Smoking Scare De-bunked

7/29/2019 Smoking Scare De-bunked

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THE SMOKING

SCARE

D E - BUNKEDBYDR WILLIAM T WHITBY

"Could any intelligent person read this

book and still believe the smoking

scare?"

"A medico shows -- from reports of

many distinguished scientists - that the

smoking scare is false and that smoking

is really quite harmless and often

beneficial . "


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T h e r e a r e s o m a n y c r i t i c s o f t h e s m o k i n g - l u n g c a n c e r

h o a x , p h y s i c i a n s , s c i e n t i s t s a n d s t a t i s t i c i a ns , r e c o g n i s e d

a u t h o r i t i e s i n t h e i r o w n c o u n t r i e s a n d i n t e r n a t i o n a l l y , t h a t

i t i s i m p o s s i b l e t o l i s t , l e t a l o n e q u o t e , m o r e t h a n a f e w .

P r o f e s s o r B u r c h , U n i v e r s i t y o f L e e d s , " S m o k i n g h a s n o

role in lung cancer . "

Dr R.H . Mole, British Medical Research Council,"Evidence in uranium miners permits the exclusion ofsmoking as a major causal agent . "

Dr B . K . S . D i j k s t r a , U n i v e r s i t y o f P r e t o r i a , " T h e n a t u r a l

e x p e r i m e n t s h o w s c o n c l u s i v e l y t h a t t h e h y p o t h e s i s h a s t o

be abandoned . "

P r o f e s s or S i r R o n a l d F i s h e r , l a t e o f C a m b r i d g e U n i v e r s i -

ty, "The theory will eventually b e regarded as a

c a t a s t r o p h i c a n d c o n s p i c u o u s h o w l e r . "

Dr Ronald Okun, Director of Clinical Pathology, Los

A n g e l e s , " A s a s c i e n t i s t I f i n d n o p e r s u a s i v e e v i d e n c e t h a t

c i g a r e t t e s m o k e c a u s e s l u n g c a n c e r . "

Professor W . C . Hueper, National Cancer Institute,

S w i t z e r l a n d , " S c i e n t i f i c a l l y u n s o u n d a n d s o c i a l l y i r -

r e s p o n s i b l e . "

Professor M : B . R o s e n b l a t t , N e w Y o r k M e d i c a l C o l l e g e ,

" I t i s f a n c i f u l e x t r a p o l a t i o n - n o t f a c t u a l d a t a . "

Professor Sheldon Sommers, New York Academy of

M e d i c i n e a n d S c i e n c e , " T h e b e l i e f t h a t s m o k i n g i s t h e

cause of lung cancer is no longer widely held by

s c i e n t i s t s , " a n d a l s o , " S m o k i n g i s n o l o n g e r s e e n a s a

cause of heart disease except by a few zealots . "

THE SMOKIN G

SCARE

DEBUNKED

t

JrPmJ


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" T h e s m o k i n g - l u n g c a n c e r t h e o r y w i l l e v e n t u a l l y b e r e g a r d e d

a s a c o n s p i c u o u s a n d c a t a s t r o p h i c h o w l e r . "

T h e l a t e P r o f e s s o r S i r R o n a l d F i s h e r o f C a m b r i d g e U n i v e r s i t y .

THE SMOKING

SCARE

DE-BUNKED

BYDR WILLIAM T WHITBY

I

0 0

V. m


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SOURCESI n w r i t i n g t h i s b o o k - w h i c h c o n c l u s i v e l y s h o w s t h a t s m o k i n g i s i n n o w a y

the causal factor in lung cancer - the author has depended only upon e

f i n d i n g s o f s c i e n t i s t s o f w o r l d - w i d e r e p u t e , w h i c h h a v e a p p e a r e d i n h i g l y

p r e s t i g i o u s l e a r n e d j o u r n a l s . H e i s n o t p r o p o s i n g u n o r t h o d o x v i e w s o f h i s

o wn .

The following is a list of just some of the jour nals which the reader may

peruse at any university or other large library :

Published by Common Sense Publications

1 0 0 O l d S o u t h H e a d R o a d , B o n d i J u n c t i o n 2 0 2 2 , S y d n e y , A u s t r a l i a.

Copyright by William T. Whitby - 1986

ISBN 0 9595564 1 9

T y p e s e t t i n g - E x p o G r a p h i c s , S y d n e y , A u s t r a l i a .

P r i n t e d - G l o b e P r e s s , M e l b o u r n e , A u s t r a l i a.

The Lancet

J o u r n a l o f t h e A m e r i c a n M e d i c a l A s s o c i a t i o n

B r i t i s h M e d i c a l J o u r n a l

New England Medical Journal

B r i t i s h J o u r n a l o f O b s t e t r i c s a n d G y n a e c o l o g y

American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology

American Heart JournalMun. Med. WSCHRH e a l t h P h y s i c s

A u s t r a l i a n M e d i c a l J o u r n a l

Cancer

J o u r n a l o f P r e v e n t i v e M e d i c i n e

Chest

J o u r n a l o f N a t i o n a l C a n c e r I n s t i t u t e

J ou r n a l of R oy a l S ta t i s t i c a l S oc i e t y

S c i e n c e

American Journal of Epidemiology

J o u r n a l o f C h r o n i c D i s e a s e s

J o u r n a l o f O c c u p a t i o n a l M e d i c i n e

Archives of Environmental Health

Brit i s h J. o f P r e v e n t i v e a n d S o c i a l M e d i c i n e

Annals New York Academy of Sciences

Journal of Epidemiological Community Health

American Journal of Cardiology

Reports of World Health OrganisationU. S . C o n g r e s s i o n a l R e c o r d s o v e r t h e p a s t f e w y e a r s c o n t a i n s w o r nt e s t i m o n y o f n u m e r o u s r e p u t a b l e s c i e n t i s t s w h o h a v e q u e r i e d t h e s m o k i n g

s c a r e .


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CONTENTSChapter

I THE NEW RELIGIONPage

7

2 THE LUNG CANCER HOAX 1 13 CANCER IN THE WORK PLACE 1 84 GIFT OF THE GODS 24

5 WHY SMOKING IS BENEFICIAL 2 76 THE GREAT CAMPAIGN 367 THE PASSIVE SMOKING HOAX 448 THE HEART BOGY 5 29 FRIGHTENING THE LADIES 6 0

1 0 WHY PEOPLE ARE AGAINST SMOKING 6 51 1 PERSECUTION OF SMOKERS 701 2 MODERN DAY PERSECUTION 7 31 3 FAILURE OF CAMPAIGN ADMITTED 7714 TRICKERY WITH STATISTICS 8 1

1 5 'EXPERTS' 8 7

1 6 ANTICS OF THE SMOKING HATERS 9 11 7 CAN YOU BELIEVE A WORD THEY SAY? 941 8 THE INNOCENCE OF TOBACCO 1 0 319 THE CASE AGAINST RADIOACTIVITY 1 0 820 WHAT SMOKERS SHOULD DO 1 1 32 1 CONCLUSION 1 1 5

7

C h a p t e r 1

THE NEW RELIGION

T h e w o r l d h a s b e c o m e s u p e r s a t u r a t e d b y a c a m p a i g n w h i c h f o r i t s

s h e e r m a g n i t u d e f a r s u r p a s s e s a n y o t h e r i n h i s t o r y . T h e r e h a v e b e e n ,

g r e a t w a r p r o p a g a n d a a n d r e l i g i o u s c a m p a i g n s bu t t h e s e f a d e i n t o i n -

s i g n if i c a n c e a l o n g s i de t h e a l l - p e r v a d i n g a n d i n e s c a p a b l e a n t i - s m o k i ng

campaign . Y e t i t s f a l s i t y s u r p a s s e s i t s m a g n i t u d e . I t i s t h e n e w f a i t h o f

t h e t w e n t i e t h c e n t u r y , a g o v e r n m e n t - f o u n d e d r e l i g i o n , fo u n d e d f o r

r e a s o n s w h i c h t h i s b o o k w i l l s h o w a r e r e a l l y s t a r t l i n g .

