Tobacco Documents Online

166 3,5;!~1 "7".1(7 THE NEW~ YORK TIMES New York,, New York June 14, 1962 Smokiing and' Health Surgeon General Luther L. T:xry has an-' nouneed appointment of an advisory committeeo "to study the effect 'of cigarette smoking on health." In making this announcement Sldrgeon Gen-. eral Terry said that it was now "timely to, under- take a comprehensive review of all available data." It certainly is, and we trust that not too 'much time will elapse before the American, peo- pie receive reports as to the results. Such a re- view wil2 have to consider the evidence gathered' fnom many sources both in this country and abroad implicating excessi ve cigarette smoking as a factor responsible for an increase in the in-, cidence of I a number of diseases, especially heartt disease and lung cancer. While a definitive determination is thus post- poned, it cannot be shelved, permanently. The Administration will ;have to decide=if not this year; then next-whether it should take steps similar to those already being taken in Britain, and by private health organizations in this coun- try; to educate the public-and particularly the younger generation-to the potential dangers of excessive smoking of cigarettes. JOURNAL Winston-Salem, North Carolina June 28, 1962 Joa`3_~ THE NEW YORK TIMES New York, New York June 24, 1962 Smoking, Alarms Questioned To rss EntTOS or Tn Ns9v Yoaa Tnass : The editoria4' entitled "Smoking and Health" in The Times of' June 14 cert'ainiy, shows a consistency of attitude, although perhaps not a clarity of vision. Some seventy-eight years ago (Jan: 29, 1884), The New York Times also editortally commented against cigarette smoking andi con- cluded that °The decadence of'Spain began when the Spaniards adopted cigarettes, and if' this pernicious practice obtains among adult Amer- icans, the ruin of the Republic is close at hand." Whatever happened? KEh NETH L. PoSTER; Jr. • Levittown, N. Y:; June 19,,1962. And We Aren't Ruined Yet. A READER chided the venerable New York Times last SundLy for a recent editorial' on "Smoking and Health,i' an& quoted from a Times editorial written some 78 years ago (January 29, 1884) which viewed with similar gravity the matter of' cigarette oking: "The decadence of Spain began whenn the Spaniards adopted eigarettes, and if this pernicious practice obtains among adult Americans, the ruin of the Republic is close at hand." But whatever happened Reader Ken- neth L. Porter Jr., of Levittown, N.Y., wants to know. The question is pertinent. The republic, after nearly eight decades, seems to be in fairly good shape. From the time when, according to leg- end, one of Sir Walter Raleigh't maad- servants saw him smoking a pipe of, the. newly discovered American tobacco and dashedl a mug of ale on, him, thinking he was on fire, there have been divers com- plaints, criticisms and' condemnations,, medical and otherwise, concerning tobacco. But man, being the adventurous if oftti¢nee habi~t-ridden soul that he is, goes right on using it. In fact, many of us appear willing to give up almost anything else except pipe, cigarette or cheroot. Perhaps Kipling,best' expressed this at-' . titude in his p o e m anent• the young woman whe l forced' her fiance to chaose between her and his cigars. After long and painful deliberation, the latter at length decided that "Maggie"' was hardly worth, the sacrifice, for: A' woman is only a woman, But a pood' cipar tis a smoke.