EXCESSIVE SMOKING BY INVALIDED SOLDIERS.

Colonist, Volume LX, Issue 14869, 18 September 1918, Page 1 (Supplement)

EXCESSIVE SMOKING BY INVALIDED SOLDIERS.

fTJNII'ED PKESS AESOCIATION.]

Christchurch, August 22. . Referring to-day to smoking among soldiers, Sir James Allen said that, as. regarded troops at the front, his advisers stated that under heavy physical and mental strain the smoking of a cigarette or a pipe was a great relaxation and comfort, but the question had been raised of the danger of issuing an. unlimited number of cigarettes to men. in hospital and those returning as patients. Sir James Allen remarked thafc he was afraid this was undoubtedly true, and it had been suggested that patients with lung or cardiac troubles, should receiye only a limited number of ciga.rettes. He was not a medicaL man, but'he thought there was a greaii deal too much cigarette smoking: amongst New Zealand soldiers, and particularly those in homes or hospitals, and he was afraid that in some instances this was retarding their recovery.. In the interests of the soldiers themselves, the generosity of the publiu might ■therefore be checked a little in. this direction, for there was ample evidence from soldiers that as many as. fifty or' sixt i cigarettes were smoked iv. a day. He did not want to stop smoking, but he would be glad to see excessive smoking checked. The will-power of the men" to stop it themselves mighfcwell be assisted, in their own interests..