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ASH Daily News

10 November, 2000

Headlines

Cancer rises by 50% since 1971
Profile of RCN's 'No Butts' campaign
Germany mulls joining E.U. suit against tobacco giants
Kids Against Tobacco Smoke (KATS) website launched
Smoker blows up a block of flats

Full Text

Cancer rises by 50% since 1971

The Independent reports that, 'Cancer is rising faster than can be accounted
for by the ageing of the
population and is likely to strike one in three of the population within
their lifetime. The growing burden imposed by the disease, up by half since
1971, is revealed in figures published yesterday by the Office for National
Statistics (ONS). They show the number of new cancers diagnosed each year
increased from 149,000 in 1971 to 221,000 in 1997, or a rise of 72,000
annual cases.

The article adds, 'Reasons for the increase have baffled doctors, dismayed
researchers and now threaten future generations despite the hundreds of
millions of pounds spent looking for the causes of the disease. The rise
threatens the government target of reducing cancer deaths by 100,000 in
people under 75 by 2010.'
Source: The Independent, 10 November 2000
Link: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/UK/Health/2000-11/cancer101100.shtml

Profile of RCN's 'No Butts' campaign

Nursing Times reports on a survey on the smoking habits of nurses. The
survey was conducted as part of the 'No Butts' campaign by the Royal College
of Nursing which aims to encourage all nurses, midwives and health visitors
to try and stop smoking with practical supportive and advice. The campaign
is also backed by the Nursing Times and the Department of Health and it aims
to help those nursing professionals who want to stub out their cigarette
craving.

The survey found that 'more than half of the nurses who smoke do so because
of the extreme stress of their work.' The survey also revealed that 78% of
nurses have been smoking for over 10 years and 40% for more than 20 years.
82% of nurses smoked over 10 cigarettes a day. The feature also profiles a
series of five nurses who are attempting to give up.

36% of nurses say the health risks were something they did not like, with
45% saying that they did not like the cost and 72% of smokers citing the
smell as other things they did not like about smoking.

However, 89% of nurses who smoked said that they wanted to quit. A stop
smoking booklet has been produced to support any NHS staff and nurses who
want to find out how to quit. Copies are available from BMS (01483 303017).
The five nurses featured in the Nursing Times story are being followed up by
Jennifer Percival over 12 weeks and their stories of their quit smoking
attempts will covered further by the Nursing Times.

Source: Nursing Times, 3 November 2000
Link: http://www.rcn.org.uk/smoking/index.html
Further details: Call Jennifer Percival on 0870 74 23456

Germany mulls joining E.U. suit against tobacco giants

The German government may be joining the E.U. Commission in its civil suit
against the two U.S. tobacco giants Philip Morris and R.J. Reynolds,
according to reports by the German newspaper Handesblatt.
Source: Handelsblatt, November 8, 2000

Kids Against Tobacco Smoke (KATS) website launched

A new website by the Roy Castle Lung Foundation, Kids Against Tobacco Smoke
(KATS), has been launched. This site http://www.roycastle.org/kats aims to help
alert young people to the real dangers of smoking, in a fun and interesting
way. It provides them with the information and facts to say 'no' to
smoking.

Celebrities who helped to launch the site included, Diane Burke, who plays
Katie Rogers in Brookside and James Suenson-Taylor, a representative from
the John Moores Family Trust - who are sponsors of the website. Children
from Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School in Liverpool were also amongst the
first to try the new website out.

Chris Owens, Head of Tobacco Control at the Roy Castle Lung Cancer
Foundation says "The website offers easy to understand information in an
imaginative way, combining educational games, a platform to exchange ideas
and a competition that will run until December. It encourages young people
to take an active stance against smoking."

Source: Roy Castle Lung Foundation Press Release, 7th November 2000

Smoker blows up a block of flats

The Sun reports that, 'Smoker James Blackley lit a fag in bed yesterday -
and blew up an entire block
of flats. His 5am puff sparked a gas blast which tore down his walls and
roof and left the three-storey building teetering. Amazingly, James, 37,
emerged from the rubble with just burnt hands and a bruised face. Twenty
neighbours in Walkden, Manchester - including a heavily pregnant woman -
were evacuated to a nearby 24-hour Tesco.'

Source: The Sun, The Mirror, Daily Star, 10 November 2000