Back the ban say medical experts
As professionals who daily witness the misery and suffering caused by smoking-associated diseases, we urge your readers to support the minister and in particular to commend his plans to their public representatives to ensure he has the full support of his party in this crucial and far-seeing initiative. We believe this is truly a matter of life and death.
The life expectancy of Irish males is among the lowest in western Europe. Up to 30% of all cancers in this country are caused by smoking. Our health service cannot deal effectively with the burden of disease related to this epidemic. At any one time up to 50% of hospital beds may be occupied by people suffering from diseases caused by tobacco smoking. The poorest and most disadvantaged in our society suffer most from this plague.
We reject those voices who claim this initiative is unnecessary or unworkable. The chorus of approval which rightly greeted the public campaign to reduce road deaths is in stark contrast to the objections raised to the proposed
anti-smoking legislation. Yet, of every 1,000 young men who smoke, while six will die prematurely by road traffic accident, over 250 will die prematurely from cigarette smoking.
Narrow sectional interests, concerned with an (unproven) impact of this initiative on their financial bottom line, must be prevented from derailing the minister’s far-seeing plans. We urge eaders who are more concerned with the common good to contact their TDs to indicate their strong backing for a total ban on cigarette smoking in the workplace.
Dr Oscar Breathnach, Consultant Medical Oncologist,
Cork University Hospital.
Dr Paula Calvert,
Consultant Medical Oncologist,
Waterford Regional Hospital.
Prof Peter Daly,
Consultant Medical Oncologist,
St James’s Hospital, Dublin.
Prof Ernest Egan,
Consultant Haematologist,
Galway University Hospital.
Dr David Fennelly,
Consultant Medical Oncologist,
St Vincent’s Hospital, Dublin.
Dr Liam Grogan,
Consultant Medical Oncologist,
Beaumont Hospital, Dublin.
Dr John Kennedy,
Consultant Medical Oncologist,
St James’s Hospital, Dublin.
Dr John McCaffrey,
Consultant Medical Oncologist,
Mater Misericordiae Hospital, Dublin.
Dr Paul O Donnell,
Consultant Medical Oncologist,
Sligo General Hospital.
Dr Seamus O Reilly,
Consultant Medical Oncologist,
Cork University Hospital.
