Half of all small to medium-sized Kiwi businesses do not have a website, a survey on digital readiness shows.
The survey, by directory firm Yellow and Colmar Brunton, shows that despite high numbers of customers using the internet for consumer information, only half the businesses surveyed had a presence on the web.
One in five SMEs said they did not use any online marketing tool.
Yellow spokesman Evan Lawrey said the low uptake of websites and online marketing was a major concern.
About 57 per cent of New Zealanders searched the web for businesses and services, and 17 per cent used the internet exclusively.
"If half of all small to medium businesses aren't online, they're missing a huge opportunity," he said.
The survey showed that many regional businesses were more technology-minded than their city counterparts.
Sixty-five per cent of Southland SMEs used social media, compared with 40 per cent in Auckland and 30 per cent in Christchurch.
More than half of Hawke's Bay firms used email marketing, compared with 32 per cent in Wellington and Auckland.
Otago and Tasman were digitally savvy, with 92 and 93 per cent of SMEs respectively having at least one online tool, compared with a national average of 81 per cent.
The lowest-ranking region was Northland, with 71 per cent of businesses having an online presence.
Tenby Powell, co-founder of the New Zealand SME Business Network, said businesses that did not use the internet or social media were "trying to live in yesterday's paradigm".
"New Zealanders think of themselves as being early adopters, and I think in the main that's probably true," he said.
"The problem we've got now is that Yellow has put some science in the survey and we've discovered we may not be the early adopters in this particular field, which is critically important to business growth and communication, that we thought we may have been."
New Zealand had to get up the value chain, and it could do that only by gaining scale and being more innovative and sophisticated, which were proven drivers of advanced economies.
"If only 50 per cent of SMEs have a website - and we are by definition talking about the medium and not the small - then we have a problem," he said.
However, there was some good news from those that had embraced the digital age.
Nearly 30 per cent of the SMEs that had a website planned to invest in the mobile sphere by ensuring their website could handle smartphones, by building an application or using text messages to communicate with their customers.
Nearly 40 per cent planned to start using search engine marketing, and 31 per cent planned to invest in video.
"These businesses are realising that it's important to keep adding layers to their web," Lawrey said.
Bravo's "The Real Housewives Of New Jersey" Season Two Premiere
(L-R) Television personalities Gia Giudice, Teresa Giudice, Milania Giudice and Gabriella Giudice attend Bravo's "The Real Housewives of New Jersey" season two premiere at The Brownstone on May 3, 2010 in Paterson, N.J. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
Bravo's "The Real Housewives Of New Jersey" Season Two Premiere
Television personalities Jacqueline Laurita (L) and Ashley Holmes attend Bravo's "The Real Housewives of New Jersey" season two premiere at The Brownstone on May 3 in Paterson, New Jersey. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
Bravo's "The Real Housewives Of New Jersey" Season Two Premiere
Television personality Jill Zarin attends Bravo's "The Real Housewives of New Jersey" season two premiere at The Brownstone on May 3, 2010 in Paterson, New Jersey. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
Bravo's "The Real Housewives Of New Jersey" Season Two Premiere
Television personalities Alex McCord (L) and Simon van Kempen attend Bravo's 'The Real Housewives of New Jersey' season two premiere at The Brownstone on May 3, 2010 in Paterson, New Jersey. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
Bravo's "The Real Housewives Of New Jersey" Season Two Premiere
Television personality Teresa Giudice attends Bravo's "The Real Housewives of New Jersey" season two premiere at The Brownstone on May 3, 2010 in Paterson, New Jersey. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
"The Real Housewives Of New York City" Season 4 Premiere Party
(L-R) Sonja Morgan and Ramona Singer attend "The Real Housewives Of New York City" Season 4 Premiere Party at Covet on April 5, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Andy Kropa/Getty Images)
"The Real Housewives Of New York City" Season 4 Premiere Party
(L-R) Sonja Morgan, Alex McCord, Ramona Singer, Cindy Barshop and Kelly Killoren Bensimon attend "The Real Housewives Of New York City" Season 4 Premiere Party at Covet on April 5, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Andy Kropa/Getty Images)
"The Real Housewives Of New York City" Season 4 Premiere Party
(L-R) Ramona Singer and Avery Singer attend "The Real Housewives Of New York City" Season 4 Premiere Party at Covet on April 5, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Andy Kropa/Getty Images)
"The Real Housewives Of New York City" Season 4 Premiere Party
Kelly Killoren Bensimon attends "The Real Housewives Of New York City" Season 4 Premiere Party at Covet on April 5, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Andy Kropa/Getty Images)
Roberto Cavalli Celebrates Fashion's Night Out
"Real Housewives of NYC" star Sonja Morgan wearing her Cavalli outfit poses for a photo during Roberto Cavalli Celebrates Fashion's Night Out at Roberto Cavalli Boutique on September 10, 2010 in New York City. (Photo by Andy Marlin/Getty Images for Roberto Cavalli)
''Real Housewives Of New York City'' Season 3 Premiere Party
