>>
Gary Walker: JUST AHEAD ON
"NEED TO KNOW," ATTENTION
SMOKERS OR FAMILIES OF
SMOKERS: THE AMERICAN CANCER
SOCIETY PREDICTS MORE THAN
83,000 NEW YORKERS WILL
DEVELOP SOME FORM OF CANCER
THIS YEAR DUE TO SMOKING.
NOW THE UNIVERSITY OF
ROCHESTER REPORTS NEW RESEARCH
ON WAYS TO PREVENT SMOKING'S
HARMFUL EFFECTS.
WE'LL TAKE YOU INSIDE THEIR
LABS AND TALK WITH
RESEARCHERS.
PLUS WE'LL GO BACK TO THE DAYS
WHEN HORSES RULED THE ROADS.
BUT FIRST, SMOKING RESEARCH.
THAT'S COMING UP NEXT ON "NEED
TO KNOW."
(Music)
>> THERE ARE MANY OTHER
CHEMICALS IN TOBACCO SMOKE
THAT CAUSE EFFECTS.
SO WE'RE JUST LOOKING AT A
VERY PARTICULAR PATHWAY THAT
CAUSES CANCER.
>> THIS IS "NEED TO KNOW," THE
ROCHESTER AREA'S ONLY IN-DEPTH
NEWS PROGRAM.
"NEED TO KNOW" IS A PRODUCTION
OF WXXI NEWS AND PUBLIC
AFFAIRS, COVERING ISSUES,
POLITICS, EDUCATION AND
CURRENT EVENTS.
>> "NEED TO KNOW" IS MADE
POSSIBLE BY THE DAISY MARQUIS
JONES FOUNDATION, BY DORSCHEL
LEXUS, AND THROUGH THE SUPPORT
OF VIEWERS LIKE YOU.
(Music)
>> Gary Walker: THANK YOU FOR
JOINING US.
I'M GARY WALKER.
LIGHT UP A CIGARETTE AND
SOMEBODY WILL PROBABLY RAISE
AN EYEBROW OR QUOTE A HEALTH
REPORT ABOUT THE DANGERS OF
SMOKING, AND LIKE IT OR NOT,
NEW DATA BACKS UP THEIR
STATEMENTS.
THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY
PREDICTS THAT 172,000 PEOPLE
ACROSS THE COUNTRY WILL DIE
THIS YEAR FROM TOBACCO-INDUCED
CANCERS.
THEY SAY 23% OF NEW YORK
ADULTS SMOKE, AND 30,700 DIE
EACH YEAR FROM SMOKING-RELATED
CANCERS.
MONROE COUNTY IS ONE OF TEN
NEW YORK STATE REGIONS WITH A
LUNG CANCER RATE AMONG MALES
MORE THAN DOUBLE THE EXPECTED
LEVEL.
MORE THAN 3,600 CASES OF
MALIGNANT CANCERS, MANY OF
THEM THE RESULT OF SMOKING,
WERE DIAGNOSED IN MONROE
COUNTY BETWEEN 1994 AND 1998.
BEYOND THE HUMAN TOLL, SMOKING
COMES WITH A MONETARY PRICE
TAG AS WELL: NEW YORK SPENDS
$6.6 BILLION A YEAR ON HEALTH
CARE FOR TOBACCO-RELATED
HEALTH PROBLEMS.
WE HAVE ALL HEARD A LOT ABOUT
THE SO-CALLED SAFE CIGARETTE.
THERE'S A LOT OF STUDIES BEING
DONE TO STOP THE DAMAGE
TOBACCO DOES TO THE BODY EVEN
IF YOU DON'T SMOKE.
AND THE U OF R IS RIGHT IN THE
FOREFRONT.
TWO SEPARATE TEAMS AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER
MEDICAL CENTER ARE EXAMINING
HOW THE HUMAN BODY RESPONDS TO
CIGARETTE SMOKE AND IN THE
PROCESS HOPING TO LEARN HOW TO
STOP GENE AND TISSUE DAMAGE
BEFORE IT STARTS.
"NEED TO KNOW'S" MATT CUMMINGS
BRINGS US THEIR DISCOVERIES.
>> Matt Cummings: AMANDA AND
RICK ARE BOTH LONGTIME
SMOKERS.
BOTH HAVE TRIED TO QUIT
SMOKING IN THE PAST, BUT BOTH
HAVE FAILED.
>> THE FIRST TIME WAS ABOUT
EIGHT MONTHS, AND THE SECOND
TIME -- WELL, I JUST TRIED
STARTING AGAIN.
>> I THINK IT'S ALL IN YOUR
HEAD, AND I THINK IT'S A PURE
HABIT, HABIT-FORMING.
>> Matt Cummings: ACCORDING TO
THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY,
SMOKING ACCOUNTS FOR AT LEAST
30% OF ALL CANCER DEATHS, AND
IT'S A MAJOR CAUSE OF HEART
DISEASE, EMPHYSEMA AND ULCERS.
>> THE LONG-TERM GOAL IS TO
PREVENT CANCER.
>> Matt Cummings: RESEARCHERS
AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER
ARE STUDYING WAYS TO PROTECT
US FROM SMOKING-RELATED
DISEASES.
>> FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS, WE
HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT SEVERAL
CHEMICALS THAT ACTUALLY BLOCK
THE EFFECTS OF TOBACCO SMOKE.
>> Matt Cummings: Dr. TOM
GASIEWICZ IS STUDYING HOW OVER
4,000 CHEMICALS FOUND IN
CIGARETTE SMOKE DAMAGE OUR
D.N.A.
AND MORE SPECIFICALLY, AN
ENZYME CALLED THE A.H.
RECEPTOR, LEADING TO SERIOUS
HEALTH PROBLEMS.
>> WHAT HAPPENS IS A CHEMICAL
LIKE DIOXIN COMES ALONG AND
BINDS TO THE RECEPTOR AND
TURNS ON THE NUMBER OF GENES,
LIKE A LIGHT SWITCH.
