Kids Against Tobacco Smoke

Stub out Now!

A strongly worded opinion piece in the Western Morning News spells out the case for national smoking ban in public places.

The author, Kate Ironside states that Tony Blair's instinct to leave the decision making to local authorities is mistaken and a national ban is the only answer.

Citing the results of the "biggest ever public health consultation in the South West", Kate Ironside noted that most of the public indicated that they favoured a smoking ban. She provides further support for her case noting that 81 percent of the 23,000 people surveyed for the
Government's public health group wanted a law making all workplaces smoke-free. More than 70 percent wanted restaurants, cafes and shopping centres smoke-free and more than 60 percent wanted all cigarettes stubbed out in railway stations.

Kate Ironside notes that the World Health Organisation states that passive smoking can cause asthma in children and is a danger to pregnant women, and people with existing heart disease and other respiratory disorders.

Each year 114,000 people die of smoking related deaths. Smoking increases the risk of cancer and heart disease. "At the age of eight I watched my father keel over with a heart attack due to his heavy smoking," she adds.

Reference is made to the countries where a ban on smoking in public places has been introduced - New York, California and Norway, with Sweden and New Zealand not far behind. The fears of the hospitality trade are countered with reference to brewing chain Greene King's plans to roll out a series of smoke-free pubs.

She concludes by asserting to smokers: "Don't inflict your fug on the rest of us as we go about our every day lives".

Source: Western Morning News, 31^st July 2004

Statins on Sale at Chemists

Drugs that reduce harmful cholesterol in the blood became freely available from chemists yesterday to the applause of heart doctors.

The decision to allow the drugs, known as statins, to be sold without prescription was made earlier this year as part of the Government's drive to offer patients more choice in health care.

But it is controversial. The British Heart Foundation has welcomed the potential to cut heart attacks and strokes, but the Consumers' Association said lifting restrictions was worrying.

Wendy Garlick, a spokesman, said: "The public could be at risk due to lack of specific clinical trials of such use of the drug in the population of people at moderate risk of heart disease."

The Lancet said this year that the Government had made statins freely available only to save money on prescriptions. The drugs are expected to cost the NHS £2 billion a year by 2010.

Full Article
Source: The Daily Telegraph, The Sun, Daily Express, Wall Street Journal Europe, 30^th July 2004

Emphysema Link

Vitamin A deficiency could be the factor that triggers emphysema in smokers, suggests an American study. Rats fed a vitamin A-deficient diet developed emphysema, a condition found mainly in smokers. The result could explain why smokers who eat a good diet develop lung disease less often than those with poor diets.

Source: The Times, 30^th July 2004

NHS should lead by Example and become Smoke Free UK

Paul Streets, Chief Executive, Health Development Agency, UK said: "We welcome the findings of the Chief Medical Officers report on the state of public health and in particular, his recommendation of a smoke-free NHS by the end of 2004."

"Smoking kills 120,000 people every year in the UK and non-smokers are also affected with more than 1,000 killed each year by breathing other peoples smoke. Thousand more suffer from related diseases and illnesses."

"Tobacco smoke pollution is especially dangerous to people who are already ill or vulnerable, many of whom are regular users of the NHS and rely on visits to hospitals and clinics to help them recover."

Full Article
Source: Medical News Today, 29^th July 2004

EU Parliament to become complete Smoke-Free Zone

Leaders of the European Parliament have agreed a total ban on smoking on its premises.

The move follows a long running campaign to outlaw smoking at the assembly's buildings in Brussels, Strasbourg and Luxembourg on health grounds.

According to the rules passed nearly ten years ago, the parliament's three sites are supposed to be smokefree zones except for a few designated areas. But many MEPs and other officials flout the ban, much to the chagrin of non-smokers.

Earlier this year the EU Ombudsman Nikoforos Diamondouros upheld a complaint from a parliamentary official that the failure to enforce the ban amounted to maladministration.

Now the assembly's president and the 14 vice-presidents have agreed to ban smoking everywhere, though the ban will not come into force until next year.

UK Tory MEP Edward McMillan-Scott said banning smoking from their own offices was "draconian". He said: "I am a smoker and this is going a bit too far. Why should you not be able to have a cigarette in what is, after all, your own office where you are not troubling anyone else?

"Non-smokers should realise that smoking is an addiction. Many of us try and give up but it isn't easy. Having said that, I respect the right of others who object to smoking, especially on health grounds, and I am prepared to comply with the ban."

Liz Lynne, a Liberal Democrat MEP, suffers from asthma and used to have several attacks every day as a result of other people smoking in parliament.

