Smoking

Press, 2 November 1989, Page 14

Smoking

Sir,—As Christchurch spokesperson for New Zealanders for the Right to Decide, I question the statistics of the Toxic Substances Board quoted by Dr M. A. H. Baird (October 20), viz. that 4000 premature deaths a year are caused by tobacco. In 1986, advertising material printed to support legalisation of marijuana stated:?* ... the best part of a million 7 young adults

and some older ones have adopted cannabis, also known as marijuana ...” Four of the

potential health hazards of marijuana are given as: (2) leading to heroin; (3) genetic effects; (4) brain damage, etc. No. 1 health hazard related to lungs. Here, the marijuana pressure group stated: "... Cannabis gives rise to tar in similar quantities to tobacco ...” Given that New Zealand’s “flower power people” of the 1960 s have been smoking “pot” for more than 20 years, that they themselves admit the hazard to lungs is at least equal to tobacco, why does the Toxic Substances Board take no account of cannabis in allocating blame for “premature deaths”? And why does A.S'H. not campaign against marijuana?—Yours, etc.,

..SUE HUNT. October 22, 1989.

Sir,—l note that Dr Baird, of the Toxic Substances Board and chairperson of A.S.H. (October 20), objects to sports administrators belonging to “New Zealanders for the Right to Decide,” and the Toxic Substances Board, through A.S.H., has recommended a total ban on tobacco advertising. There are sports sponsorships from the licensed trade. Is A.S.H., through the Toxic Substances Board, seeking a total advertising ban on the intoxicant alcohol, with its everlasting streams of human casualties? A total of 789 deaths per million population from lung, bronchus, and trachea cancers do not add up to the claimed 4000 annual deaths from tobacco. Culpeper, an eminent herbalist, lists the many virtues of the tobacco plant, which appears to have no vices. The plant and the burnt, dried leaves are used beneficially for the treatment of various ills. Could it be that - the hysteria surrounding tobacco has no solid foundation, that A.S.H. and the Toxic Substances Board are trying to stifle public opinion by decrying the right- of free choice? Is the whole matter a smokescreen to protect alcohol? — Yours, etc.,

M. A. HOGAN. October 27, 1989.