Ciggyfree Blog & Gov Alert

Cigarette smoke (CS) is the most preventable cause of death and chronic disease in the United States. In addition to being a risk factor for atherosclerosis and cancer, recent epidemiologic studies suggest that cigarette smoke promotes the progression of kidney disease.The mechanisms by which cigarette smoke may accelerate some types of chronic kidney disease are currently unknown. A new study, being published by the American Physiological Society (http://www.the-aps.org/), demonstrates for the first time that human mesangial cells (MC) – cells in the blood vessels of the kidneys – are endowed with nicotinic receptors (nAChRs) ?4, ?5, ?7, ?2, ?3, ?4 and ?5 (cells that interact with the nicotine in tobacco) and may play an active role in the development of certain kidney diseases.

I am not sure when zzyzx will be around again. Hoping that you all have a safe and happy weekend. I’ll be in Vermont.

~robbster

I was half-an-hour late getting to Nicogel. It was so difficult to find I almost gave up, eventually crossing a muddy yard and discovering a well-hidden door, the name of the company so small, you’d think they had something to hide.

Far from it. Nicogel turns out to be spectacular.

Take the following ingredients: the world’s first new tobacco product in 300 years, yet not a health-threat, a company which started only three years ago and is already worth more than £100m, sales in 42 countries, and an even more stupendous product on the starting block.

To start at the beginning. The Nicogel offices are as unpromising inside as out; boss, founder and sole-owner John Walters is sitting in a very cramped office, but we go through to a tiny meeting room where an electric fire circa 1950s threatens to singe my skirt, which reminds me, one of the workers was outside having a fag when I arrived, obviously a case of cobblers shoes.

Dr Walters, 39, has never smoked, but he has absorbed plenty of nicotine and all the rest in the discovery and development of his product, an odourless gel that you rub into your hands instead of smoking a cigarette.

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I am sure glad the Christmas holiday is over. Not only is it a real busy time of the year, but it’s a huge smoking trigger for me. I have a lot of smoking memories involving the good old holiday season.

I did make it through without smoking. The urges to smoke were not so strong I could not resist them. I would describe the cravings as unorganized and weak. Not that they didn’t bother me any, but I was never in any real danger of actually smoking.

I have learned that I can survive even the football bowl-game season without smoking. That’s a significant step forward for me. All that football – and not even one puff of one cigarette.

At the beginning of the holiday season, I anticipated a lot of trouble with strong cravings and compulsive smoking thoughts. Well none of that happened. I got too busy to remember to fantasize about smoking, and the cravings never lasted.

Even though I got through what I thought would be a difficult time with no real problems, I don’t feel like I accomplished much. I guess I am expecting myself to not smoke. My attitude is that I am not a smoker anymore – and not smoking feels normal to me now.

That may be the only normal thing about me.

Zzyzx