December 15, 2022 - The Chicago Journal

The Advantages of Using Nicotine Pouches Over Cigarettes

The Chicago Journal Staff on December 15, 2022

According to the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA), tobacco use remains the leading cause of disease and death in the United States, with more than 480,000 recorded deaths yearly. One of every three cancer deaths in the country is due to smoking. Meanwhile, one in every four deaths from cardiovascular diseases is also a result of cigarette smoking. The agency further explained that smoking increases the risk for stroke and can cause type 2 diabetes, which more than 34 million American adults suffer from.

Today, tobacco cessation treatments are administered to individuals who want to reduce their dependence on smoking and tobacco use by providing nicotine alternatives. They are commercially available in the form of gums, transdermal patches, lozenges, and pouches, which are all effective in increasing the chance of smokers quitting successfully. Healthcare providers claim that products like nicotine pouches are effective since they increase cessation rates by 50% to 70%. Because they are acknowledged by health professionals, nicotine pouches are starting to become popular among smokers who want to stop smoking.

Here are some of the reasons why nicotine pouches are better for you than smoking regular cigarettes:

They Are Non-Combustible

The USFDA revealed that smoking cigarettes are responsible for the majority of all tobacco-related diseases and deaths in the US because it exposes individuals to over 7,000 chemicals, which include tobacco-specific nitrosamines, arsenic, and benzene, among others. Moreover, they found that combustible products that burn tobacco, like cigarettes, are the most harmful to a user’s health. Huge cigarette companies like Philip Morris USA are planning to focus their operations on making non-combustible products in order to make significant progress in reducing the harm associated with smoking by 2030. While they haven’t identified the specific products they’re developing, nicotine pouches may be on their cards. Unlike cigarettes, nicotine pouches are taken orally without burning any of their content.

They Are Tobacco-Free

A study on tobacco harm reduction tools by Patwardhan and Fagerström discussed that even unburned tobacco or cigarettes contain about 16 carcinogens. Therefore, consuming tobacco, even in smokeless forms such as gutkha, zarda, and naswar is not considered safe. This makes nicotine pouches preferable over most traditional tobacco products since they don’t contain any tobacco chemicals. The best nicotine pouches by renowned manufacturers like On!, ZYN, and Velo, are all 100% tobacco-free. Aside from nicotine, they only contain plant fibers, food-grade fillers, and flavoring agents. Nicotine pouches are also useful in reducing nicotine dependence since they are available in varying nicotine strengths or flavors.

They Are Smoke-Free

Patwardhan and Fagerström claimed that there are about 60 carcinogenic chemicals present in tobacco products once they are smoked, and even e-cigarette smoke brings possible health risks. Our previous article on secondhand e-cigarette smoking discussed that e-cigarette use is associated with respiratory conditions and cardiovascular disease since studies showed that e-liquids of vape products contain heavy metals. Since nicotine pouches are non-combustible, they are also completely smoke-free. It ensures that you keep yourself and those around you safe from the secondhand smoke caused by tobacco products or e-cigarettes. This is important since USFDA reported that secondhand smoking causes more than 40,00 deaths a year.

As the awareness about pouches grows, the hope is that more people opt out of cigarettes. A push for nicotine pouches could be a monumental step in helping improve the health and quality of life for cigarette smokers.

James Vitas & VMD Companies Announces 150,000 SQ FT Distribution Center For Pods

The Chicago Journal Staff on December 15, 2022

James Vitas and the VMD Companies are ecstatic to announce that they will soon be celebrating the grand opening of a brand-new distribution facility that is outfitted with the most cutting-edge technology available.

This incredible edifice will be located in Wildwood, Florida, and will have a footprint that is 150,000 square feet. It is believed that it will open sometime during the summer, and once it does, it will provide customers of Pods with a broad variety of storage options.

The purpose behind the construction of the brand-new facility was to provide businesses with an all-encompassing storage solution, regardless of whether or whether the businesses need storage for a short period of time or a long amount of time.

The building will feature apartments that are climate-controlled as well as flats that are not climate-controlled so that it can cater to the needs of its varied customer base.