IT'S TOXIC BECAUSE IT'S
KEEPING THE LIGHT SWITCH IN
THE ON-POSITION ALL THE TIME,
WHEREAS IN NORMAL
CIRCUMSTANCES, THERE ARE
HORMONES AND OTHER SUBSTANCES
WHICH REGULATE THE SWITCH BY
TURNING IT OFF AND ON.
>> Matt Cummings: GASIEWICZ
SAYS STOPPING THAT D.N.A.
DAMAGE IS AN IMPORTANT STEP IN
PREVENTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF
CANCER.
HIS RESEARCH REVEALS SOME
PEOPLE CARRY ENZYMES THAT MAKE
THEM MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO
VARIOUS SMOKING-RELATED
CANCERS, WHETHER THEY SMOKE OR
NOT.
>> PEOPLE HAVE DIFFERENT
GENETIC DIFFERENCES IN THE WAY
CERTAIN ENZYME PROTEINS ARE
EXPRESSED, THE LEVEL OF
EXPRESSION, THE TIME THEY'RE
EXPRESSED.
AND SO IF WE FIND OUT THOSE
PARTICULAR PATHWAYS THAT ARE
INVOLVED IN CANCER BY A
CHEMICAL SMOKE, A TOBACCO
SMOKE, OR ANY OTHER MEANS, WE
CAN MAYBE BE ABLE TO FIND OUT
WHICH PEOPLE MAY BE MORE
SUSCEPTIBLE TO CERTAIN AGENTS
LIKE TOBACCO SMOKE.
>> Matt Cummings: AT THE SAME
TIME Dr. GASIEWICZ STUDIES HOW
SMOKING DAMAGES OUR D.N.A.,
Dr. RICHARD PHIPPS IS STUDYING
THE IMPACT OF CIGARETTE SMOKE
ON LUNG TISSUE.
>> ESSENTIALLY WE'RE
INTERESTED IN HOW CIGARETTE
SMOKE AFFECTS THE LUNG AND HOW
IT AFFECTS THE IMMUNE SYSTEM,
AND THE TWO ARE ACTUALLY VERY
CLOSELY RELATED.
>> Matt Cummings: PHIPPS SAYS
CIGARETTE SMOKE DAMAGES LUNG
TISSUE, INCREASING THE RISK OF
DEVELOPING ASTHMA AND LUNG
CANCER.
HE BELIEVES THE KEY TO
PREVENTING LUNG DAMAGE IS IN
HOW CIGARETTE SMOKE TRIGGERS
AN INCREASE IN THE BODY'S
PRODUCTION OF A SPECIFIC
ENZYME.
>> IT'S ALL AGAIN RELATED IN
PART TO THIS ENZYME CALLED
CYCLOOXYGENASE-2.
AGAIN, THE ENZYME ITSELF IS
NOT INTRINSICALLY BAD.
IT'S A NORMAL PART OF OUR
MAKEUP.
BUT THE PROBLEM BECOMES WHEN
IT'S CHRONICALLY STIMULATED.
>> Matt Cummings: THIS CHRONIC
STIMULATION BY CIGARETTE SMOKE
AGGRAVATES THE LUNGS AND
CAUSES AN OVERPRODUCTION OF
THE ENZYME CYCLOOXYGENASE-2.
PHIPPS SAYS THIS MAY BE THE
FIRST STEP IN THE DEVELOPMENT
OF LUNG CANCER.
BOTH DOCTORS GASIEWICZ AND
PHIPPS ARE EXAMINING THE
POTENTIAL OF CERTAIN CHEMICALS
FOUND IN ORDINARY FOODS.
CALLED FLAVONOIDS, THEY'RE
FOUND IN GRAPES, GREEN TEA,
BROCCOLI, CABBAGE AND OTHERS.
THEY BELIEVE THESE CHEMICALS
MAY HOLD A KEY TO PREVENTING
GENE AND TISSUE DAMAGE AND
PERHAPS CANCER AS A RESULT OF
SMOKING.
>> WE CAN ACTUALLY GIVE THESE
CHEMICALS TO ANIMALS AND GIVE
TOBACCO SMOKE AND CAUSE A
BLOCKAGE OF THE D.N.A. DAMAGE
BY TOBACCO SMOKE.
>> SO THOSE DRUGS THAT TOM IS
INTERESTED IN ALSO HAVE
IMPORTANT EFFECTS ON THE
STRUCTURAL CELLS OF THE LUNG
IN TERMS OF SORT OF TONING
THEM DOWN A LITTLE BIT SO THAT
THEY DON'T PRODUCE SO MUCH
INFLAMMATION.
>> Matt Cummings: WHILE THEIR
RESEARCH SHOWS PROMISE FOR ONE
DAY FINDING HOW TO PREVENT
SMOKING-RELATED ILLNESSES,
GASIEWCIZ AND PHIPPS SAY THE
BEST PREVENTION IS NOT TO
START.
>> YOU CAN GET RID OF 90% OF
LUNG CANCERS BY NOT SMOKING,
AS WELL AS A VARIETY OF OTHER
CANCERS OF THE THROAT AND THE
ESOPHAGUS, THE BLADDER AND
SOME IMMUNE MALIGNANCIES.
>> Matt Cummings: FOR AMANDA
AND RICK, THAT ADVICE GIVES
THEM THE HOPE THEY NEED.
>> I DO WANT TO BECOME A
NONSMOKER.
AND I DO THINK ABOUT IT QUITE
A BIT, ESPECIALLY WHEN I WAKE
UP IN THE MORNING COUGHING.
THAT HELPS.
(Music)
>> Gary Walker: TOBACCO USE IS
RESPONSIBLE FOR NEARLY ONE IN
FIVE DEATHS IN THE UNITED
STATES, MORE THAN ALCOHOL,
AIDS, CAR ACCIDENTS, ILLEGAL
DRUGS, AND MURDERS COMBINED.