T h e a n t i - s m o k i n g r e l i g i o n h a s b e c o m e st r o n g e r t h a n t h a t f o u n d e d

b y P e t e r a n d P a u l , a n d l i k e o t h e r r e l i g i o n s t h e r e i s n o p r o o f , o n l y

f a i t h . G a r b e d i n t h e r o b e s o f p s e u d o - s c i e n c e i t r i v a l s t h e m o s t p u r i t a n i -

c a l m o v e m e n t s i n h i s t o r y a n d s t r i v e s t o g a i n i t s e n d s w i t h a c o m p l e t e

d i s r e g a r d o f t r u t h a n d s c r u p l e s . ' T h e e n d j u s t i f i e s t h e m e a n s . ' A s i n .

t h e o l d r e l i g i o n s , f e a r i s t h e k e y . B u t i n s t e a d o f P u r g a t o r y a n d H e l l ' s

fires we have smokeophob ia and cancerophobia .

P e o p l e h a v e b e e n s m o k i n g s i n c e b e f o r e t h e d a w n o f h i s t o r y w i t h o u t

apparent harm . N o w s u d de n l y a g o v e r n m e n t - s p o n s o r e d c r e e d b a c k e d

b y m i l l i o n s a n d m i l l i o n s o f d ol l a r s i s b r a i n w a s h i n g t h e p u b l i c i n t o

b e l i e v i n g t h a t s m o k i n g c a u s e s l u n g ca n c e r a n d o t h e r a i l m e n t s . I t j u s t

d o e s n ' t s o u n d l o g ic a l a n d t h e r e ' s n o t a s h r e d o f w o r t h w h i l e e v i d e n c e

f o r i t . W h e n I f i r s t r e a d o f t h e t h e o r y t h e f a c t t h a t i t w a s s u p p o r t e d b y

t h e c r e a m o f t h e m e d i c a l p r o f e s s i o n m a de m e t h i n k t h e r e m i g h t b e

s o m e t h i n g i n i t . S t i l l I w o n d e r e d h o w t h i s h a r m l e s s a g e - o l d c u s t o m

could suddenly become dangerous . O n e t h i n g t h a t m a d e m e d o u b t i t

w a s t h a t o f a l l m y r e l a t i v e s a n d f r i e n d s w h o g o t l u n g c a n ce r n o t o n e

was a smoker . P e o p l e h a v e b e e n t e l l i n g m e t h e s a m e t h i n g e v e r y d a y

a n d m o r e a n d m o r e p e o p l e a r e s a y i n g i t n o w . N o t o n e o f m y s m o k i n g

p a t i e n t s i n f o r t y y e a r s h a s t o m y k n o w l e d g e g o t l u ng c a n c e r , a l t h o u g h

some non-smokers did .

T h e n I w a s s t r u c k b y t h e f a c t t h a t i t w a s o n l y s in c e t h e a d v e n t o f t h e

atomic bomb and the enormous proliferation of carcinogenic in-

d u s t r i a l p r o d u c t s t h a t l u n g c a n c e r h a s b e c o m e s o p r e v a l e n t .

W h e n a n u m b e r o f e m i n e n t s c i e n t i s t s d e n o u n c e d t h e a n t i - s m o k i n g

c a m p a i g n f o r d e c e i t a n d t r i c k e r y I b e g a n t o s u s p e c t t h a t b e h i n d i t a l l

w a s t h e d e a d h a n d o f p u r i t a n i s m. I f o u n d t h a t i t i s l a r g e l y b e i n g r u n b y

p u r i t a n d o c t o r s w h o a r e w e l l - k n o w n m e m b e r s o f f a r r i g h t f u n d a m e n -

t a l i s t s e c t s o f A m e r i c a ' s ' m o r a l m a j o r i t y ' , w h i c h h a s s u c h a p o w e r f u l

i n f l ue n c e o n t h e p r e s e n t U .S . a d m i n i s t r a t i o n . T h e ' m o r a l m a j o r i t y ' i s

a g a i n s t s c i e n c e a n d h a s a s i t s g o a l s a c c e p t a n c e o f ' c r e a t i o n i s m ' ( t h e

b i b l ic a l a c c o u n t o f t h e c r e a t i o n o f t h e w o r l d ) , p r o h i b i t i o n o f a l c o h ol ,

and, of course, smoking . T h e f a c t t h a t t h e w o r l d ' s l e a d i n g a n t i -

smoker is a prominent . m e m b e r o f t h e ' m o r a l m a j o r i t y ' m i g h t g i v e

t h i n k i n g p e o p l e s o m e f o o d f o r t h o u g h t . W h o s e s i d e d o t h e y w a n t t o b e

o n i n t h i s s t r u g g l e o f f u n d a m e n t a l i s m v e r s u s s c i e n c e ?

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8 The Smoking Scare De-Bunked

I f t h e t h e o r y h a d a n y m e r i t w h y s h o u l d i t b e n e c e s s a r y t o s t o o p t o

t h e r e a l y o u t r a g e o u s d e c e i t f o r w h i c h t h e c a m p a i g n h a s b e c o m e s o

n o t o r i o u s ? - a s I s h a l l d e t a i l l a t e r . I t i s t h e B i g L i e o f t h e t w e n t i e t h

c e n t u r y a n d I f e e l I c a n e a s i l y s h o w t h i s t o t h e i n t e l l i g e n t a n d u n b i a s e d

r e a d e r .

I w a s a l s o s t r u c k b y t h e f a c t t h a t t h e c a m p a i g n w a s b e i n g c o n d u c t e d

b y a s m a l l h a n d f u l o f d o c t o r s a l l o f w h o m w e r e o n t h e p a y r o l l , d i r e c t l y

o r i n d i r e c t l y , o f ' G o v e r n m e n t M e d i c i n e ' .

T h e o n l y c a s e t h e c a m p a i g n e r s h a v e i s b a s e d o n s t a t i s t i c s - n o w

p r o v e n f a u l t y - t h a t m o r e s m o k e r s d i e o f l u n g c a n c e r . B u t t h e g r e a t

g a p i n g h o l e i n t h e i r c a s e i s t h a t n o - o n e k n o w s j u s t h o w m a n y p e o p l e

d i e o f l u n g c a n c e r . T h e o n l y w a y o f r e a l l y k n o w i n g i s b y a u t o p s y .

O t h e r w i s e i t i s o n l y a g u e s s . A n d , a s m a n y s c i e n t i s t s h a v e p o i n t e d o u t ,

c o m p a r a t i v e l y f e w a u t o p s i e s a r e c a r r i e d o u t . R e c e n t r e s e a r c h s h o w s

t h a t n o n - s m o k e r s a c t u a l l y g e t a s m u c h , i f n o t m o r e , l u n g c a n c e r t h a n

smokers .