In addition, a wide range of specialized services will be available on-site, such as the opportunity for self-storage as well as the renting of trucks, and the movement of products.

According to James Vitas, the Chief Executive Officer of VMD Companies, the firm is pleased to be in a position to provide our customers access to a facility that gives all of the amenities that are essential for completing their criteria for storage in order to satisfy their storage needs.

VMD Companies

Since 2004, VMD has been successful in generating considerable financial returns by taking part in opportunistic commercial real estate purchases that create value. Because VMD has such a profound understanding of the real estate industry’s fundamental principles, these investments are within reach.

They follow a method that is entrepreneurial in character, creative in nature, and hands-on in nature, and they are a corporation that has its origins in New England. Because of who they are and what they have been through, they are informed about all the different types of assets.

As a direct consequence of their growth in Florida, they have high expectations that they will be able to provide the highest possible quality of service to their clientele at all times, and this gives them reason for optimism.

The fact that the business has established rules that are favorable to the environment at each of its sites is a source of tremendous pride for the organization. They declare in their mission statement that one of their aims is “to eliminate waste while enhancing performance,” and this objective is something that can be observed at each of their sites. This objective is something that can be seen at each of their locations.

They have been able to significantly reduce their carbon footprint over the course of the past few years as a result of the investments that they have made in renewable energy sources such as solar panels and wind turbines, and it is likely that this trend will continue with this new business endeavor that they have embarked upon.

In 2012, the New Hampshire Planners Associate and the American Society of Civil Engineers honored VMD by bestowing upon it the title of project of the year. The State of New Hampshire presented the VMD with the project of the year award in the year 2016.

Since James has been in charge of VMD, the company has actively managed and developed approximately 800 million dollars’ worth of real estate, with projects spanning the country from New England to South Florida.

James Vitas and VMD Companies are pleased to announce the imminent grand opening of their brand new 150,000-square-foot distribution facility that will be located in Wildwood, Florida.

This cutting-edge facility provides customers with a variety of storage solutions, including climate-controlled units as well as self-storage options along with other services such as truck rental and moving supplies – making it the ideal choice for businesses looking for secure short or long-term storage solutions!

In addition, because of their dedication to environmentally friendly practices, they are able to cut down on waste while simultaneously increasing productivity at each of their locations, which positions them as one of the most dependable businesses in their sector.

A pharmacist by profession turns into a reality TV star – Roxanne Hamedi

chicagojournal on December 15, 2022

Dreams do come true, and that’s just not for fairytales but in real life as well. Some people believe that they have their lives sorted with everything planned out and placed in the order they have set. However, there comes an opportunity that changes everything and turns your life around for the better. Such is the story of pharmacist turned reality TV celebrity – Roxanne Hamedi.

The 29-year-old, gorgeous Persian-Scottish woman who can speak both English and Farsi fluently earned her degree in pharmacy. Soon after completing her degree, she started practicing, and it was during a relationship that she moved to London. Even then, she continued her practice. But life had something else in store for her. During her stay in the UK, Roxanne Hamedi was spotted on Instagram and was approached for a meeting with MTV London. After a few meetings, she was asked to pack her bags, get into a cab and go to Newcastle, where she would be quarantined for two weeks with a bunch of strangers on MTV’s show Geordie Shore.

Talking about how one thing led to another, Roxanne Hamedi shared, “I always wanted to help people as I am quite a caring person, so my job as a pharmacist is quite rewarding for me.” She further stated, “However, there was a time when I wanted to try out a new direction because I have also always wanted to be famous too. Hence, when the opportunity came up for Geordie Shore, I just couldn’t miss it.”

Roxanne was featured on the series 22 of Geordie Shore called “Hot Single Summer,” where the original cast would go in and meet other “singles,” and then they dated each other. Every few days, someone would be eliminated and leave the house. The idea was to find your soulmate by meeting and dating different people in a closed environment. “I fell for a guy called James Tindale, and our connection was very strong from the beginning. He made it clear that I was the only girl he wanted, and he had planned so many nice dates for us inside the house. We also saw each other a few times after filming for 4 weeks,” Roxanne explained. “Basically, I was the only contestant to have gone into the house from the start and finished until the end, where James asked me to be his girlfriend. I essentially won the show,” she added.

