Tobacco Documents Online

This article by Science Service has been noted in various papers. F°RESS-NEWS'. 'Qleveland, tDhio March 29, 1962 ~ on Sn1olti'ng :ontroversyr Still Rages By Science Service WASHINGTON'- The at- Ten years ago the death tack on eigarets as a cause of certificate of,a person dying lung cancer by the RbyaliCol- of lung, cancer' might have lege of Physicians in London, read "pneumonia,"' "tubercu- England; has fanned a, con-- losis," "heart failirre,"'or even troversy that has gone on contained such an item as since the Indians taught Sir "senility and other ill-defined ~. Walter Raleigh to smoke. conditions."' Not only a matter of health When eriticizing, the re- is at stake, it is a multi- port's recommendation for billion-dbllar industry that specific actions to be taken pays the U;S: Government against oigarets. by govern- alone nearly.two billion i dol- menG and physicians, TIRC '7~ lars in income tax. singled out,the statement: "It z; Both sides debating th'e. should be realizedithat since effects of cigaret' smoking we cannot identify the sub- have been equally vocal. Th'e: stances in tobacco smoke that Tobacco Industry Research may be injurious to health, Committee (TIRC), headed by no firm claims for the safety, t!he well-knowni scientist, Dr. of modified cigareti tobaccos ce Cook Little, best or filters can be made." K' -senta 1'h e industry's' TIRC' asked if it would not viewpoint. have been better to, add, Over the past decade, cig. `furthrr research is required aret, smoking has been at- to ascertain the tbuthi' tacked by such medical iorgam Research projects by the izations as the American Cam hundreds are going, on to cer Society and'ttie National bring out all the complex fac~. Cancer Institute of the U;SI tors related to amoking,and Public Health Service:, lung cancer as well as other Three major objections to ailments' such as heart dis=, th'e Royal College of Ptsygi. ease. cians' report were raised by ' TIRt;:, IT' DOES NOT •EXA'M1NE the total evidence, but con- siders only selected' material' related to a single aspect of ltuman experience-smoking. IT' PROFESSES to have considered views that' dis- agree with the conclusions presented. IT'CLAIMS lo demonstratee impartiality by reviewing "other possible explanations which must be considered." Dr. Little's committee ques- tions whether lung cancer has really been increasing in r( t years. Present diag- tt~~ facilities and death registration, along, with in• creased knowledge of lung cancer, are factors not taken into consideratiom in compar~ ing the present incidence of ast, the disease with the p , rttaIC HfAL1[1 i C'igarettes on Trial * THE A7TACK on cigarettes as a ause "No metluod of treating tobacco or filter. of lung ancer by the Royal College of ing the smoke has been demonstrated to Physicians in Londost,'England, has fanned be efftccive in materially,reducing or elimi. a controversy that,has gone on since the nating the hazard of lung aneer," the Indians taught Sir Walter Raleigh to smok'e- statement reported. "Unless the use af Not onlya matter of health is at stake; tobacco can be made, safe," it concluded, tobaao is a multib'illion.dollar industry "the individual person's risk of lung cancer that pays the U. S.'t.^,overnment,alone nearly can best be reduced by the elimination of' two billion dollars in: taxes. smoking:" Both sides debating the effects of dga- Encouraged by the report of the Royal rette smoking have been equally vocal. College of Physicians, Sen. htaurine B. Neu- Th'e Tobacco Industry Research Committee berger (D.~Oreg) is introducing,legislation (TIRC) headed by the well-known scientist, that would require printing the tar and Dr, Clarence Cook Little, best represents nicotine contents on ach , cigarette pack. the . industry's viewpoint. •In 1959; however, a siinilarr bill proposed I Over the past decade, cigarette . smokingg by , Rep. JohnA..Blamik(D:.Nlinn.)never nus uccn~ ac[lcxcu uy, sucss n[cufcal urgan- got outt of committee fora. Congressionall i ti h A i C S ie d za ons as t mer an an oc ty an e cer_ vote the National Cancer Institute of the US. ` Public Health Service. Three major objections to the RoypllCol- lege of Physicians' report were raised by. TIRC: I. It does not examine the total evidence, but considers only selected material related to a single aspect of human experience- smoking. 2. It professes to have considered views that disagree with the conclusions presented. 3. It claims to demonstrate irnpartialityy by reviewing "other possible explanations which must be considered." Dr. Litde s committee questions whether lbng cancer has really been increasing in recent years. Present diagnostic facilities and death registration, along with increased knowledge of lung cancer, are factors not taken into consideration in comparing the present,ineidence of the disease with the past. Ten and more years ago the death certifi- ate of a person dying,of'ldtng cancer might have rad. "pneumonia," "tuberculosis," "hart failure," or even contained such an item as "senility and other, ill-defined conditions." When criticizing the report's reoom- mendation for specific actions to be mken against',cigarettes by.government and phy, sicians, TIRC singled out the statement:. "It',should be ralized'that since we cannot identify, the substances in tobacco smoke that may be injurious too health, noo firm~ claims for the safety of modified cigarette tobaccosons filters can be made." 1RC.asked if it would.not have beew better to add, "further research is required l to ascertain thetruth."' Resarch projects by the hundreds are going on to bring out all the complex factors related to smnking and1ung cancer as wedl as other ailmentss such as hartdisease. As f:fe back as 1959, the Public Health'i Service issued a statement implicating eiga- rrtte.smukinK.p,arsieularlyas a leading causee of lung can.er..