I n m o s t c a s e s t h e d i a g n o s e d c a u s e o f d e a t h r e s t s o n t h e o p i n i o n o f a

d o c t o r w h o i s l i k e l y t o h a v e b e e n b r a i n w a s h e d i n t o t h i n k i n g t h a t i t

m u s t b e l u n g c a n c e r i f t h e r e i s t h e s l i g h t e s t s u s p i c i o n t h a t t h e p a t i e n t

has ever smoked .

T h e c a m p a i g n r e s t s o n s u c h ' s t a t i s t i c s ' a s t h e s e , a n d f a i r y t a l e s

a b o u t l u n g c a n c e r i n s m o k i n g d o g s . I s h a l l s h o w t h a t t h e 's t a t i s t i c s ' a r e

w o r t h l e s s , a n d t h e s m o k i n g d o g s s t o r i e s a r e t h e s h a g g i e s t s h a g g y d o g

s t o r i e s o f a l l .

T h e d o g s f a l l a c y h a s b e e n s o g e n e r a l l y s w a l l o w e d b y t h e p u b l i c t h a t

I ' l l d i s p o s e o f i t r i g h t a w a y . A t a U . S . c o n g r e s s i o n a l h e a r i n g i n 1 9 8 2

Dr. A . F u r s t , d i r e c t o r e m e r i t u s , I n s t i t u t e o f C h e m i c a l B i o l o g y ,

U n i v e r s i t y o f S a n F r a n c i s c o , g a v e s w o r n t e s t i m o n y t h a t h e h a d t r i e d

f o r m a n y y e a r s t o i n d u c e l u n g c a n c e r i n a n i m a l s w i t h c i g a r e t t e s m o k e

b u t w i t h o u t s u c c e s s. H e a l s o t e s t i f i e d t h a t e v e r y o t h e r i n v e s t i g a t o r w h o

had attempted this had also failed . This was confirmed by the

testimony of scientists Schrauzer, Macdonald, Hockey, Buhle and

H a c k e t t , s h o w i n g q u i t e c l e a r l y t h a t n o a n i m a l h a s e v e r g o t l u n g c a n c e r

f r o m i n h a l i n g c i g a r e t t e s m o k e .

F o r e v e r y c l a i m , o f t h e a n t i - s m o k e r s t h e r e i s a c o m p l e t e a n d c o n v i n -

c i n g a n s w e r b y s c i e n t i s t s , b u t b e c a u s e t h e c a m p a i g n e r s c o n t r o l m o s t o f

t h e m e d i a w e d o n ' t h e a r o f t h e m .

S i n c e n u m e r o u s s c i e n t i s t s o f t h e h i g h e s t s t a n d i n g h a v e c o n d e m n e d

o r q u e s t i o n e d t h e i r c l a i m s i s i t h o n e s t o r s c i e n t i f i c o f t h e c a m p a i g n e r s

t o b l i t h e l y r e p e a t t h e s e c l a i m s o m i t t i n g a l l r e f e r e n c e t o t h e m ?

I h a v e n ' t s p o k e n o u t b e f o r e b e c a u s e I f e e l t h a t s t u p i d i t y i s t h e n o r m .

P e o p l e w i l l r e a l l y b e l i e v e a n y t h i n g . T h e b i g g e r t h e l i e t h e m o r e r e a d i l y

it is swallowed . After a lifetime puzzling why people believe the

nonsense they do I have come to the conclusion that, such is the

perversit y of human nature, people really enjoy being deceived .

The New Religion 9

However now that the anti-smoking campaign is interfering with the

r i g h t s a n d f r e e d o m o f t h e i n d i v i d u a l I t h i n k i t h i g h t i m e t o t a k e a s t a n d

and expose this quackery for the hoax t hat it is .

It is certain that the self-appointed 'experts' will resent a humble

general practitioner's questioning what has become holy w rit . No

doubt they will charge that the tobacco industry paid me to write the

b o o k . What a joke! If they only knew! I suggested to some t obacco

people that t hey might actively expose the anti-smoking hoax by inser-

t i n g l e a f l e t s i n e a c h c i g a r e t t e p a c k a n d a l s o p o i n t e d o u t t h a t t h e y c o u l d

q u i t e s a f e l y o f f e r a s t a n d i n g r e w a r d o f a m i l l i o n d o l l a r s f o r p r o o f t h a t

smoking is harmful . F r o m ' t h e i r r e p l i e s I g a t h e r e d t h a t t h e y f e l t t h i s

would antagonise the government . I then decided to go it alone

and write the book, because I hate stupidity and, knowing the wonder-

ful effect that smoking has had on my own health, I want people to

know how harmless and beneficial it really is . I want to make the

world safe for smokers, f ree from fear and tyrannical restrictions .

One of the most amazing things, more amazing than the acceptance

of this preposterous theory, is the sp ineless acceptance by smokers of

the bans now being imp osed on them . Another is the amazing per-

sistence of the campaigners in the very teeth of repeated exposure of

t h e f a l s i t y o f t h e i r c l a i m s . An example of this is the way they stub-

bornly continue to claim t hat smoke from a smoker can harm non-

smokers near him . T h e i r r e f u s a l t o a b a n d o n t h i s i n t h e f a c e o f f i n d i n g s

of a multitude of famous scientists that it is nonsense is quite

understandable . For it is on this claim that they depend for the sup-

port of non-smokers - by making them afraid of people who smoke .

Without it they would lose most of their support ers . S o t h e y p e r s i s t i n

i t .

L e s t i t b e t h o u g h t t h a t I a m e x p r e s s i n g s o m e c r a c k - p o t i d e a s o f m y

o w n I w o u l d l i k e t o s t r e s s t h a t I a m r e a l l y a c t i n g a s a r e p o r t e r o f f i n d -

i n g s o f r e s p o n s i b l e s c i e n t i s t s w h i c h t h e a n t i - s m o k i n g e s t a b l i s h m e n t h a s

b e e n a b l e t o h u s h u p .

T h e r e c e n t f i n d i n g s s h o w i n g t h a t m o s t c a n c e r s a r e c a u s e d b y t h e

w o r k p l a c e a n d t h e e n v i r o m e n t , c o u p l e d w i t h t h e t o t a l f a i l u r e t o p r o -

d u c e p r o o f o f s m o k i n g h a r m , h a v e l e d s o m e s c i e n t i s t s t o s a y t h a t

s m o k i n g c a n n o l o n g e r b e r e g a r d e d a s e v e n a s u s p e c t .

I f t h e c r u s a d e r s h a d d e l i b e r a t e l y s e t o u t t o s h o w h o w h a r m l e s s

s m o k i n g r e a l l y i s t h e y c o u l d n ' t h a v e d o n e a b e t t e r j o b . D e c a d e s o f

f r a n t i c a n d a s t r o n o m i c a l l y e x p e n s i v e l a b o r a t o r y e x p e r i m e n t s h a v e

c o m p l e t e l y f a i l e d t o p r o d u c e p r o o f t h a t s m o k i n g i s h a r m f u l .

T o s h o w t h e p u b l i c h o w t h e y h a v e b e e n m i s l e d I p l a c e d t h e f o l l o w -

i n g a d v e r t i s e m e n t i n t h e S y d n e y D a i l y T e l e g r a p h o f M a y 1 6 t h 1 9 7 9 :

$10,000 REWA RD

I w i l l p a y $ 1 0 , 0 0 0 t o a n y b o d y w h o c a n p r o v e i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h t h e

r e q u i r e m e n t s o f s c i e n c e t h a t s m o k i n g h a s c a u s e d o n e c a s e o f l u n g

c a n c e r , h e a r t d i s e a s e o r o t h e r b o d i l y h a r m .