"It was dreadful and, although the situation has improved a bit, it is still pretty bad. The trouble is that many people still simply ignore the current ban. You even see some lighting up under no-smoking signs. This is a great idea, but the key thing will be enforcing a ban. It is just a shame that it isn't being introduced earlier," she said.

Source: European Voice, 29^th July 2004

Chief Medical Officer rounds on Cigarette Glamour

The fashion industry has been rebuked by the Chief Medical Officer for glamorising smoking, despite medical evidence that it indicates it quickens the onset of aging skin.

Sir Liam Donaldson, the government's Chief Medical Officer accused the industry of duping the public by linking smoking with beauty, when in reality smoking destroyed the skin. It made people look prematurely old.

"The tobacco industry is very good at using fashion, glamour and success as a hot button to promote its products. We should use skin ageing as a hot button on the health front", he said. He singled out a number of celebrities for "glamorising" tobacco. They included Kate Moss, Britney Spears, Courtney Love and Brad Pitt, all of whom have been pictured smoking.

Sir Liam was speaking at the launch of his report on public health for 2003. He turned the heat up on Ministers once again by urging them to act by banning smoking in public places, which he said would save reduce the number of youngsters taking up the habit and save numerous lives.

Sir Liam pointed out that trade in pubs, clubs and restaurants in Ireland and the US had boomed, where a ban was in place. He pointed to an economic survey commissioned for the report that projected savings in the region of £2.3bn to £2.7bn resulting from a smoking ban.

Despite Health Secretary John Reid's reluctance to impose an outright ban, as opposed to Mr Reid's preferred voluntary approach Sir Liam said he "disagreed" with the Health Secretary. He believed legislation was "a priority" but nonetheless hoped Mr Reid would change his mind. He also called for National Health Service premises to become entirely smoke-free by the end of the year, with an exception granted for long stay accommodation for the mentally ill.

Sir Liam's comments drew support from Professor Rod Griffiths, president of the Faculty of Public Health, who said: "The truth is finally out. Smokers don't grow old, they just look old." The British Medical Association also added its approval: "It's time for Ministers to show leadership and follow the example of Ireland, Norway and New York", they said.

Sir Liam's public health launch received widespread coverage and support in the newspapers. The Daily Express editorial gave fulsome support to Sir Liam's stance and advocated a ban on smoking in public places: "Those who carp about losing their freedom to smoke must think hard about what a bar worker told Chief medical Officer Liam Donaldson: " . . . freedom ends where my nose starts."

By contrast however, an angry Times editorial was less generous. It stated that Sir Liam should steer clear of the economic advantages of a smoking ban. The paper doubts the evidence used to support the perils of second hand smoking. It challenges Sir Liam's example of the economic benefits accruing from a smoking ban in Ireland, New York and Norway: ". . . taken to its illogical conclusion the economic argument would have to account for revenues lost to tobacco firms and a healthcare industry deprived of tens of thousands of long-term patients", The Times thundered.

Source: The Independent, Financial Times, Daily Telegraph, Daily Mail, Daily Mirror, Guardian, Times, Daily Express, 29^th July, Evening Standard, 28^th July 2004

Times Editorial Link

Tax hike on French Tobacco sends Buyers Abroad

Sales of tobacco in France have plummeted by more than a fifth (20.5%) in the first half of 2004. However, this is primarily due to the increased numbers of smokers travelling abroad to buy their cigarettes.

A study commissioned by British American Tobacco indicates that the use of tobacco in France fell by 7 percent between April 2003 and April 2004, while the official sales had declined by 17 percent.

The French government claimed the reduction in sales was a satisfactory result of its anti-smoking campaign and a rise in taxes. Yet instead of quitting, many French smokers are simply crossing the border to buy their cigarettes. European law allows people to import tobacco for their personal use.

While cigarette sales may have declined, the sale of other tobacco products has increased. Cigars and cigarillos recorded growth sales of 13.7 percent, and rolling and pipe tobacco shot up by 18.1 percent since the start of the year.

Source: The Independent, 29^th July 2004
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F1 Defies Tobacco Sponsorship Ban

Formula 1 has come in for renewed criticism from anti-smoking campaigners as it emerged that racing teams are seeking fresh sponsorship from tobacco companies.

Two cigarette companies are believed to have approached a number of F1 teams, including the Swiss-based Sauber-Petronas, with a view to taking up sponsorship rights next season.

Inside sources cite the discussions as proof that F1 has no intention of severing its involvement with tobacco, despite a European ban on sponsorship which comes into force next July.

At present there are a greater number of races in countries where tobacco sponsorship is permitted, opening the way for at least partial race-branding on non-EU based teams' cars.

Source: Marketing Week, 29^th July 2004

Drug Addiction Jabs for Kids Considered

Ministers are to consider a radical scheme to vaccinate children against future drug addiction.

