British Medical Association on the attack over smoking myths by pro-smokers groups

May 1 2005

The British Medical Association (BMA) has published a report aimed at the "myths" it said the pro-smoking lobby had told to oppose legislation. Doctors are claiming that AMs have been told 'myths' about a smoking ban and they have now have stepped up their campaign to see the Welsh assembly call for a smoking ban in Wales.

The assembly does not have the power to bring in a smoking ban but has set up a committee to look at the evidence.

Forest, a smokers lobby group, said calls for a ban were not based on "incontrovertible scientific evidence of harm to others".

Lord Harris of High Cross, president of Forest, argues that the many studies done worldwide have produced no reliable link between lifetime exposure to environmental tobacco smoke and lung cancer in non-smokers. He says the 'evidence' on passive smoking is based on nothing more substantial than "estimates, guesswork, subjective recollections and even gossip".

BMA Wales said its report, Behind the Smokescreen, would "clear the air" on the evidence presented to the AMs sitting on the assembly's committee, the report claims evidence shows that passive smoking increases the risk of lung cancer in non smokers by 20-30% and says that evidence from Ireland, which brought in a ban last year, shows that banning smoking in public places does not increase smoking in homes. The report says the effects of passive smoking kill 30 people daily.

The Welsh Assembly Government, which voted for a ban in 2003, will now hopefully be given the powers to pass the legislation.

Dr Tony Calland, Chairman of the BMA's Welsh Council says BMA Wales presented a country-wide petition with over 12,000 signatures to 10 Downing Street, calling on the Government to give the National Assembly the power to exercise a ban.

He says if the health of the people of Wales is a priority for politicians, then a complete ban on smoking in enclosed public places is the only answer.

Mr James Johnson, chairman of the BMA says the medical profession is united in its calls for a UK-wide ban on smoking in all enclosed public places and workplaces and the results of recent research indicates that the true cost of delaying legislation is human and not financial.