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ASH Daily News

21 November 2003


HEADLINES

+ Passive smoking: claims from employees could mean costs for employers
+ Smoking during pregnancy linked with ADHD
+ Robin Williams to give up smoking
+ Short link to hearing

FULL TEXT

+ Passive smoking: claims from employees could mean costs for employers

The leisure industry has been warned to gear up for a wave of lawsuits
if they do not address the issue of staff and customers smoking in the
workplace. This warning comes following the recently reported 50,000 out
of court settlement which Michael Dunn, a casino worker in central
London, reached with his employer following his claim that he had
developed asthma due to passive smoking at work.

Considering the fact that compensation for unfair dismissal awards could
reach 50,000 in the employment tribunal, employers, even in workplaces
where employees are traditionally exposed to smoke (like pubs and
clubs), are well advised to enter into an active consultation with their
employees to discuss measures which could be implemented to accommodate
non-smoking employees.

Full article linked from:
http://www.tobacco.org/news/144166.html
Source: Mondaq, 20 November 2003



+ Smoking during pregnancy linked with ADHD

Women who smoke during pregnancy appear to have a greater risk of having
a child with symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
(ADHD), according to UK researchers.

Dr. Anita Thapar, of the University of Wales College of Medicine, and
colleagues used questionnaires to assess children's ADHD symptoms,
maternal smoking during pregnancy, conduct disorder symptoms, and family
adversity, in a sample population of 1452 pairs of twins.

Genetic factors accounted for most of the cases of ADHD, the
investigators report in the November issue of the American Journal of
Psychiatry. However, they also noted a significant association between
smoking during pregnancy and the development of ADHD symptoms in the
children

Full article linked from:
http://www.tobacco.org/news/144208.html
Source: Reuters Health, 20 November 2003



+ Robin Williams to give up smoking

Robbie Williams has announced his plans to give up smoking. The singer,
29, is expected to move out of the public eye as a hectic world tour
winds down in December after almost six months on the road.

Williams revealed his resolution as he rounded off his recording of a
BBC Radio 2 concert in front of 300 fans.

Full story:
http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_840188.html
Source: PA News, 20 November 2003



+ Short link to hearing

The Daily Mirror reports on a study by Swedish researchers that found
that short men are three times as likely to suffer a loss of hearing as
they get older than taller people.

It is thought that events before birth, such as malnutrition or exposure
to alcohol and nicotine could all be contributing factors.

Researchers in Sweden, who assesses a 1,000 men, said family history
rather than exposure to loud noise was the most common reason for
hearing problems.

Source: Daily Mirror, 21 November 2003

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