The Independent on Sunday revealed that under the proposals, the scheme would operate in a similar way to the current nationwide measles, mumps and rubella vaccination programme.

Childhood immunisation would provide adults with protection from the extreme pleasure experienced by users, making drugs such as heroin and cocaine pointless to take. Such vaccinations are due to reach the market within two years.

Professor Nutt, head of psychopharmacology at the University of Bristol and a senior member of the Advisor Council on the Misuse of Drugs said: "People could be vaccinated against drugs at birth as you are against measles. You could say cocaine is more dangerous than measles, for example. It is important that there is a debate on this issue. This is a huge topic - addiction and smoking are major causes of premature death."

Government figures put the cost of drug addiction - taking into account the outlay on crime and health - at £12bn a year.

British biotech company Xenova has conducted trials on an anti-cocaine vaccine which indicated that 58 per cent of patients remained cocaine-free after three months.

The proposals for a nationwide anti-drug vaccination programme received guarded support from MPs and experts. Ian Gibson, head of the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee said: "the government would have to conduct public consultation on the issue, and added: There is no reason to think this would not be a starter or beneficial."

However, the Daily Express notes that "sources" at the DTI were adamant that the scheme was just one of several being investigated and that it was unlikely a viable vaccine would be available for a number of years.

Source: Independent on Sunday, 25th July, Daily Express, Daily Star 26th, July, 2004

Smoker left Fuming

An office worker says he will not pay a £75 fine for dropping a cigarette end in Llanelli town centre.

Andrew Stevenson is the first person in Carmarthenshire to receive such an on-the-spot ticket for littering.

After puffing away outside his non- smoking office he dropped the butt and was given a fixed penalty.

The county council says there had a problem with discarded cigarettes in the area but says officers use their discretion when issuing fines.

Full Story
Source: BBC Online, The Times, Daily Mirror, 23rd July 2004

Pub Owner Fined over Smoking Ban

Bar owner Padraig Folan became the first publican to be fined for breaking Ireland's smoking ban.

Mr. Folan was fined £800 after officials found customers smoking in his Ti Hanri pub in County Galway.

He had been cautioned previously by environmental officers. In his defence, Mr Forlan said he found it difficult enforcing the ban.

Source: Daily Mirror, International Herald Tribune, 21^st July 2004

Boy Smoker Hanged Himself

A 12 year old boy hung himself with his school tie rather than admit to his parents that he had been caught smoking.

An inquest in Eastbourne, East Sussex heard that David Arnett was severely rebuked by his form tutor who smelt smoke and found a packet of cigarettes.

The tutor gave David 24 hours to tell his parents, after which she would inform them. The pupil had earlier confided to his best friend that his family would be ashamed of him. Dad Robert found his son dead in his room.

The Coroner Alan Craze said being found with cigarettes would have been "running through his mind". He issued an "Open" verdict.

Source: Daily Telegraph, Daily Mirror, 21^st July 2004

Cut Kids 'TV' to Protect Health

Children should watch no more than two hours of TV a day to protect their future health, scientists have warned.

A Lancet study found adults who had been avid TV watchers as children were more likely be overweight, to smoke and to have high cholesterol.

Researchers from the University of Otago, New Zealand, said parents should 'lead by example' and turn the TV off.

Other experts said the study bolstered the argument for banning junk food ads during children's programmes.

Full Story
Lancet Study
Source: BBC Online, 16th July 2004

Alcohol and Smoking cause most Cabin Problems

Alcohol and smoking led the list of causes of rowdiness that cabin staff on the airline Swiss had to confront last year, the company said yesterday.

Of the 437 cases recorded by the airline, 163 involved drunkenness, the airline said. 16 Swiss air cabin staff members were assaulted, while 57 others were insulted enough to a degree sufficiently sever for the incident to be recorded, it added.

Men and women were equally recalcitrant, and Swiss citizens were no better behaved than any other nationality, said an airline spokesman. He noted that 14 Swiss passengers had been forced off a plane and handed over to the police after they kept blowing whistles on a flight from Zurich to Berlin.

Source: International Herald Tribune, AFP, 16th July 2004

Pro-smoking Group sets Legal Challenge to Irish Ban

A new campaign group opposed to the Irish ban on smoking has been launched in Waterford, Ireland.

The European Smokers Against Discrimination (ESAD) will take its case to the European Court and aims to fund the legal battle through the sale of cigarette lighters in pubs around Ireland.

The group pleads that it understands the concerns of non-smokers and does not want a return to the situation that existed before the introduction of the ban.

Spokesman James Croke said: "It is our intention to keep within the boundaries of the law during this challenge, and we ask that the Health Minister does the same."

The group feels aggrieved that the smoking debate has been one-sided and that pubs should have designated smoking areas.