OF GROWING CONCERN IN NEW YORK
STATE IS THE 33% OF HIGH
SCHOOL STUDENTS WHO SMOKE AND
THE 18.7 MILLION PACKS OF
CIGARETTES SOLD ILLEGALLY TO
KIDS IN THIS STATE EACH YEAR.
JOINING ME IN STUDIO TO
DISCUSS SMOKING RESEARCH
PROJECTS CURRENTLY UNDERWAY AT
THE UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER
ARE:
SCOTT McINTOSH.
HE IS THE DEPARTMENT OF
COMMUNITY AND PREVENTATIVE
MEDICINE AND ASSISTANT
DIRECTOR OF THE SMOKING
RESEARCH PROGRAM.
AND DARYL MINICUCCI.
SHE IS A REGISTERED NURSE AT
THE U OF R SCHOOL OF NURSING
AND IS CONDUCTING RESEARCH
INTO THE MOTIVATIONAL HABITS
OF SMOKERS.
THANK YOU BOTH FOR JOINING ME.
I WAS READING A REPORT SAYING
THAT SMOKING FROM 1965 TO THE
'90s DROPPED FROM 42% TO 25%,
AND IT HASN'T BUDGED SINCE
THEN.
SO CAN WE IMAGINE THAT THE ONE
OUT OF FOUR PEOPLE WHO DO
SMOKE, THESE 25%, THESE ARE
THE HARD-CORE, BOTTOM-LINE
PEOPLE WHO ARE JUST GOING TO
SMOKE?
>> YEAH, WE CAN'T CRACK THAT
25% BARRIER, BUT THERE IS HOPE
THAT IT'S STARTING TO DECLINE
A LITTLE BIT NOW ACTUALLY.
>> Gary Walker: IS THIS 25%
ACROSS THE BOARD OR IS IT
CLUSTERED IN ANY ONE
DEMOGRAPHIC OR ANY ONE AREA?
>> IT TENDS TO OCCUR WITH
FOLKS WHO MAY NOT BE AS
EDUCATED AS OTHER FOLKS AND
WITH LOWER SOCIOECONOMIC
LEVELS, SO IT'S INCREASINGLY
ASSOCIATED ALSO WITH PEOPLE
WHO LIVE IN POVERTY.
>> AND STILL IS AFFECTED BY
THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY'S
SUCCESSFUL CAMPAIGNS TO KEEP
PEOPLE SMOKING AND YOUNG KIDS
TO START.
>> Gary Walker: YOU STUDY
MOTIVATIONAL REASONS FOR
PEOPLE TO BEGIN AND TO QUIT
SMOKING.
SO MOTIVATIONALLY, WE
UNDERSTAND WHY PEOPLE MAYBE
GET STARTED, BUT
MOTIVATIONALLY, WHAT'S TO GET
THIS HARD-CORE 25% TO QUIT?
>> WELL, IT'S -- SMOKING IS
VERY DIFFICULT TO GIVE UP, AS
MOST PEOPLE KNOW.
>> Gary Walker: I CAN TELL
YOU, ABSOLUTELY.
>> AND ME TOO.
AND IT'S BECAUSE NICOTINE IS
-- IT'S EASY TO GET ADDICTED
TO NICOTINE, AND NICOTINE
HELPS PEOPLE CONCENTRATE; IT
HELPS PEOPLE TO RELAX, AND IT
CHANGES THE NEUROCHEMISTRY IN
OUR BRAINS, AND THAT'S WHAT
HELPS TO KEEP PEOPLE ADDICTED.
BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT THERE
ARE THINGS THAT CAN HELP
PEOPLE STOP SMOKING, AND MOST
PEOPLE WHO SMOKE WANT TO STOP
BUT ARE OFTENTIMES AT A LOSS
FOR HOW TO GO ABOUT STOPPING.
WE KNOW FROM LOTS OF STUDIES
THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL AREAS
THAT HELP PEOPLE DO THAT.
>> Gary Walker: I'M
PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN THE
WORK YOU'RE BOTH INVOLVED IN,
PARTICULARLY THE OLDER
DEMOGRAPHIC.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FOLKS OVER
50, AND THAT IS MANY OF YOU
WATCHING THIS PROGRAM.
BY OUR DEMOGRAPHICS WE KNOW
YOU'RE OUT THERE.
SO IF YOU'RE OVER 50 AND
SMOKE, SCOTT McINTOSH IS
LOOKING AT WAYS INTO FINDING
OUT WHY YOU SMOKE AND HOW TO
GET YOU TO QUIT.
WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE OVER-50?
FROM MY POINT OF VIEW, THESE
FOLKS HAVE PROBABLY BEEN
SMOKING FOR 30-PLUS YEARS
ALREADY, AND IN MY MIND,
THAT'S A PRETTY TOUGH NUT TO
CRACK.
WHY WOULD THEY WANT TO QUIT?
>> A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK,
"WELL, IT'S TOO LATE FOR ME.
I HAVE SMOKED FOR SO LONG AND
IT'S A HABIT.
I'M ADDICTED."
BUT IN FACT, MID-LIFE AND
OLDER SMOKERS, THOUGH THEY MAY
BE LESS LIKELY TO MAKE AN
INITIAL ATTEMPT TO QUIT OR TO
MAKE A SERIOUS ATTEMPT, THEY
HAPPEN TO BE MORE SUCCESSFUL
THAN YOUNGER COUNTERPARTS WHEN
THEY DO MAKE THAT ATTEMPT.
SO THE TRICK IS TO GET THEM TO
USE METHODS, AND NOT JUST ONCE
BUT MAYBE SEVERAL TIMES.
IT TAKES THE AVERAGE PERSON
SEVERAL SERIOUS QUIT ATTEMPTS
BEFORE THEY CAN QUIT FOR GOOD.
SO THE MESSAGE IS IT'S NEVER
TOO LATE.
>> Gary Walker: WHY FOCUS ON
THE 50-PLUS?