(L-R) Jill Zarin and Bobby Zarin attend the "Real Housewives of New York City" Season 3 premiere party at La Pomme on March 4, 2010 in New York City. (Photo by Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images)
''Real Housewives Of New York City'' Season 3 Premiere Party
Countess LuAnn de Lesseps attends the "Real Housewives of New York City" Season 3 premiere party at La Pomme on March 4, 2010 in New York City. (Photo by Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images)
Premiere Of Bravo's "The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills" Series Party - Arrivals
Socialite Lisa Vanderpump arrives at Bravo's "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" series party on October 11, 2010 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)
Premiere Of Bravo's "The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills" Series Party - Arrivals
Socialites Nicky Hilton, Kathy Hilton, Kyle Richards and Kim Richards arrive at Bravo's "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" series party on October 11, 2010 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)
Premiere Of Bravo's "The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills" Series Party - Arrivals
Socialites Nicky Hilton, Kim Richards and Paris Hilton arrive at Bravo's "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" series party on October 11, 2010 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)
Premiere Of Bravo's "The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills" Series Party - Arrivals
Cast members Camille Grammer, Adrienne Maloof, Kyle Richards, Kim Richards, Lisa Vanderpump and Taylor Armstrong arrive at Bravo's "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" series party on October 11, 2010 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)
Premiere Of Bravo's "The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills" Series Party - Arrivals
Socialite Lisa Vanderpump arrives at Bravo's "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" series party on October 11, 2010 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)
Premiere Of Bravo's "The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills" Series Party - Arrivals
Actress Camille Grammer arrives at Bravo's "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" series party on October 11, 2010 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)
Premiere Of Bravo's "The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills" Series Party - Arrivals
Socialite Adrienne Maloof arrives at Bravo's "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" series party on October 11, 2010 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)
Premiere Of Bravo's "The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills" Series Party - Arrivals
Socialite Kyle Richards arrives at Bravo's "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" series party on October 11, 2010 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)
Premiere Of Bravo's "The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills" Series Party - Arrivals
Socialite Taylor Armstrong arrives at Bravo's "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" series party on October 11, 2010 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)
Premiere Of Bravo's "The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills" Series Party - Arrivals
Socialites Kim Richards, Kathy Hilton, Kyle Richards, Paris Hilton and Nicky Hilton arrive at Bravo's "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" series party on October 11, 2010 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)
2009 BET Awards - Press Room
(L-R) TV personalities Sheree Whitfield, Lisa Wu Hartwell, NeNe Leakes and Kandi Burruss from "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" pose in the press room during the 2009 BET Awards held at the Shrine Auditorium on June 28, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
NBC, Universal & Focus Features' Golden Globes After Party
"Real Housewives of Atlanta" star Kim Zolciak arrives at the NBC, Universal Pictures and Focus Features' official after party for the 66th Annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 11, 2009 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)
Capitol File's 7th Annual White House Correspondents' Association Dinner After Party
WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 28: Caroline Manzo from the 'Real Housewives of New Jersey' poses with Ryan Kwanten as they attend the Capitol File's 7th Annual White House Correspondents' Association Dinner after party at The Newseum on April 28, 2012 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images)
"Real Housewives Of Orange County" Star Tamra Barney And Family
LAGUNA BEACH, CA - APRIL 21: (EXCLUSIVE ACCESS, EDITORS NOTE: This image has been retouched) Tamra Barney of 'Real Housewives Of Orange County' poses during a photo shoot April 21, 2012 in Laguna Beach, California. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images)
Bravo Upfront 2012
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 04: (L-R) TV personalities Taylor Armstrong, Lisa Vanderpump, Adrienne Maloof, Kyle Richards and Kim Richards of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills attend the Bravo Upfront 2012 at Center 548 on April 4, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images)
Bravo Upfront 2012
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 04: (L-R) TV personalities Ramona Singer, LuAnn de Lesseps, Aviva Drescher, Caroline Radzwill, and Heather Thomson of The Real Housewives of NY attend the Bravo Upfront 2012 at Center 548 on April 4, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images)
Bravo Upfront 2012
