Comments on: Smoking ban is right thing for Executive to do http://ge-free.com/blog/139/smoking-ban-is-right-thing-for-executive-to-do/ Latest Organic Food articles and resources Fri, 10 Sep 2010 21:07:43 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=1.5.1.1 by: Belinda Cunnison http://ge-free.com/blog/139/smoking-ban-is-right-thing-for-executive-to-do/#comment-12 Sat, 24 Dec 2005 02:00:13 +0000 http://ge-free.com/blog/139/smoking-ban-is-right-thing-for-executive-to-do/#comment-12 Patrick Hutton is right to express doubts about the figures concerning alleged deaths from second-hand smoke ('Smoking ban is the right thing for Executive to do'). The figures came from different sources and anomalies can arise, and often do. The figure of 2 to 3 in 100,000 came from the Department of Health in London (Scientific Committee on Tobacco and Health) and referred only to lung cancer. The 865 deaths attributed to second-hand smoke come from a report commissioned this year by the Scottish Executive, and covers the four conditions assoicated with tobacco smoke: heart disease, stroke, lung cancer and respiratory disease. Lung cancer is by far the smallest killer of these four conditions although it kills a much higher proportion of people under the age of 75. To take the 'worst case scenario', the 865 figure accounts for just over 2 per cent of non-smoker deaths. However even this is only a statistical correlation, and such things usually have to reach 3% (remember we are talking about 4 different conditions) before it is worth considering whether there is a biological link. Epidemiology in itself proves nothing. The Scottish Parliament is acting against the wishes of the Scottish electorate. There are other factors in the deaths of everybody that can be dealt with: it is not necessary to threaten to criminalise a third of the electorate. Belinda Cunnison South Sloan Street Edinburgh (14 December 2005) Patrick Hutton is right to express doubts about the figures concerning alleged deaths from second-hand smoke (’Smoking ban is the right thing for Executive to do’). The figures came from different sources and anomalies can arise, and often do.

The figure of 2 to 3 in 100,000 came from the Department of Health in London (Scientific Committee on Tobacco and Health) and referred only to lung cancer. The 865 deaths attributed to second-hand smoke come from a report commissioned this year by the Scottish Executive, and covers the four conditions assoicated with tobacco smoke: heart disease, stroke, lung cancer and respiratory disease. Lung cancer is by far the smallest killer of these four conditions although it kills a much higher proportion of people under the age of 75.

To take the ‘worst case scenario’, the 865 figure accounts for just over 2 per cent of non-smoker deaths. However even this is only a statistical correlation, and such things usually have to reach 3% (remember we are talking about 4 different conditions) before it is worth considering whether there is a biological link. Epidemiology in itself proves nothing.

The Scottish Parliament is acting against the wishes of the Scottish electorate. There are other factors in the deaths of everybody that can be dealt with: it is not necessary to threaten to criminalise a third of the electorate.

Belinda Cunnison
South Sloan Street
Edinburgh
(14 December 2005)

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