WHAT ABOUT THAT GROUP?
>> IT'S A VERY UNDERSTUDIED
AND UNDERSERVED POPULATION.
>> Gary Walker: REALLY?
THAT SURPRISES ME.
>> WHEN MOST PEOPLE THINK OF
SMOKING RESEARCH, THEY THINK,
"YOU OUGHT TO GET THE KIDS NOT
TO START IN THE FIRST PLACE,"
OR PEOPLE THINK OF THE AVERAGE
ADULT WHO IS MAYBE IN THEIR
20s OR 30s AND METHODS FOR
THEM TO QUIT.
BUT MID-LIFE AND OLDER FOLKS
DO HAVE SPECIAL NEEDS AND
THEIR SMOKING PATTERNS MAY BE
DIFFERENT, AND WHAT WE'RE
TRYING TO FIND IS WHAT ARE THE
BEST COMBINATIONS OF SELF-HELP
METHODS FOR PEOPLE TO QUIT
BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE WON'T GO
TO A CLINIC OR A FORMAL
PROGRAM OF SOME KIND AND,
ALTHOUGH OURS IS SOMETHING
THEY NEED TO JOIN AND ENROLL
IN AS WELL AS DARYL'S PROGRAM,
WE FOCUS ON SELF-HELP METHODS,
INCLUDING A TELEPHONE REACTIVE
QUIT LINE FOR PEOPLE TO CALL
UP AND USE.
>> Gary Walker: SELF-HELP,
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
>> SEVERAL COMPONENTS.
THE TELEPHONE QUIT LINE IS ONE
OF THE BIGGEST COMPONENTS OF
OUR STUDIES TRADITIONALLY, AND
WE ALSO HAVE AN INTERACTIVE
CHAT ON A WEB SITE,
INTERACTIVE THINGS YOU CAN
DOWNLOAD, AND PRINTED
MATERIALS WHICH WE CAN MAIL
DIRECTLY TO THE PERSON'S HOME,
SO THEY DON'T NEED TO COME IN
AND MEET WITH US.
THEY CAN ENROLL FROM THE
COMFORT OF THEIR OWN HOME.
THAT'S GOOD FOR PEOPLE THAT
MAY LIVE IN RURAL AREAS.
WE SERVICE NOT JUST MONROE
COUNTY BUT ELEVEN COUNTIES IN
TOTAL IN THIS AREA.
>> Gary Walker: AS A MATTER OF
PUBLIC POLICY, AND YOU RAISED
IT, OUR EFFORTS HAVE USUALLY
BEEN ON "DON'T GET STARTED,"
AND WE TALK TO YOUNG PEOPLE.
IS THAT NOT STILL THE MOST
FRUITFUL AREA AS FAR AS PUBLIC
POLICY FOR US TO CONCENTRATE
ON?
OR HAVE WE REACHED A POINT
WHERE FOCUSING ON THE 50-PLUS
CROWD IS GOING TO BE FRUITFUL?
>> WELL, FRUITFUL, IT CAN BE
FRUITFUL AT ANY AGE.
SO IT DEPENDS ON WHERE YOU'RE
TARGETING THEM.
ONE POINT IS THAT THERE'S NOT
ENOUGH ON CESSATION, YOU KNOW,
TREATMENT FOR TEENS WHO DO
SMOKE AND WHO ARE ADDICTED.
WE HAVE ANOTHER STUDY WE'RE
DOING FOR THAT.
BUT PEOPLE ALWAYS THINK OF
PREVENTION WHEN THEY THINK OF
TEENS.
THERE ARE A LOT OF STUDIES FOR
THAT, AND WE'RE JUST NOW
STARTING TO HAVE MORE STUDIES
ON TREATMENTS FOR THOSE
POPULATIONS.
>> THERE ARE HEALTH BENEFITS
ANYWHERE ALONG THE LIFESPAN
THAT PEOPLE STOP SMOKING.
IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR
PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THE
HEALTH BENEFITS YOU REAP
WHENEVER YOU STOP SMOKING
ACROSS THAT LIFESPAN.
SO I WOULD AGREE WITH SCOTT
THAT WE ALSO NEED TO BE
FOCUSING ON CESSATION EFFORTS.
WE ALSO KNOW THAT DIFFERENT
PEOPLE, DIFFERENT METHODS WORK
FOR DIFFERENT PEOPLE.
THERE'S NOT A PANACEA FOR
THIS, CLEARLY.
AND WE'RE INTERESTED IN
WORKING INDIVIDUALLY WITH
PEOPLE TO DEVELOP PLANS FOR
THEM THAT WILL WORK FOR THEM.
>> Gary Walker: ONE QUESTION
ALONG THE MOTIVATIONAL LINES:
I MEAN WE READ THAT 33 TO 35%
OF TEENAGERS IN HIGH SCHOOL
ARE SMOKING, WHICH IS A LOT
HIGHER THAN ADULTS WHO ARE
SMOKING.
WE ALL UNDERSTAND THE
MOTIVATIONAL REASONS FOR, YOU
KNOW, TO BEGIN SMOKING AT THAT
AGE.
IT'S PRETTY WELL DOCUMENTED.
WHAT IS THE MOTIVATION TO QUIT
SMOKING WHEN YOU'RE STILL IN
HIGH SCHOOL?
>> WELL, THERE'S A LOT OF PEER
PRESSURE, OF COURSE, AND ONE
OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK AS
SCOTT SAID, WE DON'T -- OUR
STUDY IS FOCUSED ON -- YOU
NEED TO BE 18 OR OVER TO BE
INVOLVED IN THE SMOKERS'
HEALTH STUDY.
IN HIGH SCHOOL, I THINK
GETTING TO THE PEER GROUPS,
WORKING WITH ADVERTISING
CAMPAIGNS, TO COUNTER A LOT OF
THE ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS OF
THE TOBACCO COMPANIES, THOSE
ARE REALLY IMPORTANT
STRATEGIES WITH THAT GROUP.