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 04: (L-R) Alexis Bellino, Vicki Gunvalson, Gretchen Rossi, Heather Dubrow and Tamra Barney of Real Housewives of Orange County attend the Bravo Upfront 2012 at Center 548 on April 4, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images)
Bravo Upfront 2012
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 04: (L-R) TV personalities Kandi Burruss, Phaedra Parks, Nene Leakes, and Cynthia Bailey of the Real Housewives of Atlanta attends the Bravo Upfront 2012 at Center 548 on April 4, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images)
"Real Housewives Of Orange County" Star Tamra Barney And Family
LAGUNA BEACH, CA - APRIL 21: (EXCLUSIVE ACCESS, EDITORS NOTE: This image has been retouched) Tamra Barney of 'Real Housewives Of Orange County' poses with her family during a photo shoot April 21, 2012 in Laguna Beach, California. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images)
Fran Drescher Celebrates New Picture Book "Being Wendy" At Dylan's Candy Bar
NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 17: Actress Fran Drescher and 'Real Housewives of New York City' Aviva Drescher attend Fran Drescher new picture book celebration of 'Being Wendy' at Dylan's Candy Bar on November 17, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images for Penguin Young Readers Group)
NHL Awards - Show
LAS VEGAS, NV - JUNE 22: Television personalities Camille Grammer (L) and Adrienne Maloof present an award during the 2011 NHL Awards at The Pearl concert theater at the Palms Casino Resort June 22, 2011 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Fashion's Night Out At Macy's State Street
CHICAGO, IL - SEPTEMBER 08: Kyle Richards of 'The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills' attends Fashion's Night Out celebration at Macy's State Street on September 8, 2011 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Timothy Hiatt/Getty Images for Macy's)
Bravo Upfront 2012
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 04: TV personality Phaedra Parks attends the Bravo Upfront 2012 at Center 548 on April 4, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images)
"Real Housewives Of New York City" Season Five Cast Sighting In New York City
NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 27: Heather Thomson is seen on the Streets of Manhattan on January 27, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images)
City of Hope-East End Chapter 2010 Spirit of Life Award Luncheon
NEW YORK - APRIL 26: Honoree, fashion designer Heather Thomson (L) and singer Kelly Rowland attend the City of Hope-East End Chapter 2010 Spirit of Life Award luncheon at Waldorf Astoria - Grand Ballroom on April 26, 2010 in New York City. (Photo by Gary Gershoff/Getty Images for City of Hope)
Bravo Media Celebrates The Book Release Of Andy Cohen's "Most Talkative: Stories From The Front Lines Of Pop Culture"
LOS ANGELES, CA - MAY 14: TV personalities Jim Bellino and Alexis Bellino arrive to Bravo Media's celebration of the book release of Andy Cohen's 'Most Talkative: Stories From The Front Lines Of Pop Culture' at SUR Lounge on May 14, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)
Bravo Media Celebrates The Book Release Of Andy Cohen's "Most Talkative: Stories From The Front Lines Of Pop Culture"
LOS ANGELES, CA - MAY 14: TV personality Alexis Bellino arrives to Bravo Media's celebration of the book release of Andy Cohen's 'Most Talkative: Stories From The Front Lines Of Pop Culture' at SUR Lounge on May 14, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)
Film Independent's 2012 Los Angeles Film Festival Premiere Of DreamWorks Pictures' "People Like Us" - Red Carpet
LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 15: TV personality Gretchen Rossi attends the 2012 Los Angeles Film Festival Premiere of 'People Like Us' at Regal Cinemas L.A. LIVE Stadium 14 on June 15, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images)
Bravo Media Celebrates The Book Release Of Andy Cohen's "Most Talkative: Stories From The Front Lines Of Pop Culture"
LOS ANGELES, CA - MAY 14: TV personality Gretchen Rossi (R) arrives to Bravo Media's celebration of the book release of Andy Cohen's 'Most Talkative: Stories From The Front Lines Of Pop Culture' at SUR Lounge on May 14, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)
Bravo Upfront 2012
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 04: TV personality Cynthia Bailey attends the Bravo Upfront 2012 at Center 548 on April 4, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images)
Raul Penaranda - Front Row - Fall 2012 Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week
NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 15: Cynthia Bailey and Peter Thomas attend the Raul Penaranda fall 2012 fashion show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Midtown Loft & Terrace on February 15, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Leigh Vogel/Getty Images)
Our initial look at the BlackBerry R10 quickly suggested that the smartphone would be a budget alternative to the Q10, but it wasn't clear just what we'd lose by penny-pinching. If DGtle is on the ball with its newly claimed specs, though, we won't sacrifice as much as we thought. Along with offering more photos of the R10, the site believes that the handset will have the same 3.1-inch screen size and 2GB of RAM as its QWERTY sibling. Instead, the sacrifices would mostly affect media hounds: the R10 reportedly steps down to a 5-megapixel camera in addition to previously hinted cutbacks in storage (to 8GB) and battery (to 1,800mAh). We may learn the full truth soon enough -- while there's no guarantees anything will happen, next week's BlackBerry Live conference is a prime opportunity for an unveiling.
