Hollywood legend Nick Nolte finally bins his tobacco habit

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Hollywood actor Nick Nolte has binned his bad smoking habit with the help of an “electronic” cigarette.

NN.jpgNick who has had more than his fair share of negative publicity over the years.
Who can forget his mad haired police mug-shot below following his 2002 arrest on suspicion of drink driving?
When blood tests revealed the presence of the date rape drug GHB, Nolte, who starred alongside Eddie Murphy in 48 Hours back in 1982, allegedly said, “I’ve been taking it for four years and I’ve never been raped yet.”

Now though it seems the 69 year old has put his well publicised battles with drink and drugs firmly behind him – and he’s even managed to kick tobacco into touch after taking up a SmokeStik.

Nolte, voted the ‘Sexiest Man Alive’ by People magazine in 1992, was given a SmokeStik, the world’s leading brand of electronic cigarette, six months ago and yesterday admitted it had helped him to quit the cigs.

In a statement Nolte said: “Using Smokestik is a real good way to get off the cigarette. If you have a relapse with regular cigarettes, immediately pick up the Smokestik.”

SmokeStik’s are battery operated devices which give smokers a nicotine hit without the need for harmful tobacco. They’ve been eagerly adopted by big name celebrities such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Lindsay Lohan, and Paris Hilton.

A spokesman said: “We are thrilled that Nick Nolte has become the latest celebrity to quit smoking thanks to SmokeStik.”

SmokeStiks release only an odourless vapour and are believed to be relatively healthy compared to traditional tobacco based cigarettes.

They are not restricted by the ban on smoking in public places and can be enjoyed in bars and restaurants – a factor which has led to many US smokers ditching tobacco in their favour.

The spokesman confirmed the product was selling well since its launch last year.

For more information please visit www.SmokeStikUSA.com

Non-smokers live longer

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London: Smoking matters more than money and class in determining how long you will live, researchers said.

Smokers from the highest social class are more likely to die early than non-smokers in the lowest class. And smoking also wipes out the longevity advantage that woman normally have over men.

The findings came from a massive study involving more than 15,000 men and women in Paisley and Renfrew. Carried out over the course of 28 years, the findings are reported today in the online edition of the British Medical Journal.

The researchers found that a well-off professional who smokes has a far lower survival rate than a non-smoking low-paid worker of the same sex. Among both men and women, smokers of all social classes ran a much higher risk of dying early than non-smokers from the lowest social classes.

“In essence, neither affluence nor being female offers a defence against the toxicity of tobacco,” said the researchers, led by Dr Laurence Gruer, director of public health science with NHS Health Scotland.

The findings also suggest there is little scope for reducing class-related health inequalities unless smoking rates in the lower social classes can be reduced.

The study began with 8,353 women and 7,049 men aged 45-64 in the early 1970s. These were then divided into 24 groups – male or female, smokers, ex-smokers or never-smokers – and all categorised in one of four social class headings.

After 28 years, 56% of non-smoking women and 36% of non-smoking men in the bottom two social classes were still alive – compared with only 41% of women smokers in the top two classes and 24% of men.

The researchers also found that most deaths from lung cancer were among smokers. There were 842 deaths from lung cancer – 5% of them among those who had never smoked, 9% amongst former smokers, and 86% among current smokers.

The researchers also found that the death rate for ex-smokers was similar to those who had never smoked, suggesting that quitting can make a significant difference regardless of status.