>> Gary Walker: WE HEARD IN
THE REPORT THAT MATT PUT
TOGETHER THAT MONROE COUNTY IS
ONE OF TEN AREAS IN NEW YORK
STATE THAT HAS A
HIGHER-THAN-EXPECTED CANCER
RATE AMONG MALES -- LUNG
CANCER RATE AMONG MALES.
WHY IS THAT?
>> IT MIGHT REFLECT THE
DEMOGRAPHICS OF THIS URBAN
COMMUNITY.
I MEAN ROCHESTER IS THE THIRD
LARGEST CITY IN THE STATE, SO
IT MAY JUST BE REFLECTING SOME
OF THAT.
BUT SOME OF IT IS STILL A
MYSTERY.
I THINK THERE'S HIGHER RATES
OF BLADDER CANCER IN GENERAL
IN THIS AREA ALSO.
>> THAT'S TRUE.
>> Gary Walker: IS IT
SOMETHING... I JUST CAN'T
IMAGINE WHY THAT WOULD BE.
IS THERE SOMETHING IN OUR
WATER?
(Chuckling)
>> I THINK IT'S -- THE JURY IS
OUT ON IT IN TERMS OF WHAT'S
DRIVING THAT.
>> Gary Walker: OKAY.
WE ALSO HAVE HEARD, AND THIS
WAS THIS PAST TUESDAY ON PBS,
A DOCUMENTARY CALLED "THE
SEARCH FOR THE SAFE
CIGARETTE," AND I'M LOOKING AT
THE RESEARCH THAT MATT JUST
ILLUSTRATED IN HIS PACKAGE,
AND IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S A
KIND OF A TURN RECENTLY IN
RESEARCH, NOT JUST HERE BUT IN
MANY OTHER PLACES, OF LOOKING
AT WHATEVER CHEMICALLY HAPPENS
WHEN CIGARETTES OR NICOTINE
HITS OUR BLOOD STREAM, OUR
LUNGS, OUR CELLS, OUR TISSUES,
AND FINDING A WAY TO STOP THAT
REACTION.
IN A SENSE, THAT'S KIND OF A
DIFFERENT TYPE OF RESEARCH.
NOW WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT
GETTING FOLKS TO STOP AS MUCH
AS WE'RE SAYING, "IS THERE A
SAFE CIGARETTE?
IS THERE A MAGIC DOSE OF
MEDICINE THAT WILL STOP THE
SMOKING REACTION?"
THAT KIND OF CHANGES THE DEAL
A LITTLE BIT WHEN IT COMES TO
RESEARCH, DON'T YOU THINK?
>> WELL, EXCEPT THAT SORT OF
THE HUNT FOR THE SAFER
CIGARETTE, I THINK, THE DATA
ARE NOT CLEAR AT ALL ABOUT
THERE BEING A SAFE CIGARETTE,
AND THE OTHER THING ABOUT THAT
IS THAT WHEN THOSE STUDIES ARE
DONE, THEY NEED TO BE DONE BY
THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY,
THE RESEARCHERS IN THE
SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY AND --
LOTS OF WHAT WE'RE HEARING HAS
TO DO WITH RESEARCHERS THAT
ARE CONNECTED WITH THE TOBACCO
INDUSTRY -- AND UNTIL THOSE
DATA COME IN, I THINK IT'S
QUITE RISKY.
WE DON'T -- THERE IS NO SAFER
CIGARETTE.
AND SO PERHAPS I'M BIASED -- I
DON'T THINK SO -- BUT I THINK
THAT'S HOW THE DATA READS.
>> Gary Walker: Dr. McINTOSH,
I THINK YOU USED THE WORDS
"HOLY GRAIL."
IS THERE A SAFE CIGARETTE?
>> WELL, THE JURY IS STILL OUT
ON THAT AND THE SCIENTIFIC
COMMUNITY NEEDS TO BE THE ONES
TO DETERMINE THAT AND THEN
VALIDATE IT.
IT'S NOT SO MUCH BLOCKING
NICOTINE'S EFFECTS, ALSO,
BECAUSE NICOTINE DOESN'T CAUSE
CANCER.
IT'S THE OTHER 4,000
CHEMICALS, OR SOME
COMBINATIONS OF THOSE THAT ARE
A COMPLETE MYSTERY, SO AS LONG
AS TOBACCO IS INVOLVED IN A
PRODUCT, IT'S GOING TO BE
DEADLY.
TOBACCO IS A POISON IN
WHATEVER FORM IT IS, AND
THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO
SCREEN OUT 4,000 CHEMICALS,
NOT JUST NICOTINE.
>> Gary Walker: SO -- BUT THE
NATURE OF THE RESEARCH, WHAT
I'M TRYING TO GET AT, I GUESS,
THERE SEEMS TO BE AN IDEA OUT
THERE THAT EVEN IF YOU ARE
DOING THIS BEHAVIOR THAT
MEDICALLY THERE MAY BE A WAY
TO STOP OR BLOCK ITS ILL
EFFECTS, AND THAT SEEMS TO BE
A THEME CHANGE IN MY MIND AS
TO HOW WE TRADITIONALLY
THOUGHT ABOUT IT MEDICALLY
WHEN WE THOUGHT ABOUT SMOKING.
DO YOU AGREE?
>> YES, I CAN SEE THE POINT IN
THERE, BUT I THINK WE'RE
PROBABLY A LONG WAY OFF.
>> I AGREE.
THERE'S A LOT OF RESEARCH
AROUND MOTIVATIONAL ISSUES,
AROUND HELPING PEOPLE TO STOP
SMOKING, AND THERE ARE THINGS
THAT WE KNOW FROM HUNDREDS AND
HUNDREDS OF STUDIES OF RICH
AND VAST LITERATURE THAT DO
HELP PEOPLE STOP SMOKING: FOR
EXAMPLE, THE PHARMACOTHERAPIES
THAT ARE AVAILABLE IN
MEDICATIONS, DEVELOPING
SPECIFIC PLANS WITH PEOPLE,
REALLY BRAINSTORMING ABOUT THE
BARRIERS PEOPLE EXPERIENCE IN
STOPPING AND HOW THEY'RE GOING
TO COPE, AS WELL AS MOBILIZING
SOCIAL SUPPORT NETWORKS.
