[Intl-tobacco] UK: Tobacco Firms Urged to Remove Dangerous Additives (fwd)

[Robert Weissman]

Tobacco Firms Urged to Remove Dangerous Additives
Source: Reuters, Monday, 7/16/01

LONDON (Reuters Health) - The UK Department of Health confirmed on Monday
it is urging tobacco firms to reduce levels of carcinogens and other
dangerous chemicals from cigarettes.

A spokesman told Reuters Health that government officials had sought
advice from experts on the Scientific Committee on Tobacco and Health on
which of the hundreds of chemicals in tobacco should be removed from
cigarettes.

``Ministers want firm new action on tobacco additives and carcinogens in
tobacco smoke. If the industry does not take action, we will be looking to
powers under the Consumer Protection Act that would allow us to ban
tobacco additives if proven unsafe,'' he added.

While no deadline had been set, he said ministers clearly want early
action.

Public health minister Yvette Cooper was reported on Sunday to have drawn
up a list of additives she wants to see banned within 6 months. Some
chemicals are believed to put smokers at a greater risk of cancer while
others are designed to improve flavour and increase the rush of nicotine.

In a statement to Sunday newspapers, she said, ``The government is already
providing support for smokers who want to give up but we also want to see
the industry do more to cut potentially harmful additives and carcinogens
from cigarettes, too.

``People have the right to smoke but most people are unaware of the huge
number of additives and carcinogens in cigarettes as well as nicotine.
People are entitled to that information and to know that action is being
taken to reduce the most dangerous constituents of cigarettes.''

Welcoming the initiative, Sir Paul Nurse, director general of the Imperial
Cancer Research Fund, said, ``The cigarette is like a dirty syringe for
taking the drug nicotine, with over 600 additives permitted. The tobacco
companies have known how to make smoking safer for at least 25 years, but
have consistently failed to do so. The current products cause premature
death for half of all long-term smokers, so even a small improvement could
save thousands of lives.''

Sir Paul urged the government to follow through with its plans to enforce
safety measures legally. ``The current system to regulate additives under
voluntary agreements has been in force since 1997, but it clearly doesn't
work.  It's vital that the government forces tobacco companies by law to
reduce the known toxins in cigarettes and to develop less hazardous
products. Given that cigarettes kill half of all regular users, it is
amazing that so little regulation governs what goes into them.''