For Roxanne, doing reality TV was a completely different ballgame that changed her life. It was not like a job but was fun, glamorous and exciting, something completely different from healthcare. It was like a challenge, something she had never experienced before, and she loved it to bits. The excitement, the adrenaline rush, the unpredictability of the job, everything enthralled her. The fame and the love she received post-show motivated her to work more on the small screen. In fact, she aspires to become a TV presenter and appear on shows like Strictly Come Dancing, Dancing on Ice, or I am A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here.

The pharmacist turned TV celebrity believes consistency and hard work can do wonders for you. “Rome wasn’t built in a day, and if it were that easy, everyone would be doing it. So, nothing worthwhile comes easy basically, and I believe that when you put the effort in, along with having the right resources and also a bit of luck, you can achieve anything,” she stressed. “Consistency is the most important thing to stay focused on your goals. Whether it is getting up early to go to the gym and then working and being able to sleep at a good time so that you can get your 8 hours a day. Whatever it is you do in life, your efforts have to be consistent in order to achieve your goals,” Roxanne reiterated.

The intelligent and classy pharmacist who set out on a journey to becoming a TV star wants to make a difference in the world, be it through her healthcare work or her TV persona. She is kind, compassionate and believes in the goodness of people. She wants to utilize her celebrity status to talk about people’s health and wellness and help them do better in life.

Roxanne Hamedi is living the best of both worlds. In her line of pharmacy, she gets to help people through her medical advice and feels immensely rewarded when people come up to her and tell her how her advice helped them get better. While working on TV, she gets to express her alter ego and has fun with life. Being true to her work makes her admired by people both on-screen and off-screen. And as far as her journey to success is concerned… the journey has just begun.

Unplug From The Tech World and Plug Into Happi’s World!

The Chicago Journal Staff on December 15, 2022

Technology has undeniably had a major impact on society today, which is why Sue Tobert’s book Happi’s World provides a way to “unplug” from technology and enjoy a relaxing pastime with one’s self or with family and friends.

The book has become a favorite among many individuals, no matter how old or young, because of how it presents itself: a three-in-one pastime activity book that offers coloring mandalas, word searches, and yoga. Happi, the main character, is a charming lemur who does yoga to stay calm and strong. Happi’s World was inspired by the idea of Happi imagining himself in places that bring him happiness.

“This fun activity book does have many benefits: it releases stress, promotes a sense of calm and relaxation, improves focus, and strengthens fine and gross motor skills in children. It’s also a great way for everyone to unplug from the electronic world of today,” Sue shared.

The three-in-one book is unique for its mandalas, word searches, and yoga. Kids, in particular, can enjoy doing basic yoga poses and searching for words and for Happi, who is hidden among the mandalas throughout the pages. Some fun facts about the ring-tailed lemurs are also included at the end of the book.

Sue saw the positive effects of yoga and mandala coloring on children’s social, emotional, and physical development, which inspired her to create Happi’s World. Furthermore, after 33 years in her remarkable teaching career, Sue wanted to help out struggling young learners further by integrating her experience as an educator and her mastery of kids’ yoga through a one-of-a-kind tutoring program she calls Yogademics.

“I had been doing yoga myself for a while and really loved it. I started incorporating yoga poses into my teaching and using mandalas in my classroom before both became popular!” Sue shared. “All this led to me writing and winning two Hamilton Education Foundation Grants: ‘Homework Without Tears’ and ‘Yoga, It’s Elementary,’ which I presented one year at the annual NJ Teacher Convention,” she added.

In addition to its accolades, Happi’s World also won second place in both The Moonbeam Child’s Book Award and The Purple Dragon Book Award contest for 2022, renowned for being a “great book for kids, families, teachers, occupational therapists, and anyone who likes to color.”

Happi’s World is perfect for families who want to spend time together through a calm and engaging activity. Although it touches on yoga, readers do not need to have existing knowledge of the exercises to enjoy the book’s easy-to-follow instructions. Furthermore, adults can enjoy the book and revisit their inner child as they go through the book, making it an ideal self-relaxing hobby or a delightful gift for whatever occasion.