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T h e o f f e r , w h i c h w a s w e l l p u b l i c i s e d , r e m a i n e d o p e n f o r m o r e t h a n

a n a d e q u a t e t i m e w i t h a m p l e n o t i c e o f t h e c l o s i n g d a t e . B u t f a r f r o m

b e i n g k n o c k e d d o w n i n t h e r u s h o f d o c t o r s e a g e r t o c l a i m t h e r e w a r d ,

I h a d n o t o n e s i n g l e t a k e r . D e s p i t e a l l t h e y e a r s o f d i s h o n e s t p r o p a g a n -

d a t h a t t h e r e w a s p r o o f , t h e f a c t i s t h e r e i s n o p r o o f a t a l l . N o t h i n g

c o u l d b e m o r e o b v i o u s .

I n s p i t e o f t h e i r p i o u s p r e t e n c e s , t h e v e r y l a s t t h i n g t h e c a m p a i g n e r s

w a n t i s t o b e i n v o l v e d i n t h e q u e s t i o n o f p r o o f . T h e y w a n t t h e i r c r e d o

a c c e p t e d w i t h o u t i t . O n e o f t h e i r f a v o u r i t e t r i c k s i s t o t r y t o t h r o w t h e

o n u s o n a n y o n e c h a l l e n g i n g t h e m t o p r o v e t h a t s m o k i n g i s n o t h a r m -

f u l . B u t s i n c e t h e y a r e t h e o n e s a d v a n c i n g t h e t h e o r y , t h e b u r d e n o f

p r o o f m u s t , o f c o u r s e , r e s t w i t h t h e m .

You might wonder why there is this enormously expensive cam-

p a i g n o n w h a t i s , c o m p a r e d w i t h o t h e r d i s e a s e s , n o t t h e m a j o r a s p e c t

o f p e o p l e ' s h e a l t h . P e o p l e w h o a r e i n a p o s i t i o n t o k n o w t e l l u s t h a t

t h e c a m p a i g n w a s d e l i b e r a t e l y p r o m o t e d t o t a k e t h e p u b l i c ' s a t t e n t i o n

o f f r a d i o a c t i v i ty , w h i c h , i n s p i t e o f s t r o n g a t t e m p t s t o h u s h i t u p , h a s

b e e n s h o w n b y m a n y l e a d i n g s c i e n t i s t s t o b e t h e m a j o r c a u s e o f l u n g

c a n c e r .

T h e p o l i c y o f t h e c a m p a i g n e r s i s t o m a k e t h e m o s t f a n t a s t i c c l a i m s

a c c o m p a n i e d b y g l a r i n g h e a d l i n e s , k n o w i n g , t h o u g h t h e y w i l l b e i n -

e v i t a b l y d e b u n k e d b y i n d e p e n d e n t s c i e n t i s t s , f o r e x a m p l e ' s m o k i n g

d o g s ' a n d w i v e s o f s m o k e r s g e t t i n g l u n g c a n c e r , a l o t o f p e o p l e w i l l

o n l y r e m e m b e r t h e h e a d l i n e s .

The thing that surprised me most in examining the anti-smoking

case was how easily it can be demolished . Most arguments have at

l e a s t s o m e d e g r e e o f m e r i t t h a t r e q u i r e s s e r i o u s c o n s i d e r a t i o n b u t t h i s

case rests on nothing, jus t parrot cries of 'l ung cancer - smoking is

the cause', and a lot of clumsy l ies aimed at inducing mass fear . T h a t

s u c h a c a s e c a l l s f o r r e b u t t a l i s a s a d r e f l e c t i o n o n h u m a n i n t e l l i g e n c e .

NOTE BY THE AUTHORA s I h a v e r e t i r e d f r o m a c t i v e p r a c t i c e t h e o p i n i o n s i n t h i s b o o k a r e

n o t o f f e r e d i n a p r o f e s s i o n a l c a p a c i t y . I f I h a d t h e s l i g h t e s t d o u b t I

w o u l d n o t h a v e a d v i s e d t h o s e n e a r e s t a n d d e a r e s t t o m e t o s m o k e . B u t

I a m n o t a d v i s i n g t h e p u b l i c a t l a r g e t o s m o k e . T h e m a i n p u r p o s e o f

t h e b o o k i s t o e x p o s e t h e c o m p l e t e l a c k o f b a s i s f o r t h e c l a i m s t h a t

smoking is harmful . I n v i e w o f t h e t h r e a t t o h e a l t h c l a i m e d b y t h e

a n t i - s m o k i n g c a m p a i g n e r s , a p e r s o n s h o u l d n o t m a k e a d e c i s i o n o n

s u c h a n i m p o r t a n t m a t t e r b e f o r e c a r e f u l l y w e i g h i n g b o t h s i d e s o f t h e

argument .

1 1

C h a p t e r 2THE LUNG CANCER HOAXThe anti-smoking case has been soundly rejected by numerous

l e a d i n g s c i e n t i s t s . Apart from those mentioned in this book t here ar4

not dozens but hundreds who are on record as condemning or serious-

ly quest ioning the theory . A n d y e t t h e c a m p a i g n e r s p e r s i s t i n t h e g r e a t

l i e t h a t i t i s u n i v e r s a l l y a c c e p t e d .

Professor M . B . R o s e n b l a t t , N e w Y o r k M e d i c a l C o l l e g e , s a i d , " I t i s

f a n c i f u l e xt r a p o l a t i o n - n o t f a c t u a l d a t a . " H e a l s o s a i d , " T h e u n -

s c i e n t i f i c w a y i n w h i c h t h e s t u d y w a s m a d e b o t h e r s u s m o s t . T h e c o m -

m i t t e e a g r e e d f i r s t t h a t s m o k i n g c a u s e s l u n g c a n c e r a n d t h e n t h e y s e t

o u t t o p r o v e i t s t a t i s t i c a l l y ." (U . S . C o n g r e s s i o n a l R e c o r d . )W.C . Hueper, former head of the National Cancer Institute ofSwitzerland, said, "Scientificall y unsound and socially

i r r e s p o n s i b l e . "

P r o f e s s o r S i r R o n a l d F i s h e r , l a t e o f C a m b r i d g e U n i v e r s i t y , " T h e

t h e o r y w i l l e v e n t u a l l y b e r e g a r d e d a s a c a t a s t r o p h i c a n d c o n s p i c u o u s

howler ."Dr. R .H. Mole, British Research Council : "Evidence in uraniumminers permits the excl usion of smoking as a major causal agent . "

Profess or Sheldon Sommers, New York Academy of Medicine and

S c i e n c e , s a i d r e c e n t l y , " T h e b e l i e f t h a t s m o k i n g i s t h e c a u s e o f l u n g

c a n c e r i s n o l o n g e r w i d e l y h e l d b y s c i e n t i s t s " a n d a l s o , " S m o k i n g i s

n o l o n g e r s e e n a s a c a u s e o f h e a r t d i s e a s e e x c e p t b y a f e w z e a l o t s . "Dr. Ronald Okun, director of Clinical Pathology, Los Angeles ,s a i d , " A s a s c i e n t i s t I f i n d n o p e r s u a s i v e e v i d e n c e t h a t c i g a r e t t e s m o k -

ing causes lung cancer . "

Professor Charles H . H i n e , U n i ve r s i t y o f C a l i f o r n i a : " A f t e r y e a r s

of intensive research no compound in cigarette smoking has beene s t a b l i s h e d a s a h e a l t h h a z a r d . "

