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ASH Daily News
4 December 2001


HEADLINES

Smokers say there is no risk
14% rise for Imperial
Saudi hospital in tobacco suit


FULL TEXT


Smokers say there is no risk

Nearly half of Britain’s smokers think their habit is not dangerous because the Government continues to allow cigarettes to be advertised, according to a new survey conducted by ICM on behalf of ASH.

In the same survey, majority of smokers (54%) and non-smokers (61%) felt that the government’s continued delay in banning tobacco advertising showed that ministers were not particularly concerned about the number of people smoking.

The figures would make uncomfortable reading for Ministers as they face renewed calls to fulfil their manifesto pledge and ban tobacco advertising. A private member’s bill to ban tobacco advertising and promotion is to be debated in the House of Lords this Friday, but despite repeated calls from the Bills sponsor Lord Clement Jones and health groups, the government has so far failed to give this bill time.

John Connolly, Public Affairs Manager for ASH, said: "It simply beggars belief that 40 years after we first found out about the dangers of smoking, half of all smokers still don’t appreciate just how dangerous cigarettes are.”

He added: “No doubt these figures will come as a nasty shock to ministers – I’m sure they genuinely want to see a reduction in the 120,000 people who die every year in the UK from smoking.

Source: Daily Express, The Mirror, 4 December 2001


14% rise for Imperial

Cigarette giant Imperial Tobacco has posted a 14% increase in its operating profits despite a declining market.

Chairman Derek Bonham maintains that such profitability has been sustained by raising prices and driving sales through strong marketing.

Turnover from UK operations, including duty rose 14 % to £4.1bn. Pre-tax profit rose 11 % from £509m on sales up 13% to £5.9bn for the year to September.

Source: The Grocer, 4 December 2001



Saudi hospital in tobacco suit

According to the Financial Times, a leading Saudi hospital is to take 10 international tobacco companies to court in a bid to win compensation for having to treat lung disease for the last twenty five years.

The King Faisal Specialist Hospital plans to file suit in Swiss and US courts for $10bn (£7bn). A spokesman for the hospital said that the lawsuit is being pursued because the hospital has had to go out of its way to treat smoking related diseases, and follows an out of court settlement having been postponed indefinitely by the tobacco industry.

Philip Morris, British American Tobacco, and Imperial are among the tobacco companies being taken to court.

Source: Financial Times, 4 December 2001



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