WE KNOW ALL THOSE THINGS
DOUBLE TO TRIPLE QUIT RATES.
>> Gary Walker: IT SEEMS LIKE
-- ALTHOUGH THAT TYPE OF
RESEARCH SEEMS TO MAKE YOUR
JOB A LITTLE HARDER, FOR
INSTANCE I TALKED TO A LOT OF
YOUNGER PEOPLE, "OH, YOU JUST
GOT A TATTOO.
ARE YOU STILL GOING TO WANT
THAT WHEN YOU'RE 40 OR 50?"
"OH, BY THAT TIME THEY WILL
FIGURE OUT HOW TO TAKE THEM
OFF EASILY."
I HEAR FOLKS SAY, "WELL, I
HAVE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE BUT
MEDICATION KEEPS IT DOWN."
"MY CHOLESTEROL LEVEL IS
THROUGH THE ROOF, BUT IF I
TAKE THIS MEDICATION, MY
CHOLESTEROL LEVEL STAYS DOWN."
>> WE'RE FINDING THAT IN
TEENS, ALSO.
THEY SAY, "I'M NOT A SMOKER.
I ONLY SMOKE ON WEEKENDS.
I ONLY SMOKE 10 CIGARETTES A
WEEK.
AND BESIDES, I'LL QUIT BEFORE
I GO TO COLLEGE," OR "I'LL
QUIT BEFORE I GET PREGNANT" OR
"I'LL CERTAINLY QUIT AFTER
COLLEGE.
I'M NOT A SMOKER.
I WON'T BE A SMOKER FOR LIFE."
BUT IN FACT, ONE OUT OF THREE
KIDS WHO EXPERIMENTS WITH
SMOKING AND BECOMES ANY KIND
OF REGULAR SMOKER WILL STAY A
LIFELONG SMOKER.
>> Gary Walker: IT ALSO SEEMS
LIKE YOU CAN ALSO RATIONALIZE
THAT AS WELL, "BY THE TIME I'M
25 OR 30 OR 35, THERE WILL BE
A PILL THAT WILL NEGATE THE
ILL EFFECTS OF SMOKING."
>> YES, IT'S THE MENTALITY WE
HAVE AS AMERICANS, I THINK.
>> BUT IT IS A
RATIONALIZATION, AND I THINK
THAT'S THE IMPORTANT PIECE TO
REMEMBER.
>> Gary Walker: I WAS
SURPRISED TO HEAR THE TERM
"FLAVONOID," WHICH WE HAVE
BEEN HEARING STORIES FOR YEARS
FROM HOMEOPATHIC MEDICINE
ABOUT GREEN TEA, BROCCOLI OR
GRAPES, IT PREVENTS CANCER,
AND NOW WE'RE FINDING THAT
THERE IS SOME SORT OF LINK
BETWEEN FLAVONOIDS, I GUESS,
WHATEVER CHEMICAL IS IN THOSE
SUBSTANCES, PARTICULARLY GREEN
TEA AND GRAPES, THAT DOES SEEM
TO HAVE SOME BLOCKING EFFECT
ON CANCER-CAUSING AGENTS.
>> THAT WOULD BE GREAT AND
MIGHT CUT DOWN ON SOME OF THE
ILL EFFECTS OF SMOKING, FOR
EXAMPLE.
BUT WHAT ABOUT THE CARBON
MONOXIDE?
THAT'S CAUSING CARDIOVASCULAR
PROBLEMS.
YOU MENTIONED 172,000 DEATHS
ATTRIBUTED TO CANCER IN
AMERICA.
YEAH, ADD CARDIOVASCULAR
DISEASE CAUSED BY SMOKING,
THOSE DEATHS, AND YOU HAVE
OVER 480,000.
>> Gary Walker: WHY THE
UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER?
THERE'S FOUR STUDIES GOING ON
IN SOME FORM WITH MORE ON THE
WAY.
THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF
HEALTH ARE FUNDING LOTS OF
STUDIES HERE.
WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER THAT
WE'RE INTO SMOKING AND SMOKING
CESSATION?
>> WE NEED TO BE INTO SMOKING
AND SMOKING CESSATION BECAUSE
IT'S THE SINGLE NUMBER ONE
PREVENTABLE CAUSE OF DEATH AND
DISEASE, SO IT MAKES GOOD
SENSE FOR US TO BE ACTIVELY
WORKING ON TRYING TO FIND WAYS
TO HELP PEOPLE NOT SMOKE, AND
I THINK IT'S A REFLECTION OF
ROCHESTER DOING WHAT WE NEED
TO BE DOING TO CONTRIBUTE TO
THE OVERALL HEALTH OF OUR
NATION REALLY.
>> AS AN INSTITUTION, THE
UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER IS
REALLY COMMITTED TO GROWING
AND INCREASING ITS RESEARCH,
BOTH BENCH SCIENCE AND THE
TYPES OF STUDIES WE SAW
EARLIER, AND BEHAVIORAL.
>> Gary Walker: WHAT IS THE --
WHEN IS YOUR STUDY GOING TO BE
FINISHED AND WHAT DO YOU HOPE
TO GET FROM THIS EXACTLY?
>> WE ARE RECRUITING 1,000
PEOPLE INTO OUR STUDY.
WE'RE STILL ACTIVELY
RECRUITING AND VERY INTERESTED
IN HAVING PEOPLE JOIN US, AND
I WOULD REFER YOU TO THE PHONE
NUMBER AT THE BOTTOM OF THE
SCREEN AS A REFERRAL SOURCE.