Dr . B . D i j k s t r a , U n i v e r s i t y o f P r e t o r i a : " T h e n a t u r a l e x p e r i m e n t

( r e f e r r i n g t o a r i s e i n l u n g c a n c e r w h e n p e o p l e w e r e u n a b l e t o s m o k e )

s h o w s c o n c l u s i v e l y t h a t t h e h y p o t h e s i s m u s t b e a b a n d o n e d . "

Professors Kothari and Mehta, Bombay Medical College, s ay in

t h e i r b o o k ' C a n c e r - M y t h s a n d R e a l i t i e s o f C a u s e a n d C u r e ' t h a t i t

i s i m p o s s i b l e f o r s m o k i n g t o c a u s e l u n g c a n c e r .Dr . K .M.D . Herrold, former medical director of the U . S . PublicHealth Service, tol d a congressional committ ee that the claim that

smoking causes lung cancer "must remain only a theory . "

P r o f e s s o r P . B u r c h o f L e e d s U n i v e r s i t y h a s b e e n a t h o r n i n t h e s i d e

o f t h e c a m p a i g n e r s . In his book, 'The Biology of Cancer - A New

A p p r o a c h ' , h e w r o t e , " T h o s e e p i d e m i o l o g i c a l s t u d i e s t h a t p u r p o r t t o

show a casual connection between cigarette smoking and various

c a n c e r s , b u t p a r t i c u l a r l y l u n g c a n c e r , f a i l w h e n c r i t i c a l l y e x a m i n e d t o

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e s t a b l i s h a c a u s a l c l a i m . " D i s c u s s i n g t h e f i n d i n g s o f P r o f e s s o r F r i b e r g

h e f u r t h e r s a i d , " T h e s a m e s o u r c e o f i n f o r m a t i o n i n d i c a t e s t h a t s m o k -

i n g d o e s n o t p l a y a m a j o r c a u s a l r o l e - a c c o r d i n g t o p r e s e n t s t a t i s t i c s

i t a p p e a r s t o h a v e n o r o l e - i n l u n g c a n c e r . "

H e a l s o s a i d , " T h e b u l k o f t h e e n o r m o u s i n c r e a s e i n d e a t h r a t e s

(from lung cancer) has been due to factors unconnected with

t o b a c c o . "

A n d f u r t h e r , " U n f o r t u n a t e l y , i t s e e m s t h a t e x c e s s i v e z e a l l e a d s o n l y

too often to methodological shortcuts, spurious arguments and

p r e m a t u r e c o n c l u s i o n s a n d t h e s a c r i f i c e o f t r u t h . "

I n t h e ` L a n c e t ; J u l y 1 4 t h 1 9 7 3 , h e w r o t e , " T h e r e c a n b e n o s u g g e s -

t i o n t h a t c i g a r e t t e s m o k i n g h a s c o n t r i b u t e d a p p r e c i a b l y t o t h e i n c r e a s e

i n d e a t h r a t e s f r o m l u n g c a n c e r . "

I n t h e ` L a n c e t ; A p r i l 5 t h 1 9 7 5 , h e s a i d , " My p o i n t t o p o i n t r e f u t a -

t i o n o f D o l l ' s a r g u m e n t s i n f a v o u r o f t h e c a u s a l h y p o t h e s i s h a s n o t

been answered by him . "

In a letter to Congressman Bliley he wrote, "I question the

statements made in Sec . 2 o f t h e B i l l ( p r o p o s a l s f o r s t r o n g e r a n t i -

s m o k i n g m e a s u r e s ) a b o u t t h e e f f e c t s o f c i g a r e t t e s m o k i n g o n o v e r a l l

m o r t a l i t y , l u n g c a n c e r a n d h e a r t d i s e a s e . I am unable to find any

s c i e n t i f i c j u s t i f i c a t i o n f o r t h e a s s e r t i o n i n t h e b i l l t h a t c i g a r e t t e s m o k -

i n g c a u s e s i n t h e U . S . o v e r 3 0 0 , 0 00 u n n e c e s s a r y d e a t h s a n n u a l l y . "

(U . S . C o n g r e s s i o n a l R e c o r d . )

Professor H . S c h i e v e l b e i n o f t h e G e r m a n H e a r t C e n t r e a n d c o n s u l -

t a n t t o t h e W o r l d H e a l t h O r g a n i z a t i o n w r o t e i n ' P r e v e n t i v e M e d i c i n e '

( M a y 1 9 7 9 ) , " T o b a c c o s m o k e e x p o s u r e i n a n i m a l s h a s n e v e r p r o d u c e d

a n a r t e r i o s c l e r o t i c c o n d i t i o n s i m i l a r t o t h e h u m a n d i s e a s e ." Although

h e i s s t r o n g l y a g a i n s t s m o k i n g h e i n s i s t s o n a s t r i c t s c i e n t i f i c a t t i t u d e .

R e f e r r i n g t o t h e c o n f e r e n c e o n s m o k i n g a n d h e a l t h i n S t o c k h o l m i n

1 9 7 9 , h e s a i d , " T h e p r o b l e m o f s m o k i n g a n d h e a l t h s h o u l d n o t b e l e f t

t o f a n a t i c s , r e n e g a d e s a n d p o l i t i c i a n s . " H e s a i d s o m e s t a t e m e n t s m a d e

a t t h e c o n f e r e n c e w o u l d m a k e y o u r h a i r s t a n d o n e n d .

The eminent Professor Hans Eysenck says, " There are too many in-

consistencies, downright errors and unsupported conclusions to make

i t p o s s i b l e t o a c c e p t t h e s u g g e s t i o n a s p r o v e n t h a t c i g a r e t t e s m o k i n g i n

a meaningful way causes lung cancer or cardiovascular disease . "

P r o f e s s o r E p s t e i n , U n i v e r s i t y o f I l l i n o i s , a l o n g - t i m e a n t i - s m o k er ,

n o w a d m i t s , " M o d e r n s c i e n t i s t s a g r e e t h a t m o s t c a n c e r s a r e c a u s e d b y

t h e e n v i r o m e n t . T o e s c a p e l i a b i l i t y , i n d u s t r i a l i s t s h a v e b e e n p l a c i n g

t h e b l a m e o n s m o k i n g , b u t t h e i n c r e a s e i n l u n g c a n c e r c a n n o t b e b l a m -

ed on smoking . The rate of lung cancers in non-smokers has

doubled . "

T h e c a m p a i g n e r s l o u d l y c l a i m t h a t n o b o d y d i s a g r e e s w i t h t h e m .

