Tobacco Documents Online

~MMMi MM Mr r MMMi MMM Mn. VA tlyJLnnrnurc Medical Correspondent TObaccO A WAR of words erupted between tobacco comp a- nies and anti-smoking campaigners yesterday, following a claim that pas- sive smoking Is not linked to lung cancer- Tobacco group BAT indus- tdes have pointed to a confi- dential report by the World Health Organisation which they say shows there is no extra lung cancer risk for those who regularly breathe in others' cigarette smoke. But many scientists and anti- smoking campaigners claimed say it brin, no extra risk of lung cancer that the tobacco lobby had seized on the report in a desper- ate bid to confuse the public arrd dismissed suggestions that the WHO report was being sup- pressed because its conclusions were potentially embarrassing- This Thursday the Oovern- tsaV6sEgoZ ; PAY;;-TQ; HsELP„4U~ ,QUaT,aFIR, :MS. TQ,LD THREE quarters of a11 smokers want Ua tobacco Industry to pay up to help them quit the hablt, a survey revealed today. A poll of 2,725 smokers found that 72 per cenl thought the indus- try should be funding nicotine patches and clinics to help people ylve up smoking and a third wanted the Induetry to be directly ment's own Scientific Commit- tee on Smoking and Health ls expected to reveal that breath- ing other people's smoke raises the risk of lung cancer, heart dis- ease, asttuna and respiratory ia- nesses among children. The row comes during prepara- llable for the cost of smoking- related Illnesses. A quarter also wanted to see an Increase In the prlce of clgarettes. Almost half called on the Gov- ernment to do more, but new research from York University shows that the Government already spends £1.83 a year per smoker to help them quit tions for Wednesday's No Smoking DqY and a crackdown on smoking In publlee places. There has been hot debate on the Issue since enter- tainer Roy Castle dled In 1994 frorn cancer he claimed was caused by I ears of Inhaling smoke while per- onrdng in pubs and clubs. 61r Richard Doll - who first eatah- gshed the link between smoking and cancer - said that the claims about the World Health Organisation report, which looked at results hom seven countries, were untme. 'I know about the study because with a collea e I have contributed data from B tish research; said Sir Richard, who works at the Imperial Cancer Research Fund unit at Oxford- 'The overall findings do show a llnk Oelty Ns61. Mrnnday. March 9. 1- m but It Is not statistically slgniDcaut ' It is completely urliustieable to drn, 'the conclusion there Is no nnk I looks as though the Increase In usk 1 aromrd 20 per cent for a non-smuk,llving with a smoker ' The data from Britain carne hon research In Devon and Cornwul which showed an Increased risk i, eleven to 12 per cent. 'There hnve been more than a, studies now and when you put theo all together the results are higilly sig niflcant,' he added. Only six months aRo, research ii the British Medlcai Joumal sal, surokers living with non-smoker. were 25 per cent morg likeiy to con tract lung cancer Clive Bates, director of Action o, Hmoking and Health, said-.'We esll mate that 000 of the 30,000 srnoking related lung cancer deaths thai occur each year In nritaln are cause,. by passive smoking. If an Industrla, gas caused the deaths of 600 penpk each year there would be an outcp against the chemical industry. But Dr Chris Proctor, head of Hel ence (or BAT industries. the tobaco, groop said that if the WHO stud} had failed to find a statistlcally sig nificant rlsk. It was valid to a,k whether there was any risk at a0. No one was available at the WHU to cormnent yesterday.