Source: Irish Independent, 15th July 2004

Liverpool links up with NYC

Liverpool will link up live with New York for an international smoke free conference.

Interest in the October 4 event has already come from countries including Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and areas of Scandinavia, as well as across Britain.

The one-day conference will hear from Christina Chang, the right- hand woman of New York's commissioner for mental hygiene, in a trans-Atlantic video link.

The SmokeFree Liverpool campaign group visited New York in April to see whether the smoking ban in public places is working there.

Speakers at the October meeting are also expected to include Rick Sampson, president of the New York State restaurant owners' association, and Siobhan McEvoy from the Irish department of health. Ireland went smoke-free in March.

Source: Liverpool Daily Post, 15th July 2004

Community Nurses seek Passive Smoking Protocol

Jennifer Percival, a nurse and counsellor addresses the issue of how community nurses can best negotiate passive smoking when visiting patients in their homes.

She cites the case of "Mike", an enthusiastic member of a team of community nurses. A number of his staff had complained about being exposed to passive smoke when working in people's homes. Indeed, the staff issued a formal complaint and felt it was unfair that they were expected to undertake these visits under such conditions.

Mike's Primary Care Trust had no formal policy on the issue and legislation does not exist to protect workers from second hand smoke while undertaking their duties. Even if new legislation barred smoking in public places, it would not cover community nurses working in people's homes.

Given the absence of formal procedures addressing the problem Jennifer Percival outlines a number of steps that might help. As the nurses' visits were booked in advance, it would be possible to determine a number of factors, including; the purpose of the visit; the date, time and duration; the availability of hand washing facilities, and whether anyone smoked.

"If there were smokers, staff could ask for a smoke-free environment during the visit and explain that smoke-free means a space where no-one has smoked in the past hour and the room has been ventilated", Ms Percival explains.

Ms Percival reasons that many patients would be happy to comply with the request, and where the request is refused the patient could be asked to attend the local health centre. Even if this should prove difficult, staff could ask of the patient: "What would it be possible for you to do to protect me from breathing in second-hand smoke?"

Ms Percival concludes by observing: "Many nurses have put up with ambient smoke for fear that they might be seen as judgemental but patients are happy to do things to help community staff." Making a judgement on smoke- free protocol in people's homes can be tricky, but often it is simply that they have never been asked to provide a smoke-free environment before.

Source: Nursing Standard, 7th July 2004

Tragic Death of a Smoker

There is widespread coverage of the latest hard-hitting stop smoking advert featuring the real life story of a smoker who sadly died before he could be reunited with his daughters.

The Daily Mirror says the ad features 58-year old Anthony Hicks desperately gasping for breath in a hospital bed. Barely audible and with a hole cut in his throat to enable him to breathe, Mr Hicks says his wish is to be reunited with his daughters who live in the US.

Sadly Mr Hicks never lived to see his wish fulfilled. He died 10 days after the message was filmed, and before his daughters could reach his bedside. It is believed to be one of the most uncompromising NHS anti-smoking messages to date.

"I always remember my father with a packet of 20 Marlboro Reds by his side"; said one of Mr Hicks' daughter's Kirsten. "When my sister and I were young it was perfectly acceptable for him to smoke in the house because nobody had any idea of the dangers of passive smoking."

Mr Hicks smoked between 20 and 40 cigarettes a day and developed cancer in his larynx, mouth and lung as a result. "The message from Mr Hicks surgeon was unequivocal: Smoking is by far and away the biggest risk factor." Likewise, Health Minister Melanie Johnson added: "This new campaign is a stark reminder of the dangers of smoking and its horrific consequences."

The Daily Mirror's editorial backs the new campaign, saying; "There is no more poignant and effective message to smokers."

Source: Daily Mirror, Daily Express, Sun, Times, 5th July 2004
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Quit Smoking Online

A new website is offering visitors the opportunity to calculate their risk of suffering major health problems such as stroke and cancer.

Organisers claim the site is attracting over 1,000 visitors a day. They also state that as a consequence of the growing number of visitors translations into French and Spanish are being undertaken.

The scheme is the brain-child of Harvard Centre for Cancer Prevention part of the university's medical school. They defended the website, claiming that it delivered personalised health messages to those who complete the questionnaires.

The Centres Director Graham Colditz said: "We hope it [the website] will inspire people to make healthy behavioural changes."

Some concern has been voiced by British doctors, worried about the growth of self-screening websites. However, John Chisholm of the British Medical Association said providing it was done properly the profession should adopt an open-minded approach.

A disclaimer on the site reaffirms that the advice it offers is precisely just that advice and that it does not take the place of regular medical check-ups.

Source: Observer, 4th July 2004
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