I n t h e i r f a m o u s r e p o r t D o c t o r s D o l l a n d H i l l d i d n o t s a y t h a t s m o k -

i n g c a u s e d l u n g c a n c e r , m e r e l y t h a t t h e r e w a s a " c o r r e l a t i o n " , t h a t i s ,

The Lung Cancer Hoax 13

a s t a t i s t i c a l r e l a t i o n s h i p . C o m p l e t e l y i g n o r i n g t h e f a c t t h a t t h e w o r l d ' s

leading statisticians had condemned these statistics, the anti-smoking

'committee' changed 'correlation' to 'causation' to make it more fear-

i n s p i r i n g . They had no medical or scientific grounds whatsoever for

t h i s.~IGARETTESKILL(OMILLIONA YEAR

V C /

" W e h a v e n o p r o o f b u t i t ' s i n c o n t r o v e r t i b l e . ! f a n y o n e d i s a g r e e s - o f f w i t h h i s h e a d . "

( W i t h t h e a p o l o g i e s t o A l i c e i n W o n d e r l a n d )

EXAGGERATIONF r o m t h e w a y t h e c a m p a i g n e r s t a l k o n e w o u l d t h i n k t h a t j u s t a b o u t

e v e r y s m o k e r g e t s l u n g c a n c e r . B u t e v e n t h e R o y a l C o l l e g e o f P h y s i -

c i a n s i n i t s r e p o r t s s a y s , " O n l y a m i n o r i t y o f e v e n t h e h e a v i e s t

s m o k e r s g e t l u n g c a n c e r , " a n d " M o s t s m o k e r s s u f f e r n o i m p a i r m e n t

o f h e a l t h o r s h o r t e n i n g o f l i f e . "

Y o u r c h a n c e o f g e t t i n g l u n g c a n c e r a p p e a r s t o b e m u c h l e s s t h a n b e -

i n g h i t b y a n a u t o m o b i l e .

W e s h o u l d r e a l i s e , t o o , t h a t m o s t p e o p l e w h o g e t i t a r e e l d e r l y .

50792 7413 -


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Professor M . . Becklake, Professor of Epidemiology at McGill

University, asks, "Why do 99 per cent of smokers never get lung

cancer?"

W h e t h e r y o u s m o k e o r w h e t h e r y o u d o n ' t , y o u r c h a n c e s o f g e t t i n g

i t s e e m t o b e j u s t t h e s a m e .

I f a s m o k e r g e t s l u n g c a n c e r h e w o u l d h a v e g o t i t e v e n i f h e h a d n ' t

smoked .

O n e t h i n g t h a t d a m n s t h e a n t i - s m o k i n g c a s e i s t h e t o t a l f a i l u r e t o

p r o d u c e l u n g c a n c e r i n l a b o r a t o r y a n i m a l s . O n e w o u l d t h i n k t h a t i f

t o b a c c o c o n t a i n s a n y t h i n g t h a t c a u s e s c a n c e r , i n h a l a t i o n o f c i g a r e t t e

s m o k e w o u l d p r o d u c e i t i n a n i m a l s t h a t h a v e b e e n s u b j e c t e d t o i t f o r

y e a r s . A s I s h a l l s h o w l a t e r n o t o n e a n i m a l h a s e v e r g o t a u t h e n t i c

c a n c e r i n t h i s w a y , d e s p i t e a n o t o r i o u s c l a i m t h a t w a s r e j e c t e d b y

scientists and was refused publication in America's two leading

m e d i c a l p u b l i c a t i o n s o n t h e g r o u n d s t h a t ' i t d i d n o t m e a s u r e u p t o a c -

c e p t a b l e s c i e n t i f ic s t a n d a r d s . '

S o m e p e o p l e h a v e p o i n t e d o u t t h a t t h i s t o t al f a i l u r e t o p r o d u c e l u n g

cancer in this way could b e taken as a proof of smoking's

h a r m l e s s n e s s .

A 1985 report from the Microbiological Laboratory at Bethesda

s t a t e s t h a t i n a n i n e y e a r s t u d y , o v e r 1 0 , 0 0 0 m i c e , o f a s p e c i a l b r e e d

t h a t i s p a r t i c u l a r l y s u s c e p t i b l e t o l u n g c a n c e r , w e r e m a d e t o i n h a l e

c i g a r e t t e s m o k e . N o t o n e o f t h e m i c e d e v e l o p e d s q u a m o u s c e l l l u n g

c a n c e r , w h i c h i s t h e t y p e t h a t o c c u r s i n h u m a n s a n d i s b l a m e d , w r o n g -

l y i t i s c l e a r , o n s m o k i n g. S o m e m i c e d e v e l o p e d o t h e r t y p e s o f c a n c e r

b u t t h e i n c i d e n c e w a s t h e s a m e a s i n t h e c o n t r o l m i c e t h a t d i d n o t i n -

hale smoke .

T o c a p a l l t h i s , e v e n t h e U . S. S u r g e o n - G e n e r a l i n h i s l a t e s t r e p o r t

a d m i t s t h a t i n h a l a t i o n e x p e r i m e n t s u s i n g t o b a c c o s m o k e h a v e g e n e r a l -

l y f a i l e d t o p r o d u c e l u n g c a n c e r i n a n i m a l s . E n o u g h s a i d !

THE WHIPPING BOY OF MEDICINES o m e p e o p l e d o n ' t r e a l i s e t h a t a n t i - s m o k i n g c a m p a i g n s a r e n o t a

n e w t h i n g . T h e y h a v e r e a r e d t h e i r h e a d s p e r i o d i c a l l y o v e r t h e p a s t c e n -

t u r i e s . A h u n d r e d y e a r s a g o , l o n g b e f o r e t h e l u n g c a n c e r s c a r e , t h e

p a g e s o f m e d i c a l j o u r n a l s w e r e f i l l e d w i t h l e t t e r s a g a i n s t s m o k i n g. I t i s

n o t a n e w t h i n g f o r s m o k i n g t o b e t h e w h i p p i n g b o y o f m e d i c i n e .

When cigarettes first became popular in America the puritans

c l a i m e d t h e y c a u s e d t u b e r c u l o s i s , i n f l u e n z a , i n s a n i t y , s e x u a l p e r v e r -

s i o n , n i g h t m a r e s a n d s l a v e r i n g. L u n g c a n c e r w a s v i r t u a l l y u n k n o w n

t h e n , o r n e e d l e s s t o s a y i t w o u l d h a v e b e e n i n c l u d e d . The New York

T i m e s e d i t o r i a l i s e d t h a t i f p e o p l e s m o k e d c i g a r e t t es t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s

w o u l d s u f f e r a d e c l i n e l i k e t h a t o f c i g a r e t t e - s m o k i n g S p a i n .

W h a t i s t h e i r c a s e t h i s t i m e ? I t i s b a s e d s o l e l y o n s t a t i s t i c s a n d w e


know how misleading they can be . One might ask why they didn't col-

l e c t s t a t i s t i c s f o r o t h e r p o s s i b l e c a r c i n o g e n i c ( c a n c e r c a u s i n g ) a g e n t s

i n s t e a d o f j u s t s i n g l i n g o u t t h e o l d f a v o u r i t e s u s p e c t .

THE WORST POSSIBLE CASE IJ ust supposing what the anti-smokers say had some truth in it, . t h e

w o r s t p o s s i b l e c a s e , a c c o r d i n g t o t h e R o y a l C o l l e g e o f P h y s i c i a n s , t h a t

c o u l d b e m a d e i s :

1 . O n l y a m i n o r i t y o f e v e n t h e h e a v i e s t s m o k e r s g e t l u n g c a n c e r .

2 . M o s t s m o k e r s s u f f e r n o i m p a i r m e n t o f h e a l t h o r s h o r t e n i n g o f l i f e .

This is far from the dreadful case the scaremongers make out,

e s p e c i a l l y w h e n w e r e m e m b e r t h a t t h e m a j o r i t y o f c a s e s a r e p e o p l e

o v e r 6 0 , w h e n t h e c h a n c e s o f g e t t i n g c a n c e r a r e g r e a t l y i n c r e a s e d . B u t

t h i s i s j u s t s u p p o s i n g , f o r , a s I s h a l l s h o w , t h e y h a v e n ' t a c a s e a t a l l .

