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ASH Daily News
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6 December 2004
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HEADLINES
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BMA Chairman calls for Tobacco control
Doctors' lie test for smokers
Pubs debate food versus smoke in light of white paper
Smokers in tents, response to ban
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FULL TEXT
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BMA Chairman urges UK to ratify FCTC
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A letter in the Times from the Chairman of the Council of the BMA calls =
for the UK to ratify the FCTC:=20
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"Tobacco kills five million people worldwide each year. By 2025, this =
toll will double. The World Health Organisation's Framework Convention =
on Tobacco Control (FCTC) commits governments to protect their citizens =
from the illness and death caused by tobacco. UK ministers should ratify =
the world's first public health treaty without delay, as some 40 =
countries have already done.=20

Our Government signed the FCTC on the day it opened for signature. The =
European Council of Health Ministers is due to meet on Monday, December =
6.=20

Every day, Britain's doctors face the suffering caused by tobacco. The =
convention marks a significant step forward in preventing =
tobacco-related illness and death. But if it is to be effective, it must =
be implemented in the UK.
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Yours faithfully,
JAMES N. JOHNSON,
Chairman of Council,
British Medical Association."
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Source: The Times, Letters to the editor, 6 December 2004
Article link: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,59-1389869,00.html =

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Doctors' lie test for smokers
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Scientists have invented a simple urine test to help doctors establish =
whether their patients smoke following the discovery that many people =
pretend to have given up when they have not.=20

The test was developed to help plastic surgeons, whose operations are =
affected by smoking. Just one cigarette can reduce blood flow to a =
wound, increasing the risk of slower recovery and of post-operative =
infection.
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But the urine test, developed at the University of Birmingham, may have =
wider applications. It could help cardiac surgeons decide whether =
patients should undergo bypass surgery. If they smoke, their long-term =
chances of success are much lower than those who give up cigarettes =
because smoking can damage the new blood vessels. At the moment only a =
blood test, which takes time and money to analyse, can give doctors an =
indication of whether someone is smoking.
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Dr Graham Cope, who developed the Birmingham test, said: 'It is easy to =
use and gives a quick result in a few minutes.'=20
The surgical team at Pinderfields Hospital in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, =
used the test after questioning 100 patients about their smoking habits. =
Of the 26 people who denied smoking, including 17 women, the findings =
showed otherwise.
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Source: The Observer, 5 December 2004=20
Article link: =
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,1366858,00.html
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Pubs debate food versus smoke in light of white paper =20
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Chief executive of Irish drinks and snacks group C&C says of the Irish =
smoking ban, 'You can really tell the difference. It has made a much =
better environment. There are some customers who will go, never to =
return, but in the long term it is a good thing as pubs are fresher and =
more pleasant and new customers will come in.'
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Currently 80% of pubs in the UK serve food and the business is worth =
=A35billion, according to the British Beer and Pub Association. The =
White Paper estimates that only 10-30% of pubs will stop serving food, =
making the remainder non-smoking, but the chief executive of Mitchells =
and Butlers predicts that 'many more pubs than the white paper =
anticipates will be taking out food.'
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A survey conducted by the trade magazine The Publican found that, from =
around 300 pub licensees questioned, 6 out of 10 pubs would consider =
dropping food in favour of retaining smoking. Pub managers would favour =
segregation, conceding that they would have to introduce partitions and =
walls or even turn their premises into two separate establishments.
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Caroline Muspratt of the Telegraph is of the opinion that "commercially =
this might be no bad thing, although it could enrage the anti-smoking =
fascists in the Government."
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The dangers of passive smoking to pub workers are of concern to John =
Hutson, chief executive of JD Wetherspoon, who would prefer to see an =
outright ban on smoking. "It is strange to have a situation where =
smoking is allowed as the pubs are still staffed by employees of the =
company which run it."=20
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The accountants BDO Stoy Hayward estimate that the number of people =
drinking in pubs will fall by 7.6%, even taking into account the boost =
from non-smokers who begin visiting pubs, it said that pub profits could =
fall by =A3230m per year. Another opinion is provided by Geof Colyer at =
Deutsche Bank who says that "The pubs have four years in which to =
prepare and start marketing to people who had used the smoky atmosphere =
as an excuse not to go to pubs. They could find in the long run =
business will improve."
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Source: Mail on Sunday, 5 December 2004, Daily Telegraph, 4 December =
2004
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Smokers in tents, response to ban
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A Scottish firm, Garden Marquees Ltd, have designed a free-standing, =
ventilated tent made from fire retardant material. They call it the =
PuffinHaven and it is already in demand from pubs in Ireland. Patio =
heaters can be used to heat the tents in winter and the material is =
breathable to allow ventilation.
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The sales manager of the company thinks that "when the UK-wide ban comes =
into force, the smoking tents could be the answer for a wide range of =
businesses that fall into the enclosed-space category."
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Source: Press & Journal, Aberdeen, 2 December 2004=20
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