altogether (under the supervision of your doctor, of course). Some of his suggestions include:

• losing 10% of your total weight
• limiting caffeine and alcohol
• eliminating cigarettes
• reducing salt and processed foods

Dr. Weil also believes that relaxation techniques, including yoga and breathing exercises, can help calm the involuntary nervous system. Read more about relaxation techniques for controlling blood pressure here at Mayo Clinic.

New research shows that raised blood pressure can be added to the list of negative side-effects babies get from their mother when she smokes during pregnancy. 456 healthy full-term babies were tested at 2 months of age and those with mothers who smoked during pregnancy had higher blood pressures on average than those whose mothers did not smoke. The higher blood pressure readings did not seem linked necessarily to low birth weight, the mother's age, or whether or not the babies were breast-fed, and follow-up studies will need to be done to see if the negative blood pressure effect stays with the children as they grow up.

The big buzz this summer is about vitamin D -- mainly, our lack of it. You can get vitamin D through food or by spending just a few minutes (sans sunscreen) in the sun each day. It's been linked to cancer prevention and most recently to multiple sclerosis, and over at That's Fit, I recently read that not it's also being linked to blood pressure.

According to a recent report out the NHANES III, a study that followed over 12,000 adults over six years found that those with the lowest amounts of vitamin D in their body had blood pressure readings that were slightly higher than those who had more vitamin D upon testing. Larger studies need to be done to confirm that the link exists.

If you do choose to go out in the sun to get your vitamin D, keep in mind that 2-10 minutes is usually enough for most people and that vitamin D can also be obtained through foods like salmon, tuna, milk, and liver.

Disney has been making a conscious effort to keep its image squeaky clean this past year. Last summer the mammoth company split ties with McDonald's by refusing to participate in the Happy Meal promotions featuring Disney toys. Now the multimedia company has decided that smoking will no longer be featured in its movies. This no tolerance policy comes on the heals of other movie companies considering smoking to be unacceptable on the big screen.

This move is seen as groundbreaking by many in the movie industry. While smoking has long been controversial in movies, never before has a company flat out declared that smoking is 100% not welcome. Disney is hoping that more movie companies will follow their lead.

Just when you think you've seen it all, something comes along that blows the rest out of the water. Such is the case with the Coughing Screaming ashtray. The ashtray features a pair of pink, disturbingly real looking lungs on which to rest a cigarette. When they feel the pressure of the cigarette, they container emits coughs and screams.

The ashtray is sort of akin to the concept of taping a picture of a pig to your refrigerator when trying to diet. If you are bent on eating ice cream, the picture will not be a deterrent. But if you are motivated, that extra reminder is a great bit of support.

This might not be a great gift for just anybody. But if you know somebody who is trying to kick the habit but who just needs an extra bit of incentive, this might be a fabulous reminder for them.

Office smoking areas are notoriously drab and plain -- purely functional, with little decor besides places to stand and sit, and of course ashtrays everywhere. And the walls always have that yellowish hue and there's usually a token air freshener in the corner pathetically battling the noxious fumes.

I sympathize with smokers because it is a really tough habit to break, but maybe this paint job on the walls and ceiling would help. There's nothing like being reminded of the consequences of such a bad habit by feeling like you're buried alive every time you light up! And while you're remodeling it might be fun to replace the regular ashtrays with these that cough and scream every time they get used. That smoking area will be fun times! (Sorry smokers, it's for your own good!)

Nothing says sexy like a long, brown Pall Mall cigarette hanging out of someone's mouth. Oh wait, my bad, I meant that nothing says "bad breath, bad teeth, and a shortened life expectancy" than that same scenario.

If I seem harsh about smoking, I'm sorry. Coming from a family of smokers - but not being one - I live in constant fear of my loved one's health and spend too much time questioning why they, and millions of people worldwide, would purposely do something so unhealthy. "It's a stress release" - yeah, I've heard that one before. "I only smoke when I drink" - yup, heard that one, too. "It's just too tough to quit" - aahh, a reason that at least has some merit. But, what all the smokers out there might not know is that there are actually certain foods that will help you quit (and no, this isn't the part where I try to get all cute and tell you that one of those foods is Cold Turkey).