A boy waits in front of a pickup truck that is transporting the body of a victim from the rubble of the garment factory collapse, Sunday, May 5, 2013 in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh. The death toll from the collapse of a shoddily built garment-factory building in Bangladesh continued its horrifying climb, reaching 580 on Sunday with little sign of what the final number will be. The disaster is likely the worst garment-factory accident ever, and there have been few industrial accidents of any kind with a higher death toll.(AP Photo/Wong Maye-E)
A boy waits in front of a pickup truck that is transporting the body of a victim from the rubble of the garment factory collapse, Sunday, May 5, 2013 in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh. The death toll from the collapse of a shoddily built garment-factory building in Bangladesh continued its horrifying climb, reaching 580 on Sunday with little sign of what the final number will be. The disaster is likely the worst garment-factory accident ever, and there have been few industrial accidents of any kind with a higher death toll.(AP Photo/Wong Maye-E)
A woman grieves for her late relative after his body was pulled from the rubble in the collapsed garment factory building and brought to the morgue, in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Saturday, May 4, 2013. In the aftermath of a building collapse that killed more than 530 people, Bangladesh's garment manufacturers may face a choice of reform or perish. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E)
A woman covers her nose to block out the smell of bodies as she leaves the morgue which is temporarily housing bodies pulled out of the rubble from the garment factory collapse, Sunday, May 5, 2013 in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh. The death toll from the collapse of a shoddily built garment-factory building in Bangladesh continued its horrifying climb, reaching 580 on Sunday with little sign of what the final number will be. The disaster is likely the worst garment-factory accident ever, and there have been few industrial accidents of any kind with a higher death toll.(AP Photo/Wong Maye-E)
A women sits in a truck while transporting her brother's body home, Sunday May 5, 2013 in Savar near Dhaka, Bangladesh. The death toll from the collapse of a shoddily built garment-factory building in Bangladesh continued its horrifying climb, reaching 580 on Sunday with little sign of what the final number will be. The disaster is likely the worst garment-factory accident ever, and there have been few industrial accidents of any kind with a higher death toll. (AP Photo/Ismail Ferdous)
A woman is waiting for her relative's dead body to arrive at the make-shift morgue. Sunday May 5, 2013 in Savar near Dhaka, Bangladesh.The death toll from the collapse of a shoddily built garment-factory building in Bangladesh continued its horrifying climb, reaching 580 on Sunday with little sign of what the final number will be. The disaster is likely the worst garment-factory accident ever, and there have been few industrial accidents of any kind with a higher death toll. (AP Photo/Ismail Ferdous)
DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) ? More than 600 bodies have been recovered from the garment-factory building that collapsed well over a week ago, police said Sunday as the grim recovery work continued in one of the worst industrial accidents ever.
Police said Sunday evening that the death toll had reached 610. More than 200 bodies have been recovered since Wednesday, when authorities said only 149 people had been listed as missing. The stench of decomposing bodies remains amid the broken concrete of the eight-story Rana Plaza building, and it is anyone's guess how many victims remain to be recovered.
