CMO report opens new fronts in smoking war
by Shannon McKenzie

The ageing effects of smoking have been highlighted by chief medical officer Sir Liam Donaldson in an attempt to reach image-conscious young smokers, along with making an economic case for a smoking ban.
Speaking at the launch of his annual report for 2003, Sir Liam said that, in the past, the tobacco industry had used images of power and glamour to advertise its product. Those images, although more discreet, still existed today, particularly in the fashion and film industries.
‘The use of smoking in the modelling, fashion and film industries is totally at odds with one of its principal aims – to promote glamour and good looks,’ he said. ‘The medical and scientific facts tell a different story – beauty is only skin deep and the smoke and chemicals in cigarette smoke can damage the architecture of the skin for good.’
Smokers’ facial skin is more likely to have wrinkles, crows feet and a sallow yellow-grey colouring, the report emphasises. Some smokers can look up to 20 years older than their actual age.
The CMO also repeated his call for a ban on smoking in the workplace and public places and used his annual report to debunk the argument that such a ban would have a negative economic impact on the hospitality industry.
An economic analysis undertaken by the Department of Health’s economic and operation research division found that the overall net benefit of England becoming smoke-free would be between £2.3bn and £2.7bn annually. Crucially, the assessment also found that going smoke-free would actually help the hospitality industry or would, at least, be financially neutral.
‘The evidence and analysis shows that concern about falling profits is unfounded,’ Sir Liam said. ‘In other parts of the world, where legislation to create smoke-free public places and workplaces has been introduced, profits in the hospitality and industry have actually risen.’
In New York City, restaurant employment increased by 18 per cent following the ban, compared to 5 per cent in surrounding areas, and taxable sales from all eating, drinking and hotel establishments increased more than in surrounding areas.
Faculty of Public Health chair Rod Griffiths agreed with the findings. ‘Anyone who thinks about it seriously would realise that, if pubs and restaurants are smoke-free, then the food and drink will taste better and the majority of the population who are nonsmokers will be more likely to go there,’ Prof Griffiths said. ‘It might also help smokers to give up, live longer, look younger and have more money in their pocket as well – money they could spend in nice clean pubs and restaurants.’
However, the CMO noted that, if all workplaces were to become smoke-free, NHS workplaces should be the first. But with just 10 per cent of hospitals completely smoke-free, the NHS was setting a ‘terrible example’. Sir Liam called for all NHS premises to be made entirely smoke-free by the end of this year.
This call was supported by Health Development Agency chief executive Paul Streets who noted that tobacco smoke was especially dangerous to people who are already ill or vulnerable. Many of these people, he noted, were regular users of the NHS and relied on visits to hospital and clinics to help them recover.

Source: www.publichealthnews.com