Children ‘not getting anti-smoking message’

GETTING young people to realise smoking kills is an uphill battle, an international conference in Dublin heard yesterday.

Anti-smoking campaigner Professor Luke Clancy told delegates to Cancer 2005: “Adults, by and large, are stopping smoking, but children are not fully getting the message despite all efforts.

“And a recent survey showed nearly 30% of Leaving Cert students smoking, with girls more than boys.”

Prof Clancy, a respiratory physician at St James’ Hospital, is director general of the Dublin-based Research Institute for a Tobacco Free Society. He said the workplace smoking ban - introduced on March 29 last year - dissociated smoking from other activities, particularly entertainment.

“I think this will provide obvious dividends, but more importantly in deterring young people from starting to smoke, because the opportunities and the occasions when they will smoke will be limited.”

He said he was “encouraged” we were soon going to have very graphic images on cigarette packages as part of health warning messages. Prof Mike Richards, England’s national cancer director, stressed the need for early detection of cancer.

“We need to get people to know what the symptoms of cancer are, to know it really matters to have early detection. If they come early, it is often curable.”

Tánaiste Mary Harney opened the two-day conference at Dublin Castle, which is organised by St James’ Hospital.

She said clinical leaders had an important role to play in forming public opinion to ensure proper healthcare was provided.

Ms Harney told the conference she has yet to decide on the Hollywood report’s recommendations regarding the location of radiation oncology services.

Professor Donal Hollywood co-chaired some of yesterday’s conference. In his October, 2003 report, he said major investment was required to rapidly develop treatment services to acceptable standards.