Based on a study published in the journal (strangely enough) Nicotine & Tobacco Research, smokers claim that fruits, vegetables, juice, and dairy products combine the worst with the flavor of their cigarette. By contrast, caffeinated beverages and alcohol seem to be flavor enhancers.

At least that explains the whole "I only smoke when I drink" excuse.

Here's reason number 2,432,289,908,118,001 not to smoke:

Studies held at the University of Nottingham have confirmed the earlier discovery that not only does smoking increase a person's risk of heart disease, cancer and stroke, but it also contributes to the loss of muscle mass in old age.

Already established research had connected long-term smoking to a predisposition for an accelerated decline in physical function and loss of Independence in older age. This new study builds upon these findings, adding not only supporting evidence of this degenerative effect of smoking, but also how it actually occurs. It turns out that smoking is likely to speed up a condition known as sarcopenia -- the loss of muscle mass with aging. This, in turn, also increases a person's risk of falls, fractures, and a reduction in gait speed and motor control.

The full paper on this research can be found in the online version of the American Journal of Physiology.

IGNITE is the brain child of Katherine Klem who conceived the idea of a youth oriented group that could be involved in fighting Big Tobacco. As Klem was taking notes in a high school class she wondered just why there was no voice for her generation in the deadly battle of cigarette marketing to kids. Today IGNITE has grown into a country wide organization that is supported by government officials hoping to get Big Tobacco out of the political scene.

IGNITE offers young people a chance to be heard. The organization offers empowerment to America's youth by giving them a chance to fight Big Tobacco at the local and state wide levels. By informing kids just how deeply the tobacco companies are buried in activities such as campaign contributions and special interest groups, a more media savvy generation will be able to make more informed decisions about whether or not to take up smoking.

For more information on this worthy cause, click here.

Though signs are plastered all over convenience store counters and registers warning that IDs will be checked, it appears that gas stations are still the easiest place for minors to buy a back of cigarettes. Compliance checks, which are required for states to receive federal substance abuse funding, found that 1 in 10 teens could buy cigarettes at convenience stores. A smaller percentage were able to purchase cigarettes at tobacco stores, restaurants, and grocery stores. Teen cashiers were more likely to sell to other teens than older employees.

One theory is that the distraction of gas sales causes employees to be less diligent about checking IDs. When IDs were checked during the study, the sale was less likely to be made. Obviously, there are other ways for teens to get their smokes, but cracking down on places where they are most likely to buy them seems like one easy way to curb teen smoking.

Ever stopped to wonder just what it is exactly that is rolled up into a cigarette? I have always pictured happy, green tobacco leaves with a sun dried crispness to them. But I recently visited a site that reveals the far more sinister side to cigarette contents. Among other things cigarettes harbor some of the following toxins:

• Arsenic. A common ingredient of rat poison. Arsenic is a known human carcinogen.
• Isoprene: An ingredient in rubber. It causes eye irritations.
• Hydroquinone: Found in paints and varnishes. This ingredient causes severe eye injuries and negatively effects the central nervous system.
• Acetone: The main ingredient in paint thinners. Acetone causes liver and kidney damage.

When listed on their own they don't make such an appetizing menu. I can't imagine anybody who would willingly pour themselves a glass of paint thinner and chew on a side of arsenic, it would be a death sentence. So why roll them all into one concoction and inhale?

There's a new product out there just for women -- it's called Camel No. 9. What is it, you ask? A perfume? A line of clothing? A push-up bra? No, it's a women-oriented brand of cigarettes. And despite wide-spread smoking bans being implemented almost everywhere, it's all the rage, since the makers behind it are holding ladies' nights at bars across the country, giving away goody bags full of cigarettes.

I'm pretty anti-smoking so the thought of this makes me a bit ill. A friend of mine actually got hooked on smoking because she stayed at a resort that offered free cigarettes in the bar. And yet, soda companies don't get loads of flack for marketing soft drinks, which have been shown to contribute to obesity. Video game makers don't get told off for contributing to the lack of childhood activity. So is Camel really doing anything wrong?

Via Fitsugar