Tobacco Documents Online

.Surgeon General Terry discusses smoking and'liealth~. "From the People," at 10:30 P.M. over radio station WMCA, Nev'York City, Jtialy S, 1962. •Guest: Dr. Iazther Terry, Surgeon General of the United States Moderator: .Harry Clarkson Panel: Irv Chapman, Radio Press International; John Troyhhan, Scripgs Hovard ,Newspapere. ^ .:CLARKSON; "Dr. Terry, do the.cibarette manufacturers of this country have ; any reason to worry about their future?" and to go beyond! that at the present time I think would be prejudging,- Public Health Service of what actions we should take in this direction, wh3.ch has been accumulating over a period'of time. As a matter of fact at the present time we are composing an expert comrnittee to advise the there is cbncern in this direction, as ha& been indicated'by evidence TERRY: "This is a~ difficult question to answer. I think that certainly what we would expect this comnittee to~ deliver. "Up until that time I thinkit should be pointed out that the Public Health Service stands upon its statement which was widely published in 1959'with regards to smoking and lung cancer." X*x CHAPMAN: "I think,, Dr. Terry, in the public mind'this matter of statistical - evidence versus laboratory evidence that the cigarette manufacturers are trying;to put forth~has resulted in some confusion. "Cowld' you clear this up a bit? What exactly is the weight of evidence, and is it important that more than statistics be found?" TERRY: "Well there''s a great deal of other information which reflects on it, laboratory studies particularly that have been done in animals. However, the- to be quite frank with you, this evidence has not all been pulled together and been looked at as one package so to speak, since 1959. And it''s the intention of the Pk3b]1ic Health Service that this expert committee will do~just exactly that,"' CHAPM#IG: 'lNow ovPr in Britain some steps have been taken by public healith authorities to discourage the use of tobacco.Isn't that true?'r y TERRY: "That's correct, Mr. Chapman." CHAAVAN: "Is there any expectation, or are you looking at the evidence 0 with an eye towards following suit perhaps if' the evidence warrants?" Q W TFRW: "I think that this vouldibe prejudging what the committee will C1"1 report to us. I really don't know what actions we will take and, consequent],y w' couldn't say at this time.!' ~' (more).

CAAPMAN: "Just'one other question on smoking then. How do you feel the evidence stacks up on smoking with relation to heart disease; not cancer now, but heart disease?' Is there a greater tendency among heavy smokers to suffer heart ailments?" TERRY: "I think -- vell, in the first place there have been several statisticarl.studie~s whichl have explored thia point and, in I' believe~ every `instance there has been found to be a higher incidence of coronary heart ;disease among the smokers than in non-smokers. "The answer is not qu3te that simple, inasmuch as one can take the -- this mere statistical information and ss.y this proves. At the same time I think it is of'suffic3ent importance to make us concerned about it and to explore it much further." f.