The April 24 disaster is likely the worst garment-factory accident ever, and there have been few industrial accidents of any kind with a higher death toll. It surpassed long-ago garment-industry disasters such as New York's Triangle Shirtwaist factory fire, which killed 146 workers in 1911, and more recent tragedies such as a 2012 fire that killed about 260 people in Pakistan and one in Bangladesh that same year that killed 112.
An architect whose firm designed the building said Sunday that it had not been designed to handle heavy industrial equipment, let alone the three floors that were later illegally added. The equipment used by the five garment factories that occupied Rana Plaza included huge generators that were turned on shortly before the building crumbled.
Masood Reza, an architect with Vastukalpa Consultants, said the building was designed in 2004 as a shopping mall and not for any industrial purpose.
"We designed the building to have three stories for shops and another two for offices. I don't know how the additional floors were added and how factories were allowed on the top floors," Reza said.
"Don't ask me anything else. This is now a sensitive issue," Reza said before hanging up.
Government officials say substandard building materials, combined with the vibration of the heavy machines used by the factories, led to the collapse.
The building developed cracks a day before the collapse and the owner, Mohammed Sohel Rana, called engineer Abdur Razzak Khan to inspect it. Khan appeared on television that night and said he told Rana the building should be evacuated.
Police also issued an evacuation order, but witnesses say that hours before the collapse, Rana told people that the building was safe and garment factory managers told their workers to go inside.
Rana has been arrested is expected to be charged with negligence, illegal construction and forcing workers to join work, crimes punishable by a maximum of seven years in jail. Authorities have not said if more serious crimes will be added.
Khan was arrested as well. Police said he worked as a consultant to Rana when the three illegal floors were added.
The government promised to make the garment industry safer after the November garment factory fire that killed 112 people, saying it would inspect factories for safety and pull the licenses of those that failed. That plan has yet to be implemented.
Bangladesh's $20 billion garment industry supplies retailers around the world and accounts for about 80 percent of the impoverished country's exports. The collapse has raised strong doubts about retailers' claims that they could ensure worker safety through self-regulation.
Bangladesh is popular as a source of clothing largely because of its cheap labor. The minimum wage for a garment worker is $38 a month, after being nearly doubled this year following violent protests by workers. According to the World Bank, the per capita income in Bangladesh was about $64 a month in 2011.
The European Union has said it could restrict Bangladesh's access to its crucial market if it fails to ensure that basic labor standards are enforced.
"We are going to make it very clear to the Bangladeshi government that they have to take immediate action with a precise timeline," EU Trade Commissioner Karel de Gucht told Sky News. Otherwise, he said, the EU will conduct an investigation that could lead to trade restrictions.
"Not because we want to hurt Bangladesh, but because what is happening is simply not acceptable," he said. "From a humane point of view, we cannot afford that and we have to do something about it."
Study adds to evidence that cigarettes are gateway to marijuanaPublic release date: 5-May-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Susan Stevens Martin ssmartin@aap.org 847-434-7131 American Academy of Pediatrics
Researchers also find that college students who use both tobacco and cannabis smoke more cigarettes per month than users of tobacco only
WASHINGTON, DC Teen smokers who rationalize their use of cigarettes by saying, "At least, I'm not doing drugs," may not always be able to use that line.
New research to be presented Sunday, May 5, at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) annual meeting in Washington, DC, supports the theory that cigarettes are a gateway drug to marijuana.
"Contrary to what we would expect, we also found that students who smoked both tobacco and marijuana were more likely to smoke more tobacco than those who smoked only tobacco," said study author Megan Moreno, MD, MSEd, MPH, FAAP, an investigator at Seattle Children's Research Institute and associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington.
Dr. Moreno and her colleagues randomly selected incoming college students from two universities one in the Northwest and one in the Midwest to participate in the longitudinal study. Students were interviewed prior to entering college and again at the end of their freshman year regarding their attitudes, intentions and experiences with substances.
Specifically, students were asked if they had used tobacco or marijuana ever in their lives and in the past 28 days. Researchers also assessed the quantity and frequency of marijuana and tobacco use in the past 28 days.
Results showed that prior to entering college, 33 percent of the 315 participants reported lifetime tobacco use, and 43 percent of lifetime users were current users. In addition, tobacco users were more likely to have used marijuana than those who did not use tobacco.
