Tobacco Documents Online

3esorting to Violence" VIcNT, bimonthly publication) YSICLaN, Vol. 25 No. 2 Feb. 1970 . January 1971 e in a Comprehensive Prepaid . 4 pp 186-196 April 1972 - VIEW, July-August, 1973 F REPRODCCTI:E ?JEDICI.I'E Vol. II J,1.*ff:.l, VoL 30 No. 11 November 1975 :ole Integration", American ~ly 1976 - ~ THE BULLETIN, Feb. 1978 Diseases of the. Breast Vol. 14, - HYPtr'OSIS I2I :IEDICI\E, pp. 69-83. :ialists, distributed by Year Book 667 CONCERNING THE "COWREHENSIVE SMOKING PREVENTION ACT OF 1982" G.N. Schrauzer, Ph:D. La Jolla, California I am Professor of Chemistry at the University of California, San Diego. I hold a Ph.D. degree in chemistry from the University of Munich and a m the president a nd founder of th e International Associatio n of Bioinorganic Scientists. I am a member of several scientific societies, inclu ding the American Chemical Society, the Association of Clinical Scien- tists, and the American Public Health Association. I am the author of approximately 200 research publications an d have edited 2 books. I My main research interests are in cancer-prevention, cancer epidemiology, trace minerals in human and animal nutri- tion, and various £ields of experimental chemistry. I have done pioneering work on th e preventio n of cancer by the essen- tial trace mineral seleniun and in 1978 received a special award from the Santa C1ara -Section of the American Cancer Society. As a chemist, cancer researcher and American Citizen I wish to comment upon the "Comprehensive Smoking Prevention Act 95-077 0-82-43

668 of 1982" recently introduced into U.S. Congress. In this Act, it is stated, among other things, that "smoking is the n umber one cause of lung cancer in the United States". In my opinion, what role, if any, smoking plays in the,causation of cancer, including lung cancer, has still to be determined. Those who claim smoking causes cancer rely upon the reported statistical association an d ignore the inconsistencies of the smoking causation theory in the scientific literature.' For example, to date, no one has ever been able to produce lung cancer in 1 aboratory a nim3ls through e xposure to fresh, whole cigarette smoke. Moreover, the vast majority of smokers never develop lung cancer and there are serious inconsistencies in the epidemiological evidence and dose-response relationships. For example, a Japanese male smoking 50 cigarettes per day has a lower risk of dying from lung cancer than a British smoking doctor smoking only 1-14 cigarettes per day. In addition, no ingre3ient or combination of ingre-, dients, as found in tobacco smoke, has been shown to cause human lung cancer. Tobacco smoke is a very complex mixture of thousands of ingred-ients. Some of these ingredients, in isola- tion, have been reported to be carcinogenic in test animals. However, this does not mean that tobacco smoke is harmful to humans- Compounds that are carcinogenic in test animals, when -2- 0 applied applied in isol when applied in bable that the interact with ea the effects of a in isolation fro tain smoke cons mals. For examp ting group of p ant i-carcinogen ic smoke previously nic activity bav when applied witl Cancer d isease. S tudi e ing, are statist factors are fami and other biolo radiation and in mental factors an Further, mally present in v iruses and that

. Congress. In this Act, it "smoking is the number States". In my opinion, the causation of cancer, determined. ses cancer rely upon the gnore the inconsistencies he scientific literature.• been able to produce lung exposure to fresh, whole aajority of smokers never erious inconsistencies in e-response relationships. 50 cigarettes per day has ar than a British smoking :r day. o r: comb inat io n o f ingr e- s has been shown to cause a very complex mixture of iese ingredients, in isola- inogenic in test animals. bacco smoke is harmful to :nic in test animals, when 669 applied in isolation, have been found to be anti-carcinogenic when applied in combination with each other. Since it is pro- bable that the many hundreds of compounds present in smoke interact with each other, it is highly artificial to focus upon the effects of any one ingredient or-combination of ingredients in isolation from.the others. It has long been known that cer- tain smoke constituents act as anti-carcinogens in test ani- mals. For example, tobacco belongs to the selenium accumula- ting group of plants and selenium has been. shown xo possess anti-carcinogenic properties. Also, constituents of digarette _smoke previously thought to be lacking altogether in carcinoge- nic activity have recently been found to be anti-carcinogenic when applied with true carcinogens in test animals. , Cancer is an extremely coaplex, multifactorial disease. Studies indicate that many £actors, other than smok- ing, are statistically associated with cancer. Some of these factors are f amilial predisposition, e xposure to tumor viruses and other biological causing agents, exposure to ionizing radiation and industrial carcinogens, diet, exogenais environ- mental factors and stress. Further, studies indicate that a number of agents nor- mally present in foods may have activating effects on tumor viruses and that there is an association between lung cancer -3-

670 mortalities and other variables o f 1 ife-s tyle and d ie t. For example; the lung cancer mortalities are correlated with the per capita intakes of sugar and milk, and with the consumption of seafoods. It also has been repeatedly suggested and recent- ly reaffirmed that the consumption of diets rich in pro-vitamin A (carotene) may have lung cancer protecting effects. The "findings" in the "Comprehensive Smoking Preven- tion Act" have not been proven. Moreover, passage of th e Act will divert attention from other etiologic leads to the disvan- tage of the American Public and the progress of the health sciences. - -4- is professor of ch Diego. He receive Munich, Germany, in become a major e chemistry. He is ir of selenium and carcino.genesis. He catalysis, biocat chemistry. 'Dr.Schrc International - As- Editor-in-chief anc Element Research" a "8ioinorganic Chemi research papers and received his academ immigrated to the l Citizen and has bee since 1966. Schrau Society, the Assoc College of Toxicolc College of Nutritior

life-style and diet. For s are correlated with the , and with the consumption edly suggested and recent- diets diets rich in pro-vitamin :ecting effects. :)rehensive Smoking Preven- eover, passage of the Act logic leads to the disvan- e progress of the health 671 GERHARD N. SCHRAUZER is professor of chemistry at the University of California, San Diego. He received his Ph.D. Degree from the University of Munich, Germany, in 1956. An inorganic chemist by training he has become a major exponent in the new field of bioinorganic chemistry. He is internationally known for his work on the role of selenium and other •trace elements in nutrition and carcinqgenesis. He is also a leading specialist in the areas of catalysis, biocatalysis; organometallic and coordination chemistry. 'Dr.Schrauzer is the founder and president of the International Association of Bioinorganic Scientists, Editor-in-chief and founder of the journal "Biological Trace Element Research" and former editor and founder of the journal "Bioinorganic Chemistry". He is the author of more than 200 research papers and has edited two books. He was born in 1932 and received his academic training at the University of Munich. He immigrated to the United States in 1964, is a Naturalized U.S. Citizen and has been at the University of California, San Diego; since 1966. Schrauzer is a member of the American Chemical Society, the Association of Clinical Scientists, the American College of Toxicology and an Affiliate Fellow of the American College of Nutrition.. -