THE 198 2 CONGRESSIONAL INQUIRY

T h e l a c k o f a c a s e a g a i n s t s m o k i n g w a s d e m o n s t r a t e d b y P r o f e s s o r

Sheldon Sommers, who told a U .S . C o n g r e s s i o n a l I n q u i r y t h a t ,

" L u n g c a n c e r r e m a i n s a m e d i c a l m y s t e r y a n d c a n n o t b e d i r e c t l y l i n k e d

b i o l o g i c a l l y t o c i g a r e t t e s m o k i n g . The biomedical experimentation

d o e s n o t s u p p o r t t h e s m o k i n g c a u s e h y p o t h e s i s . "

H e w a s s u p p o r t e d b y o t h e r w e l l - k n o w n s c i e n t i s t s i n c l u d i n g V i c t o r

B u h l e r , p a s t p r e s i d e n t o f t h e C o l l e g e o f A m e r i c a n P a t h o l o g i s t s ; J a c k

M a t t h e w s F a r r i s , p r o f e s s o r e m e r i t u s , U n i v e r s i t y o f C a l i f o r n i a , S a n

Diego ; E l e a n o r J . M a c d o n a l d , f o r f o r t y y e a r s a c a n c e r e p i d e m i o l o g i s t ;

a n d L a wr e n c e L . Kupper, a bio-statistician specialising in

e p i d e m i o l o g y a n d e n v i r o m e n t a l h e a l t h , U n i v e r s i t y o f N o r t h C a r o l i n a ;

w h o a l l t o l d t h e c o n g r e s s m e n t h e y d i d n o t a c c e p t t h e s m o k i n g c a u s a -

t i o n t h e o r y i n l u n g c a n c e r .

Emeritu s Professor H . R u s s e l l F i s h e r , U n i v e r s i t y o f S o u t h e r n

C a l i f o r n i a , t o l d t h e c o n g r e s s m e n t h a t , " W e j u s t d o n ' t k n o w t h e c a u s e

o f l u n g c a n c e r d e s p i t e a m o u n t a i n o u s a c c u m u l a t i o n o f r e s e a r c h ." He

d r e w t h e i r a t t e n t i o n t o a s t u d y p u b l i s h e d i n t h e J o u r n a l o f t h e N a -

t i o n a l C a n c e r I n s t i t u t e o f A p r i 1 1 9 7 9 w h i c h c h a l l e n g e d t h e d o g m a t h a t

s m o k i n g i s t h e m a j o r c a u s e o f l u n g c a n c e r . I t w a s r e p o r t e d t h a t i n

w h i t e f e m a l e s w h o h a d n e v e r s m o k e d t h e i n c r e a s e i n l u n g c a n c e r i n t h e

p a s t 4 0 y e a r s w a s t h e s a m e a s f o r t h o s e w h o s m o k e d c i g a r e t t e s . T h i s

n e g a t e s d e f i n i t e l y t h e c l a i m t h a t t h e i n c r e a s e i n l u n g c a n c e r h a s b e e n

due to smoking .

S o m e t h i n g t h a t h a s b e e n k e p t v e r y q u i e t i s t h a t t h e J a p a n e s e g o v e r n -

m e n t ' s t o b a c c o d e p a r t m e n t h a s o f f i c i a l l y s t a t e d t h a t s m o k i n g d o e s n o t

c a u s e l u n g c a n c e r ( A s a h i E v e n i n g N e w s, T o k y o , J u l y 9 t h 1 9 8 0 ) .

W e s h o u l d u n d e r s t a n d t h a t a t t h e t i m e t h e s m o k i n g - l u n g c a n c e r

t h e o r y w a s c o n c e i v e d i t w a s s i m p l y n o t r e a l i s e d t h a t t h e c a r c i n o g e n s o f

50792 7414


10/61


t h e w o r k p l a c e a n d o f t h e e n v i r o m e n t w e r e c a u s i n g s o m a n y c a n c e r s . I t

w a s r a t h e r l i k e p r i m i t i v e m a n b l a m i n g t h e s u p e r n a t u r a l f o r l i g h t n i n g

b e f o r e e l e c t r i c i t y w a s k n o w n .

Since the medical world, in spite of the many wonderful advances,

i s s t i l l i n a s t a t e o f d a r k n e s s r e g a r d i n g c a n c e r a n d i t s c a u s e s , i t i s r e a l l y

presumptuous of anyone to claim that some one thing is the cause .

There are so many likely agents, notably radioactivity, a proven cause

of lung cancer, and industrial pollutants, many of whose constituents

are also carcinogens . There are so many agents, but, no, the puritans

say it is tobacco, something that has b een used for thousands of years

without any apparent harm .

P r o f e s s o r B u r c h i s o f t h e o p i n i o n t h a t l u n g c a n c e r i s d u e t o s p o n -

t a n e o u s m u t a t i o n s i n t h e t i s s u e c e l l s a n d n o t s m o k i n g ( J o u r n a l o f t h e

R o y a l S t a t i s t i c a l S o c i e t y A . 1 9 7 8 ) .

W h y c a n ' t t h e m e d i c a l k n o w - i t - a l l s b e a l i t t l e m o d e s t a n d h o n e s t

a n d a d m i t t h a t t h e y a r e c o m p l e t e l y i n t h e d a r k a b o u t c a n c e r ?

N o d o u b t t h e s e w i l l b e a b r e a k - t h r o u g h e v e n t u a l l y a n d s o m e o n e w i l l

d i s c o v e r t h e m e c h a n i s m s o f i t s c a u s e , a n d i t s c u r e w i l l b e m a d e s i m p l e .

U n t i l t h a t t i m e a l l w e c a n d o i s g u e s s . A n d t h i s i s w h a t t h e s m o k i n g

h y p o t h e s i s i s , a g u e s s - a n d m a n y s c i e n t i s t s s a y , a b a d g u e s s .

REQUIREMENTS OF PROOFF o r a t h e o r y t o b e a c c e p t e d s c i e n t i f i c a l l y i t h a s t o b e p r o v e n i n a c -

c o r d a n c e w i t h r i g o r o u s r e q u i r e m e n t s , u n i v e r s a l l y a g r e e d b y s c i e n t i s t s .

F i r s t l y t h e s u s p e c t e d a g e n t m u s t b e i s o l a t e d a n d t h e n , w h e n u s e d i n

l a b o r a t o r y e x p e r i m e n t s , t h e i d e n t i c a l d i s e a s e i t i s a l l e g e d t o c a u s e m u s t

be reproduced . T h i s t h e a n t i - s m o k e r s h a v e c o m p l e t e l y f a i l e d t o d o ,

e v e n t h o u g h c o u n t l e s s e x p e r i m e n t s h a v e b e e n c a r r i e d o u t f o r m a n y

y e a r s . I n s p i t e o f t h i s f a i l u r e t h e s e p e o p l e h a v e n o h e s i t a t i o n i n s a y i n g

t h a t t h e i r t h e o r y h a s b e e n ` p r o v e d ' . R e a l s c i e n t i s t s m u s t h a v e a h e a r t y

c h u c k l e w h e n d o c t o r s s p e a k o f m e d i c a l ' s c i e n c e ' .

LYNCH LAWMany people don't realise the important distinction between

evidence and proof . T h e y o f t e n a c c e p t a c a s e n o t r e a l i s i n g t h a t

e v i d e n c e i n i t s e l f i s n o t p r o o f . T h i s i s l yn c h l a w . I f e v i d e n c e a l o n e w e r e

p r o o f t h e r e w o u l d b e n o n e e d f o r a j u r y i n a c o u r t o f l a w t o d e c i d e i f a

c a s e w a s p r o v e n o r n o t . T h i s l a c k o f c l e a r t h i n k i n g i s s o c o m m o n t h a t

a f e w w o r d s o n t h e m a t t e r m i g h t b e w o r t h w h i l e .

