Tobacco Documents Online

'Anti-tobacco talk by Dr. Michael Shimkin at the opening of the National Cancer • s ,Conference in Milwaukee September 13 gained some press attention, chiefly in the Scripps-Howard'chain, as a result of this John Troan story. Some Scripps-Howard ,:papers did nct use the Troan story. -THE WASHINGTON DAILY NEWS Washington, D.C. September 13, 1960 20.000 PEOPLE A YEAR Expert Says Cigaret Ban Would he Big Life-Saver sy JOHIY TSOAN body has proved cigaret smok- ing can give people lung cani cer. Dr. Shlrnkin insisted tnat: s An "association" bet veen smoking and lung cancer has been shown by "many statis• tical investigations." • At least 10 chemicals which• can tause caneer in aniinals have been identified in tobacco smoke thru "exten- sive laboratory experiments." • "Careful-obserwations" of human tissue have showA to- bacco produces changes in the lining of the breathing tubes similar to the kind which lead to cancer. Concluded Dr. Shimkinc "It all adds up to this-If + >acco smoking, at least in _ form of cigarets, were :erminated, the annual mor- tality.from lung cancer could be ieduced by more than 60 per cent, a.savi*+v of at' least 20,000 lives in the TJ: S. alone."' He said doctors must real, -Ize this businpss of smoking Is "a serious pubiic health . 5erl0pf-HoWArd aei.a.. arfrit.v MINNEAPOLIS, S gp t. 13-A new. kind of, prohi- bition-on cigarets- would save at least 20,000 lives a year in the United States, a scientist from the National Cancer Insti- tute said today. But Dr. Michael Shimkin conceded such" a, ban would be difficult to invoke because "tobacco Is considered neither a food nor a drug and ap- pears to be immune from all regulations except taxation." Besides, he said; many folks seem to subscribe to "the theory that It is a Constitu- tional right to choose one' poison." - As a result, he complaineo, the Government can do move "to protect the population"' Trom chemically - contaminat- ed cranberries - whose "dan- gers for man are at most theoretical" - than from the hazards of tobacco. Dr. Shimkin spoke here at problem and not a stale joke °' the opening of the three-day National Cancer Conference, / D/~ 33~~ a "summit meeting" of can- oer researchers held every four years. About 2000 scien- tista are to attend. :In his keynote adress, he challenged repeatedly asser- tions by Dr. Joseph Berkson,, a prominent statistician at nearby Mayo Clinic, that no- KNOXVILLE NEWS-SENTINEL Knoxville, Tennessee September 14, 1960 Cigaret-Death Link Challenged •y feriPPs Neward N.wspaPen WASIiINGTON, Sept. 14 - The •tobacco industry today challenged It caneer: researcher's claim that prohibition of cigaret smoking would save 20,900 lives a year.. Edward F. Ragland, vice presi- dent of the Tobacco Institute Inc., criticized the cigarer ban suggeSi:. tion as an "extreme stand" by - "smalli self-appointed anti-tobac- co group" which "is now trying :to dictate to laymen and doe- 2ors." ; The proposal was made by Dr. -Michael Shimkin of the National Cancer -Institute before the 4th National Cancer Conference in Minneapolis. Ragland said Dr. Shimkin "ig- nores the sizable and growing re- search evidence t h a t' does not .support his position" that lung cancer is associated with cigaret' smoldng. BIRMINGHA14i POST'-FERALD Bi;rmingham, Alabama September 15, 1960 Tobacco Men Give Challenge By. . Scripps-Howard Newspapers WASFMGTON, Sept. '14-Tiie fobacco industr;.today challenged. a cancer researcher's claim that' irohibition of cigaret smoking ivAUld save 20,000 lives a year. Edward F: Ragland,. vice presi-~ . deflt of the Inh-gorn Institute, Inc., igiticized the cigaret ban sugges- tion as an "extreme stand" by a Y;mall, self•appointed anti-tobacco ~roup" which ".`is;w now tiying to dictate to laymen and doctors." The proposall was maL.a by Dr. lRiichael Shimki>i ofE the National Cancer Institute before the 4th` National Cancer Conference in Minneapolis. Ragland said Dr. -Shimkin '•Ig- •nores the sizable and growing re- eearch evidence that does not sup• port his position" that lung cancer 1s associated with cigaret smoking. /oo3s4-~?N R PARIS BBACON-NEY7S Paris, Illinois September 15, 1960 Tobacco-Cancer Issue Flares Again With New Charges United Press International MINNEAPOLIS - A medical ex- pert Tuesday- blamed 60 per cent of lung cancer deaths on cigarette smoking and the tobacco industry promptly blamed "anti-tobacco zea- lots" With overlooking evidence to the cont'rary.- Dr. Michael B. Shimkin, chief of biometry at the Bethesda, Md., National Cancer Institute, told a national cancer conference at the University of Minnesota that a halt to all' smoking would annually save 20,000 lives lost to lung cancer. Timothy V. Hartnett, chairman of the,Tn+;cco Industry Research Committee, said in New York, however, that "It is unfortunate that the conference s sponsors vir- tually limited the discussion of this subject to a few individuals who are historically committed to extreme anti-tobacco views." He added that "New scientific evidence . , throws doubt' on charges against smoking. , Dr. Shimkin told some 2,000 sci- entists and physicians at the con- ference it was "established fact" that smoking causes a "significant proportion" of cancer in the lungs, larynx and oral cavity.