Report: Cigarette Smuggling Funds Terrorist Groups:

A new report by the U.S.-based Center for Public Integrity finds that cigarette and tobacco smuggling funds militant groups like the Taliban.

Study: Tobacco Linked to Brain Damage:

New research has found a direct link between tobacco use and brain damage.

Obama Says His Nicotine Addiction is '95 Percent Cured':

President Barack Obama told reporters that while he is almost totally over his smoking addiction, quitting remains a constant struggle.

Cobra Venom Drug Stops Growth of Lung Cancer Cells:

A group of Italian investigators has found that an anti-cancer agent called α-CBT -- derived from cobra venom -- inhibited the growth of lung-cancer cells and increased the survival time of mice infected with human lung cancer.

Healthcare Reform Must Prioritize Treatment for Addictions, Mental Health, Report Says :

Any effort to reform the U.S. healthcare system must make behavioral healthcare a priority, treat the "whole person" not just disease symptoms, and eliminate the stigma and system fragmentation that stand in the way of patients seeking treatment and preventative services, according to a consensus statement issued by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

Manufacturers Secretly Alter Cigarettes :

Cigarette companies have made significant design changes to their brands over the years -- resulting in differences in the amount of tobacco, smoke chemistry, and nicotine delivery -- without informing consumers of the changes, according to researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH).

Huge Salaries for L.A. Treatment Executives Challenged:

Tarzana Treatment Centers, an L.A.-based nonprofit drug-treatment program that receives millions in annual government contracts to provide services, is raising eyebrows because of its top executives' generous salaries, compensation packages and business arrangements.

FDA Tobacco Bill Signed Into Law:

At a Rose Garden ceremony, President Barack Obama signed into law long-sought legislation that will give the U.S. Food and Drug Administration the power to regulate tobacco products.

Study Sees Strong Links Between Smoking Prevention, Mortality :

Smoking prevalence and related deaths are far lower in communities that have taken the most concrete steps to prevent tobacco use among individuals and in public places, according to researchers.

38th Annual Summer Clinical Institute in Addiction Studies:

The University of California, San Diego, Center for Criminality & Addiction Research, Training & Application (CCARTA) kicks off its 38th annual Summer Clinical Institute with international and national research scientists and clinical experts, August 4-6, 2009.

New Tobacco Regulation Violates First Amendment Rights, Critics Say:

Opponents of the tobacco-regulation bill passed by Congress last week say the measure infringes upon their free-speech rights by outlawing legal advertising and cutting off communication with adults.

Will FDA Eventually Ban Menthol Cigarettes? :

As legislation allowing the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) power to regulate tobacco products clears Congress, some tobacco experts are focusing on the potential for the agency to use its new powers to ban menthol cigarettes.

School-Based Prevention Cuts Drug Use, Violence, NIDA Says:

Fifth-grade students who took part in comprehensive, interactive school-based prevention programs starting as early as first grade were half as likely as their peers to use alcohol or other drugs, act out violently, or engage in sexual activity, according to a new study from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).

Senate, House Approve FDA Tobacco Bill:

The U.S. Senate and House have voted in favor of a bill that would give the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the authority to regulate tobacco and imposes new restrictions on tobacco marketing and ingredients.

Few Countries Put Health Warnings on Tobacco Products, CDC Finds:

Health warnings placed on tobacco product packages are effective, but few countries have adopted an international treaty that mandates such warnings.

Regulation Uneven as E-Cigarettes Gain Popularity:

New smokeless, electronic cigarettes have become increasingly popular in the U.S., with smokers buying the devices online even as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has intercepted some shipments of the products, saying that they are unapproved drug-delivery devices.

CDC Head Faces New Challenges in Fighting Smoking:

The man who spearheaded New York City's successful battle against smoking will face a much different political landscape as he takes the helm at the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Tobacco Allies' Alternative to FDA Bill Rejected:

A proposed substitute for the Senate's tobacco-regulation bill was rejected on a 60-36 vote, and the Senate is now poised to approve the landmark regulatory measure.

Tobacco Industry Has Few Friends Left in Congress:

The U.S. tobacco industry, which once had the power to block most federal legislation it did not like, has lost most of its allies on Capitol Hill apart from a handful of lawmakers from traditional tobacco states.

Heaviest Smokers at Increased Lung-Cancer Death Risk :

Smoking intensity may predict lung-cancer mortality, according to new research from West Virginia University.

Tobacco Company to Test Effectiveness of 'Less Toxic' Cigarettes:

British American Tobacco (BAT) is testing the effectiveness of new cigarettes that the company claims emit less-toxic smoke.

Study: Children More Likely to Smoke if Mothers Smoked While Pregnant:

New research from the University of Arizona suggests that children are 'primed' to become regular smokers as teenagers if their mothers smoked during pregnancy.

Mass. Anti-Smoking Program Helps Medicaid Recipients Quit:

A Massachusetts smoking-cessation program for participants in the state Medicaid program has helped 33,000 people stop smoking.

Louisiana House Rejects Smoking Ban:

The Louisiana House of Representatives shot down legislation that would have banned smoking in bars and gambling facilities.

Jury Orders RJR to Pay $30 Million to Widow of Florida Smoker:

Cigarette maker R.J. Reynolds has been ordered to pay $30 million to the widow of a Florida man who died from lung cancer, another in a string of verdicts against the tobacco industry.

Senate Starts Floor Debate on FDA Tobacco Bill:

The U.S. Senate has voted 84-11 in favor of beginning debate on a bill that would give the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the power to regulate tobacco products.