WHAT WE'RE HOPING TO FIND OUT
IS HOW PEOPLE WHO SMOKE MAKE
CHANGES ABOUT THEIR SMOKING
AND DIET BEHAVIORS, AND WE'RE
HOPING TO LEARN HOW HEALTH
CARE PROFESSIONALS CAN BEST
WORK WITH PEOPLE WHO SMOKE TO
HELP THEM MAKE CHANGES TO
IMPROVE THEIR HEALTH.
>> AND FOR OUR STUDY, WE'RE
JUST BEGINNING, AND WE'RE
GOING TO GET 1,200 SMOKERS AGE
50 AND OVER WHO HAD A RECENT
QUIT ATTEMPT BECAUSE WE WANT
TO KEEP THE MOMENTUM GOING FOR
THOSE FOLKS BECAUSE THE
CHANCES GET BETTER THE MORE
ATTEMPTS YOU MAKE.
THE SAME PHONE NUMBER FOR THAT
REFERRAL.
>> Gary Walker: WE'LL GIVE
THOSE NUMBERS FOR YOU.
BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THAT'S ALL
THE TIME WE HAVE IN THIS
SEGMENT OF OUR PROGRAM.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE FURTHER
INFORMATION ABOUT
HEALTH-RELATED ISSUES, YOU CAN
CONTACT THE AMERICAN CANCER
SOCIETY'S TOLL-FREE HOT LINE
AT 1-800-ACS-2345.
THEY HAVE MEDICAL EXPERTS
STANDING BY TO ANSWER YOUR
QUESTIONS.
OR IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO
PARTICIPATE IN ANY WAY IN THE
UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER'S
RESEARCH PROJECT, YOU CAN CALL
1-888-222-3993.
THAT'S 1-888-222-3993.
NOW, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A
LOOK AT ROCHESTER'S PAST.
WHEN HORSES ON PARADE ARE
AUCTIONED OFF THIS FRIDAY
NIGHT, IT WILL BE THE END TO
THE LATEST CHAPTER OF AN
ONGOING LOVE AFFAIR.
HORSES HAVE CAPTURED
ROCHESTER'S FANCY IN MANY WAYS
OVER THE PAST YEARS.
WYATT DOREMUS EXPLAINS.
>> Wyatt Doremus: IT'S A LATE
SUMMER SATURDAY NIGHT OUTSIDE
OF NEWARK, NEW YORK.
HORSES AND HUMANS ARE TEAMING
TOGETHER IN THE PURSUIT OF
COWS, A SPORT BETTER KNOWN AS
TEAM PENNING.
COMPETITIONS, WHETHER IT'S
THIS, OR DRESSAGE OR WITH
CARRIAGES, ARE JUST ABOUT THE
ONLY THING PEOPLE STILL DO
WITH HORSES.
STABLES THAT PROVIDE TRAIL
RIDING WERE ALL BUT FORCED OUT
OF BUSINESS BY INSURANCE
RATES.
AND WITH THE WORKING HORSES,
THE LIST IS EQUALLY SMALL.
THAT LAST FACT HAS BEEN TRUE
FOR DECADES BUT NOT FOR AS
MANY AS YOU MAY THINK.
YOU MAY ALSO BE WRONG IN
THINKING THAT HORSES PLAYED A
VITAL PART IN THE EARLIEST
DAYS OF ROCHESTER.
THEY DID HELP IN GETTING HERE.
WHEN THE ERIE CANAL AND
RAILROADS WERE STILL IN THE
CATEGORY OF SOMEONE'S CRAZY
DREAM, HORSES WERE THE
QUICKEST WAY ACROSS THE
WILDERNESS.
BUT FOR FAMILIES THAT WANTED
TO MOVE HERE, AND FOR THOSE
ALREADY HERE WHO WANTED TO
CARVE A FARM INTO THE GENESEE
VALLEY, OXEN WERE THE BEAST OF
CHOICE.
>> OXEN WERE STRONGER.
THEY COULD ENDURE LONGER
WORKING HOURS, AND WITH THEIR
SHORT LEGS AND POWERFUL
CHESTS, THEY WERE ABLE TO PULL
LOGS OUT, DRAG LOGS TO BE USED
IN BUILDING BUILDINGS.
>> Wyatt Doremus: LOOK AT THE
STREETS AND HOMES OF CORNHILL,
ROCHESTER'S EARLIEST
NEIGHBORHOOD.
YOU LIKELY WON'T SEE A
CARRIAGE HOUSE, FURTHER
EVIDENCE THAT LIKE MOST 19th
CENTURY CITIES, ROCHESTER WAS
DESIGNED FIRST FOR
PEDESTRIANS.
IF YOU WANTED TO WORK, VISIT
OR SHOP, YOU WALKED.
>> HORSES WERE USED TO
TRANSPORT GOODS AND SERVICES
THAT WERE HEAVY, THAT NEEDED
TO BE TRANSPORTED A
DISTANCE...
>> Wyatt Doremus: HORSES CAME
INTO PROMINENCE BY THE
MID-1800s.
AS THEIR NUMBERS GREW, SO DID
THE PROBLEMS THAT NECESSARILY
COME WITH THEM.
HORSES ARE BEAUTIFUL TO LOOK
AT BUT DIFFICULT TO PARK.
THEY TAKE UP SPACE.
THEY TENDED TO EAT ANYTHING
NEARBY, INCLUDING THE BARK OFF
ANY ADJACENT TREES WHICH,
DEPENDING ON THE BARK, MIGHT
KILL HORSE OR TREE.
AND IF ANYONE HAS EVER URGED
YOU TO HOLD YOUR HORSES, THEY
WERE ECHOING A VERY REAL 19th
CENTURY CONCERN:
>> RUNAWAYS WERE A SERIOUS
PROBLEM.
