Tobacco Documents Online

' 1 b G:35 'T `7 V ~'6 TBE WASIiINGTON DAILY' NEWS' Washi'ngton, D,C, July 31, 1962 S'URGEON' GENER.AL LUTHER L. TERRY, a moderate smoker himself, might have quite a time finding his paneliof "unbiased experts" to study the ianpact' of' smokiiug, air pollution and auto exhaust on health. Let's see. This "unbiased panell' would seem to eliminate heavy smokers and even non-, smokers; each might be biased, for op- posite reasons. Migh^t' even argue that a man who limits himself to one cigar after dinner a.nd' would scream if he didn't have it-might be prejudiced.. People who drive one block to the store instead of walking might be bi~ .ased; after all, how c o u 1 d' they live without their. car (or c_ars)-exhaust pollutioni or not. Then again, people who would rather walk than drive (if there are any such anmmals left) might be prej udiced the other way. Swme goes for people who live near a factory or milll which sends up smoke; or people who live 'way out in the coun- : try and never see a smokestack belch black soot. Surely stockholders, executives an d possibly employes of tobacco, auto and steel! companies don't qualify. But government determination being what' it is, Dr. Terry sooner or later will come up with his experts. '`tut we still think he's got a tough job finding them. TIMES Scranton, Pennsylvarsia ,August 6, 1962 Smoi g-Cancer Study For the first' time the federal go u-ernment, is to sponsor a study designed to resolve the long-disputed question as to whether there is a relatzonship between smoking and the incidence of' lung cancer. The U.S. Public Health Service for several years has taken the stand that smoking is a principal' cause of the increase in this type of the disease. The tobacco industry has per- sistently argued that there is no con+ crete evidence to justify this conclusion. . President Kennedy, acting upon the advice of the Health Service, has autho.rized' the study. Dr. Luther L: Terry, U.S. Surgeon General, is to appoint,'within the next' few weeks, a 12-member committee to undertake itw While the association of' srnoking wsthh cancer will be the primary issue, the panel' wilQ also consider the impact' of' air pollution„ automobile exhaust fumes and other related factors on health. Tobacco is big business in-the United States-the industry does an annual business of $8 billion-and'the findings of' the government-sponsored study group could'conceivably have a severe anpact on the national economy. Within, recent months, the governments ini C'~reat' Britain and Italy have launched car.upaigns against smoking, on the basis of the belief that it is a contributing cause of lung cancer. The U.S. study to, start this Fall is expected, to require at least a year before any findings are made. The issue poses such, broad consequences that the panel should be given all the time that is needed to make an honest, objective judgment'.