Do you Smoke?

New Zealand Listener, Volume 37, Issue 943, 6 September 1957, Page 3

Do you Smoke?

There are now the strongest reasons to believe that smokers-particularly of cigarettes-run a greater risk of lung cancer than non-smokers. The more cigarettes smoked the greater the risk. HESE words appeared on one of two posters issued a couple of months ago by the British Central Council for Health Education, acting for the British Government. The Medical Research Council had just decided that cigarette smoking was a major cause of lung cancer. The disease was already causing about one in 18 of all deaths among males, and at current rates it seemed likely to kill one in eight of all lifelong heavy cigarette smokers. Among non-smokers the death rate would be more like one in 300. Investigations indicated that there was a higher mortality in smokers than in non-smokers, in heavy smokers than in light smokers, in cigarette smokers than in pipe smokers, in those who ‘continued to smoke than in those who gave it up. While the British Government announced that this authoritative opinion should be brought to the notice of the public so that everyone might know the

risks of smoking, and responsible journals pointed out the special neéd to teach children that smoking is a dirty, dangerous and unnecessary habit, the British tobacco industry, in spite of the authority behind the report, said that it was not prepared to accept its findings as conclusive evidence that smoking causes lung cancer. This coming Sunday-September 8listeners will hear the controversy given a thorough airing when at 9.30 a.m. YA stations and 4YZ broadcast a BBC programme produced by Nesta Pain and Eileen Capel soon after the Medical Research Council issued its report. Smoking-an inquiry into the habit and its possible dangers-will present views both for and against smoking, as well as the reactions of members of the public. The scientific background to statistical work carried out will be explained by Dr Donald Reid, a specialist in this kind of work; and. Dr Patrick Lawther, who is in charge of the Medical Research Council unit studying air pollution, will discuss the contention that petrol fumes are as dangerous as smoking. For the other side, a report by the Tobacco Manufacturers’ Standing Committee admits ‘that statistical association between cigarette smoking and lung cancer had been established, but insists it has not been proved that the groups of people so far examined truly represent the population as a whole; and the Committee’s scientific consultant, Sir Ronald Fisher, will argue that much more research is necessary. Two other speakers who are sceptical are medical men, a lawyer gives his opinion about the evidence put forward by both sides, an actuary assesses the risks for insurance purposes, and there are some interesting facts about the effect of the Medical Research Council report on sales of tobacco. Among others heard in this BBC programme are a famous sportsman (Chris Chataway), a schoolmaster, a seasoned smoker, a psychiatrist (Professor Alexander Kennedy), the trade union secretary of one of the big tobacco factories, and finally Lord Adrian, a pipe-smoker who is also a Nobel Prize winner, exPresident of the Royal Society,.and éne of the world’s distinguished scientists.