Other letters: Cigarettes and alcohol

From The Fiji Times in Suva AS a non-smoker, I fully support efforts made by the National Anti-Smoking Society of Fiji, and health workers in general, to educate the public about the dangers of smoking.

Although as a non-drinker I am baf fled at why alcohol has not been target ed with advertisements discouraging people from drinking.

Alcoholism is as dangerous as smok ing.

I want to know why the alcohol industry is being been ignored.

Is it because sportsmen are said to consume alcohol that it is exempt from being targeted?

Does alcohol not cause deaths, bro ken homes, violent crimes, diseases, addiction and other social problems?

I urge health workers and the gener al public to set up a sister organisation to the National Anti-Smoking Society of Fiji to combat the two evils which have created a lot of problems for our people today.

Faiyaz Khan, Suva

From The Norfolk Islander, Norfolk RE: a proposed law to prevent the sale of tobacco to children.

Is the best too good for Norfolk’s children?

I was surprised to learn that there is no law to protect children from ciga rette smoking.

Is there profit in pessimism on this issue?

This law teaches children their child hood is important.

Vulnerability and childhood go together. Even young animals are watched over. We need able watchmen.

The choice to start smoking is not of minor importance! Some possible con sequences: • cancer of the lips, lungs, etc; • cancer of the bladder is as common as cancer of the lungs; • heart disease, the biggest killer.

There are four deaths from this to each one from lung cancer; • lung disease, weakened lungs, emphysema from about 50 years on, with difficult breathing. X-rays do not reveal it until the condition is far advanced. • optic atrophy can occur, probably from the cyanide in tobacco; • deafness is worse with smokers; • osteoporosis is accelerated by smoking;

• carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke reduces by 20 per cent the capac ity of the blood to carry oxygen to the brain and elsewhere; • pregnant woman who smoke are twice likely to have a premature baby (premature infants have greater risks than full-term infants). • passive smoking effects other peo ple; and • one in three smokers will die from tobacco.

“We often think of smoking as some thing that will kill in old age. This is simply not so. Half will die in middle age, losing 23 or 24 years,” said Professor Peto, of Oxford University.

“It is better to have a fence at the top of a cliff, than an ambulance at the bot tom.”

A law requiring crash helmets to be worn on bikes to help prevent costly accidents and expense to our Healthcare Fund seems to be acceptable. A law to prevent the sale of cigarettes to people at a vulnerable age is comparable.

Is there one parent, if they had the choice, who would say, “Yes, I would like my child to smoke”?

Florence Anderson

Norfolk Island