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ASH Daily News
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8 December 2004
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HEADLINES
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Smoking ban to take a battering in Glasgow?
'Smokin' Stevens heart attack scare
The wrong smoke signals
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FULL TEXT
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Smoking ban to take a battering in Glasgow?
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Scotland has been labeled the "sick man of Europe," reports the Herald, =
and quotes a customer of Jaconelli's Fish and Chip shop: "We're brought =
up on rubbish and, as parents, we give our children rubbish to eat," =
customer Deborah Ski said at the chippie, in Mary Hill, a working-class =
enclave of Glasgow. Life is a mad rush, she said, and few people have =
time for a proper sit-down dinner. "There just isn't anywhere to go to =
get something quick that isn't rubbish."=20
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It does not help that Scotland also enjoys its cigarettes (nearly 30 =
percent of adults smoke) and despises its exercise, because people lack =
time, money or motivation. In Glasgow, the situation is especially bad. =
Glaswegians, as a whole, are viewed as the unhealthiest of the lot, =
mostly because they are among the poorest.=20
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Twice Glasgow has been named the "fattest city" in Britain by Men's =
Fitness magazine. Its obesity rates are fast approaching those in the =
United States, and its rates of heart disease and cancer, while =
improving, rank among the worst in Western Europe. "People are living on =
French fries up here," said Matt Qvortrup, a professor of sociology and =
public policy at Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen.=20
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Calling the state of his country's health "lamentable," First Minister =
Jack McConnell, the Labour leader who heads the Scottish government, has =
made the issue a priority. Trying to improve Scots' health has given him =
a chance to show that the country's five-year-old government can take =
the lead on social issues, rather than shuffling behind England.=20
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There is certainly plenty of room for improvement. While noting that =
Scotland's health is slowly getting better, a 2003 study by the London =
School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine found that, from 1991 to 1995, =
the mortality rate in Scotland from all causes was the worst in Western =
Europe among people of working age.=20
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Lung cancer mortality rates have been the highest in Western Europe =
since the 1950s, with few exceptions.=20
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In a chart that ranks Scotland among 17 West European nations, the =
country led in heart disease deaths from 1991 to 1995, the most recent =
comparable figures available, and came in second for stroke and lung =
cancer deaths.=20
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In 2000, life expectancy for men was 72.8 years and for women 78.3.=20
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"If the countries of the United Kingdom were regarded as separate =
entities, then life expectancy in Scotland would, for women, be the =
lowest" in Western Europe, "and for men, the second lowest after =
Portugal," the report's introduction said.=20
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McConnell's riskiest move in his new campaign came two weeks ago, when =
he announced he would introduce a bill by Christmas to ban smoking in =
all public places, including pubs. The legislation, which would fine =
lawbreakers from =A350, or $75, to =A32,500 would take effect by April. =
If the law passes as expected, Scotland will be the first country in =
Britain to bar smoking in all public places (except nursing homes and =
prisons), despite surveys that show most people in the country oppose an =
outright prohibition.=20
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Ireland became the first European country to ban smoking in public =
places earlier this year and England is proposing a less stringent ban =
for 2008.=20
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The government is legislating on others fronts, as well. Last week, in a =
bill that few politicians opposed but many columnists lampooned, the =
Parliament wrote into law a mother's right to breast-feed. While the =
rate is increasing, Scotland still has among the lowest levels of =
breast-feeding in Europe: In some parts of the country, only 26 percent =
of mothers nurse their children. Many mothers try to nurse at birth, and =
some stick with it for a while, but by 45 days only 35 percent are still =
nursing. Eighty percent of mothers in Norway, the country with the best =
rate, are still breast-feeding after six months.=20
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In the United States, the six-month rate is 32 percent.=20
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At Harvey's Bar, across the street from Jaconelli's chippie, the pub is =
thick with smoke. The regulars sit around with beer or whiskey, agreeing =
to disagree on the merits of the government's efforts to improve their =
health.=20
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Angie Ralston, who sat smoking at the same table, said she would stay =
home more if smoking were banned. "I will miss the social aspects, but I =
definitely won't come here," she said. "Why should I come here and pay =
to drink when I can't smoke?"=20
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A few smokers said the measure might persuade them to cut back or quit. =
But most wondered whether it would be enforceable. "People will defy the =
law," said John McLeod, 39, who sat puffing and drinking with friends, =
"There's not a law in Glasgow that doesn't get broken."=20

Source: International Herald and Tribune, 8 December 2004=20
Article links: http://www.iht.com/articles/2004/12/07/news/scot.html=20
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'Smokin' Stevens heart attack scare

Pop star Shakin' Stevens had hospital tests yesterday after a heart =
scare.
The 56-year-old heavy smoker - real name Michael Barratt - saw a top =
heart specialist.
Doctors have not ruled out surgery on the 80s rocker, who is believed to =
have circulation problems and high cholesterol.
He began to feel ill a few days ago and went to a doctor, who =
immediately suspected heart problems.
The star was referred to a West London hospital, then sent to a second =
unit nearby hours later.
Yesterday, he was transferred again to the Harley Street Clinic - which =
can cost =A3800 a night - for tests by the leading cardiologist. An =
onlooker said: "He managed a smile, but he did look very concerned and =
not well."
And a friend said: "He has been concerned about his health for some =
time. He seems to smoke a lot and that could take its toll on his =
health."
Stevens lives with wife Hazel in Woking, Surrey, where son Jason, 30, =
said: "He went to hospital, but it was only a routine check-up.
"It was arranged - he wasn't rushed in or anything like that. He wasn't =
kept in and is at a pal's house tonight. He's fine."
The singer had four No1 hits in the 80s - This Old House, Green Door, Oh =
Julie and Merry Christmas Everybody.
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Source: Daily Mirror, 8 December 2004=20
Article link: =
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/allnews/tm_objectid=3D14954538%26method=3Dfu=
ll%26siteid=3D50143%26headline=3Dshaken%2dstevens-name_page.html=20
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The Wrong smoke signals
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In a letter printed in the Evening Standard, the director general of the =
British Heart Foundation, Peter Hollins, reacts to the government's =
white paper:
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"Pub chain Mitchells and Butlers' protests against a smoking ban remind =
us of how unworkable the government's proposals are. Banning smoking =
only in pubs that serve food is an arbitrary, nonsensical approach that =
will lead many pubs either to stop serving food or seek legal loopholes.
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M&B has overlooked the key issue: the health of its non-smoking staff =
and customers. There is a proven link between atmospheric smoke left by =
cigarettes, and heart disease, stroke, lung cancer and many other killer =
diseases. It is conservatively estimated that 4,300 people die from =
second-hand smoke every year - 700 from passive smoking in the =
workplace. No other such potent pollutants are tolerated in any =
industry. With this in mind, talk of profit margins is distasteful and =
irrelevant.
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If M&B is right. And the government underestimates the number of pubs =
which will stop serving food to allow smoking, this will leave even more =
workers unprotected. The British Heart Foundation believes that banning =
smoking in all enclosed public places is the only fair and sensible way =
to halt this proven killer."
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Source: Evening Standard, 8 December 2004
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