SOMETIMES IRRESPONSIBLE PEOPLE
WOULD COME DOWNTOWN; THEY
WOULDN'T ADEQUATELY TIE THEIR
HORSES OR THEY WOULD PUT THEM
IN THE WRONG LOCATION AND THE
HORSES WOULD SPOOK IF THEY
HEARD A TRAIN OR ANY KINDS OF
SUDDEN NOISES AND THEY WOULD
OFTEN RUN DOWN THE STREET AND
IT WOULD SEND PEOPLE,
ESPECIALLY WOMEN WITH THEIR
CHILDREN IN TOW, TRYING TO GET
TO THE SIDEWALKS FOR SAFETY.
>> Wyatt Doremus: THERE WERE
SEVERAL REASONS YOU MIGHT HAVE
SEEN A HORSE RACING DOWN ONE
OF ROCHESTER'S STREETS.
WILLIAM CODY, LATER KNOWN AS
BUFFALO BILL, WAS JUST ONE OF
THE YOUNG MEN WHO HAD A HARD
TIME CURBING HIS LOVE OF
SPEED.
MOST PEOPLE WERE CONTENT TO
USE THE MANY RACETRACKS THAT
SURROUNDED THE CITY.
IF YOU LOOK HARD ENOUGH, YOU
CAN STILL SEE THEIR OUTLINES
TODAY.
>> ONE OF MY FAVORITES IS
YOU'RE TRAVELLING DOWN PARK
AVENUE; THERE'S AN ODD CURVE
TO PARK AVENUE IN THE AREA OF
VIC PARK "A" AND VIC PARK "B,"
AND IT'S LIKE "WHOA, WHY IS
PARK AVENUE SUDDENLY CURVING
OUT?"
THAT'S A 19th CENTURY RACE
COURSE.
ROCHESTERIANS LOVED TO WATCH
HORSES RACE: HORSES RACE EACH
OTHER, HORSES RACE IN
CARRIAGES, HORSES RACE PEOPLE.
>> Wyatt Doremus: THE MOST
LEGITIMATE REASON FOR A BRACE
OF RACING HORSES CAME WITH THE
INVENTION OF LARGER AND BETTER
FIREFIGHTING EQUIPMENT:
>> AS IMPROVED FIREFIGHTING
EQUIPMENT IS INVENTED, STEAM
ENGINES THAT CAN GENERATE
WATER AT EVER HIGHER LEVELS,
AND EVER LONGER AND HIGHER
LADDERS, THAT FIRE DEPARTMENTS
GO, "WHOA!
WE CAN'T HAUL THIS.
WE NEED HORSES!"
>> WHEN A FIRE ENGINE WOULD BE
RACING HORSE-DRAWN DOWN THE
RESIDENTIAL STREETS, PEOPLE
WOULD COME OUT AND WATCH IT GO
BY.
NOT JUST LITTLE BOYS, BUT IT
WAS A FASCINATING THING TO
WATCH A TEAM OF SEVERAL HORSES
RUNNING DOWN A STREET JUST AS
FAST AS THEY COULD GO.
>> Wyatt Doremus: BEERMAKERS
HAVE LONG KNOWN THE VALUE OF
HORSES IN ATTRACTING ATTENTION
TO THEIR PRODUCT, BUT THEY
WERE HARDLY THE FIRST IN THAT
CATEGORY.
TAKE, FOR EXAMPLE, PATRICK
BARRY.
WITH GEORGE ELLWANGER, BARRY
ESTABLISHED A PLANT AND SEED
BUSINESS ON THE FAR SOUTHERN
FRINGE OF ROCHESTER.
>> WHY WOULD HE WANT A
MUNICIPAL HORSE-DRAWN CAR
SYSTEM?
WELL, HE WANTED TO GET PEOPLE
OUT TO HIS NURSERIES TO SEE
THE PLANT MATERIAL AND TO
BECOME EXCITED BY IT AND TO
BUY IT.
>> Wyatt Doremus: A HOOF
DISEASE ALL BUT CRIPPLED THE
CITY'S BELOVED TEAMS OF FIRE
HORSES AROUND THE TURN OF THE
20th CENTURY.
LUCKILY FOR HUMANS, THE
EPIDEMIC CAME AT THE DAWN OF
MECHANIZED FIRE ENGINES.
THE TREND CONTINUED IN NEARLY
EVERY ASPECT OF DAY-TO-DAY
LIFE.
THE ELEGANT CARRIAGES MADE BY
THE CUNNINGHAM COMPANY HAD ALL
BUT VANISHED BY 1920.
STILL, HORSES COULD BE FOUND
HAULING ICE AND TRASH RIGHT
THROUGH WORLD WAR II.
THERE IS ONE OTHER CONNECTION
THAT SHOULD BE MENTIONED OF
HOW HORSES INDIRECTLY HELPED
THE WORLD LOOK QUITE
DIFFERENT.
IF YOU HAD A BUGGY, YOU NEEDED
A BUGGY WHIP.
AT ITS HEIGHT, THE LOCAL
BUSINESS OWNED BY HENRY STRONG
MADE 75,000 DOZEN BUGGY WHIPS
A YEAR.
BUT HENRY ALSO GOT TO TALKING
WITH AN ENTERPRISING YOUNG MAN
ABOUT AN IDEA HE HAD FOR A NEW
BUSINESS.
HENRY TOOK SOME OF HIS BUGGY
WHIP MONEY AND INVESTED IT AS
VENTURE CAPITAL IN SOMETHING
CALLED EASTMAN KODAK.
>> AND SO WE CAN REALLY SAY
THAT KODAK OWES A LOT TO THE
BUGGY WHIP, WHICH PROVIDED
HENRY STRONG'S CAPITAL TO
INVEST IN GEORGE EASTMAN'S NEW
INVENTION.
(Music)
>> Gary Walker: AND THAT'S ALL
THE TIME WE HAVE FOR THIS
EDITION OF "NEED TO KNOW."
TUNE IN NEXT WEEK AS WE
EXAMINE STRONG HOSPITAL'S
NEWEST LIFESAVING VENTURE,
HEART TRANSPLANTS.
WE'LL SEE YOU THEN.
(Music)