By the end of their freshman year, 66 percent of participants who reported tobacco use prior to entering college remained current users with an average of 34 tobacco episodes per month. Of these, 53 percent reported concurrent marijuana use. Overall, users of both substances averaged significantly more tobacco episodes per month than current users of tobacco only (42 vs. 24).
"These findings are significant because in the past year we have seen legislation passed that legalizes marijuana in two states," Dr. Moreno said. "While the impact of these laws on marijuana use is a critical issue, our findings suggest that we should also consider whether increased marijuana use will impact tobacco use among older adolescents."
Future work should involve designing educational campaigns highlighting the increased risks of using these substances together, Dr. Moreno concluded.
###
To schedule an interview with Dr. Moreno before or during the PAS meeting, contact Mary Guiden, public relations specialist at Seattle Children's Hospital, at 206-987-7334 or mary.guiden@seattlechildrens.org.
To view the abstract, "Trends in Tobacco and Marijuana Use among College Freshman," go to http://www.abstracts2view.com/pas/view.php?nu=PAS13L1_2195.5.
Funded by National Institutes of Health, the Common Fund, managed by the Office of Strategic Coordination, grant R01DA031580-03.
The Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) are four individual pediatric organizations that co-sponsor the PAS Annual Meeting the American Pediatric Society, the Society for Pediatric Research, the Academic Pediatric Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics. Members of these organizations are pediatricians and other health care providers who are practicing in the research, academic and clinical arenas. The four sponsoring organizations are leaders in the advancement of pediatric research and child advocacy within pediatrics, and all share a common mission of fostering the health and well-being of children worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.pas-meeting.org. Follow news of the PAS meeting on Twitter at http://twitter.com/PedAcadSoc.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Study adds to evidence that cigarettes are gateway to marijuanaPublic release date: 5-May-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Susan Stevens Martin ssmartin@aap.org 847-434-7131 American Academy of Pediatrics
Researchers also find that college students who use both tobacco and cannabis smoke more cigarettes per month than users of tobacco only
WASHINGTON, DC Teen smokers who rationalize their use of cigarettes by saying, "At least, I'm not doing drugs," may not always be able to use that line.
New research to be presented Sunday, May 5, at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) annual meeting in Washington, DC, supports the theory that cigarettes are a gateway drug to marijuana.
"Contrary to what we would expect, we also found that students who smoked both tobacco and marijuana were more likely to smoke more tobacco than those who smoked only tobacco," said study author Megan Moreno, MD, MSEd, MPH, FAAP, an investigator at Seattle Children's Research Institute and associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington.
Dr. Moreno and her colleagues randomly selected incoming college students from two universities one in the Northwest and one in the Midwest to participate in the longitudinal study. Students were interviewed prior to entering college and again at the end of their freshman year regarding their attitudes, intentions and experiences with substances.
Specifically, students were asked if they had used tobacco or marijuana ever in their lives and in the past 28 days. Researchers also assessed the quantity and frequency of marijuana and tobacco use in the past 28 days.
Results showed that prior to entering college, 33 percent of the 315 participants reported lifetime tobacco use, and 43 percent of lifetime users were current users. In addition, tobacco users were more likely to have used marijuana than those who did not use tobacco.
By the end of their freshman year, 66 percent of participants who reported tobacco use prior to entering college remained current users with an average of 34 tobacco episodes per month. Of these, 53 percent reported concurrent marijuana use. Overall, users of both substances averaged significantly more tobacco episodes per month than current users of tobacco only (42 vs. 24).
"These findings are significant because in the past year we have seen legislation passed that legalizes marijuana in two states," Dr. Moreno said. "While the impact of these laws on marijuana use is a critical issue, our findings suggest that we should also consider whether increased marijuana use will impact tobacco use among older adolescents."
Future work should involve designing educational campaigns highlighting the increased risks of using these substances together, Dr. Moreno concluded.
###
To schedule an interview with Dr. Moreno before or during the PAS meeting, contact Mary Guiden, public relations specialist at Seattle Children's Hospital, at 206-987-7334 or mary.guiden@seattlechildrens.org.
To view the abstract, "Trends in Tobacco and Marijuana Use among College Freshman," go to http://www.abstracts2view.com/pas/view.php?nu=PAS13L1_2195.5.
Funded by National Institutes of Health, the Common Fund, managed by the Office of Strategic Coordination, grant R01DA031580-03.
The Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) are four individual pediatric organizations that co-sponsor the PAS Annual Meeting the American Pediatric Society, the Society for Pediatric Research, the Academic Pediatric Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics. Members of these organizations are pediatricians and other health care providers who are practicing in the research, academic and clinical arenas. The four sponsoring organizations are leaders in the advancement of pediatric research and child advocacy within pediatrics, and all share a common mission of fostering the health and well-being of children worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.pas-meeting.org. Follow news of the PAS meeting on Twitter at http://twitter.com/PedAcadSoc.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
BOSTON/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The two brothers suspected of carrying out the deadly attacks on the Boston Marathon had originally planned to set off their bombs on July 4, a law enforcement official said.
The official said the suspects, Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, advanced the date of their attack because they completed building bombs more quickly then they originally anticipated. The official declined to be identified and did not offer more details.
Police say the brothers detonated two bombs made with pressure-cookers in the April 15 attack on the Boston Marathon that killed three people and wounded 264.
An attack on Boston's packed July 4 celebrations would have carried the extra symbolism of disrupting the city's widely followed Independence Day celebrations.
Citing unnamed officials, The Boston Globe reported on its website that Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, the younger brother who was captured by police four days after the bombing, told investigators the pair discussed detonating their explosives at the city's famed celebration on its Charles River Esplanade.
News of the alleged July 4 attack plan and other details supplied by Tsarnaev to investigators was earlier reported by The New York Times and other media outlets.
NBC News, also citing unnamed officials, reported Tsarnaev told investigators the bombs were made in the home of his brother Tamerlan, who was killed in a shootout with police early on April 19.
The Times reported the ethnic Chechen brothers also considered suicide attacks and that they had viewed online sermons by Anwar al-Awlaki, a radical U.S.-born cleric who was killed by an American drone strike in Yemen in 2011. There is no indication the brothers communicated with Awlaki, however, the newspaper reported on its website.
What, if any, ties the two suspects had with foreign militants is a key question for investigators trying to determine how the pair became radicalized. How they selected their target would also shed light on their mindset.
Mitch Silber, executive managing director at K2 Intelligence and former head of intelligence analysis at the New York City Police Department, said a July 4 attack in Boston might have been more deadly given the fact that greater numbers of people gather for the city's annual celebration.
Former federal prosecutor Mark Rasch said a July 4 attack would have sent a stronger message.
"The essence of terrorism is all about symbolism," Rasch said. "The Boston Marathon just does not have as much of a symbolic feeling as the Fourth of July to the United States."
Tamerlan Tsarnaev was 26 when he was killed in the shootout with police in Watertown, Massachusetts. Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 19, was wounded in the shootout and captured later that day.
Both are also suspected of killing a university police officer. Another officer was badly wounded in the Watertown confrontation.
Dzhokhar Tsarnaev has been charged with crimes in connection with the bombing that could carry the death penalty if he is convicted, and is being held at a prison medical facility in Devens, Massachusetts.
SUSPECT'S BODY CLAIMED
Tamerlan Tsarnaev's remains were claimed on behalf of his family on Thursday. His body had been kept at a Boston facility for more than a week.
Terrel Harris, a spokesman for the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of Massachusetts, said a funeral services company retained by the family had claimed the body. Harris declined to provide details including the cause of death or where the body had been taken.
On Tuesday, Tsarnaev's widow, Katherine Russell, said through an attorney that she wished his remains to be released to the Tsarnaev family.
Russell's attorney could not immediately be reached on Thursday.
Investigators have questioned Russell as they seek clues about how the suspects allegedly built the two bombs used in the attack and whether they had help.
The Tsarnaevs' parents previously lived in Cambridge, Massachusetts, but have since returned to Russia. Other relatives remain in the United States, including an uncle, Ruslan Tsarni of Montgomery Village, Maryland.
Officials said on Thursday that three men who had been charged with interfering with the investigation of the bombing were in custody at a jail in Middleton, Massachusetts, a small town about 20 miles North of Boston.
The three 19-year-olds - Azamat Tazhayakov, Dias Kadyrbayev and Robel Phillipos - had been transported to the Essex County Correctional Facility in Middleton on Wednesday after they were charged in Boston. Authorities have described them as college friends of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev.
(Additional reporting by Svea Herbst-Bayliss; Editing by Mohammad Zargham)
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Public release date: 5-May-2013
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