L e t u s l o o k a t a c o u r t c a s e. T h e p r o s e c u t o r c a l l s A t o s w e a r t h a t h e

s a w X w i t h a g u n i n h i s h a n d . T h i s i s e v i d e n c e b u t i t i s n o t n e c e s s a r i l y

p r o o f o f X ' s g u i l t . T h e d e f e n c e l a w y e r c a l l s B t o s w e a r t h a t X d i d n o t

h a v e a g u n i n h i s h a n d . H e r e a g a i n t h i s i s e v i d e n c e , b u t n o t p r o o f o f

X's innocence . I t i s f o r t h e j u r y t o w e i g h a l l t h e e v i d e n c e , f o r a n d

a g a i n s t , t o d e t e r m i n e p r o o f .


I n t h e f i e l d o f s c i e n c e , P r o f e s s o r Y p r e s e n t s e v i d e n c e o f e x p e r i m e n t s

s h o w i n g a c e r t a i n r e s u l t. P r o f e s s o r Z p r e s e n t s e v i d e n c e o f d o i n g t h e

s a m e e x p e r i m e n t a n d g e t t i n g a q u i t e d i f f e r e n t r e s u l t. W h o s e e v i d e n c e

i s p r o o f ? I n c i d e n t a l l y t h i s i s n o t a n a t a l l u n c o m m o n h a p p e n i n g.

S o m e y e a r s a g o a d o c t o r w r o t e i n a l e a d i n g j o u r n a l , " W e a l l R o w

t h a t s m o k i n g i s t h e c a u s e o f l u n g c a n c e r. W e c a n ' t w a i t f o r s c i e n t i f i c

proof . W e m u s t a c t a g a i n s t s m o k i n g n o w. W e ' l l g e t t h e p r o o f l a t e r . ' - "

I t h a s b e e n a l o n g w a i t f o r s c i e n t i f i c p r o o f. W e a r e s t i l l w a i t i n g .

M a n y d o c t o r s s a y i t i s n o t p o s s i b l e t o a d o p t n o r m a l s t a n d a r d s o f

proof as regards smoking and that their case should be acceptedw i t h o u t p r o o f

. T h e y i g n o r e t h a t w e c a n v e r y e a s i l y p r o v e t h a t r a d i o -

a c t i v i t y a n d c e r t a i n i n d u s t r i a l p o l l u t a n t s a r e c a n c e r c a u s e r s i n a c c o r -

d a n c e w i t h s c i e n t i f i c r e q u i r e m e n t s. W h y t h e a l i b i a s r e g a r d s s m o k i n g ?

I f t h e y h o l d t h a t w e s h o u l d a c c e p t w i t h o u t p r o o f w e a r e g e t t i n g b a c k

t o t h e d a y s w h e n d o c t o r s s a i d t h a t c h o l e r a w a s c a u s e d b y l o w - l y i n g

a r e a s , b e f o r e i t w a s f o u n d t h a t i t w a s c a u s e d b y a n o r g a n i s m.


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1 8

C h a p t e r 3

CANCER IN THE WORK PLACE

P r o f e s s o r S t e r l i n g a s k s , " D o e s s m o k i n g k i l l w o r k e r s o r d o e s w o r k -

i n g k i l l s m o k e r s ? "

T h i s i s a v e r y g o o d q u e s t i o n. D e v e l o p m e n t s i n t h e p a s t f e w m o n t h s

s h o w h o w p e r t i n e n t i t i s .

A b o o k e n t i t l e d T h e P o l i t i c s o f C a n c e r b y P r o f e s s o r S a m u e l E p s -

t e i n , P r o f e s s o r o f O c c u p a t i o n a l a n d E n v i r o n m e n t a l M e d i c i n e a t t h e

U n i v e r s i t y o f I l l i n o i s , t h r o w s n e w l i g h t o n t h e r o l e o f t h e w o r k p l a c e ,

a n d a l s o h o w l i t t l e , i f a n y , s m o k i n g i s i n v o l v e d. P r o f e s s o r E p s t e i n c a n -

n o t b e a c c u s e d o f b e i n g a p r o - s m o k i n g p a r t i s a n s i n c e h e i s a g a i n s t

smoking . H e p o i n t s o u t t h a t t h e r e i s a c o n s e n s u s a m o n g a w i d e r a n g e

o f e x p e r t s t h a t 6 0 t o 9 0 p e r c e n t o f c a n c e r s a r e e n v i r o n m e n t a l i n

o r i g i n. H e f u r t h e r s t a t e s t h a t t h e i n c r e a s e i n l u n g c a n c e r c a n n o t b e a c -

counted for by smoking . T h i s i s r e a l l y a m o m e n t o u s s t a t e m e n t t h a t

m u s t c a u s e t h e a n t i - s m o k e r s t o q u a k e i n t h e i r b o o t s .

T o e s c a p e l i a b i l i t y , h e s a y s , i n d u s t r i a l i s t s h a v e b e e n b l a m i n g s m o k -

i n g ( a n d w h a t m o n u m e n t a l h e l p t h e y h a v e h a d f r o m t h e m e d i c a l p r o -

f e s s i o n ). H e s a y s t h a t o n e o f t h e r e a s o n s w h y i t h a s t a k e n t h e g o v e r n -

ment and the community so long to realise the role of industrial

c h e m i c a l s h a s b e e n t h e d e l i b e r a t e d e s t r u c t i o n , d i s t o r t i o n a n d s u p p r e s -

s i o n o f i n f o r m a t i o n b y t h e m a j o r c o r p o r a t i o n s i n v o l v e d .

H e m a k e s t h e p o i n t t h a t t h e m a j o r e p i d e m i o l o g i ca l s t u d i e s o n s m o k -

i n g f a i l e d t o t a k e i n t o a c c o u n t t h e o c c u p a t i o n a l h i s t o r y .

LUNG CANCER INCREASE IN NON-SMOKERSE p s t e i n f u r t h e r s t a t e s t h a t w e a r e n o w r e c o g n i s in g t h a t t h e i n c i d e n ce

o f l u n g c a n c e r s i n n o n - s m o k e r s h a s d o u b l e d o v e r t h e p a s t c o u p l e o f

d e c a d e s a n d t h a t t h e r e i s a l s o a g r o w i n g r e c o g n i t i o n t h a t t h e r o l e o f

t o b a c c o h a s b e e n v a s t l y o v e r - r a t e d .

A report (September 1978) by Joseph Califano, Secretary for

H e a l t h , a d m i t s t h a t a l m o s t h a l f t h e c a n c e r s i n t h e U . S . a r e a n e x p r e s -

sion of past exposure to chemical carcinogens in the work place .

( m a n y a u t h o r i t i e s a t t a c k h i s f i g u r e s a s b e i n g f a r t o o l o w ) , c h i e f l y

a s b e s t o s , a r s e n i c , b e n z i n e , c h r o m i u m , n i c k e l a n d p e t r o l e u m f r a c t i o n s .

B u t t h e r e p o r t f a i l s t o t a k e i n t o a c c o u n t c a n c e r m o r t a l i t y d u e t o s p i l l -

o v e r o f t h e s e c a r c i n o g e n s i n t o t h e s u r r o u n d i n g c o m m u n i t y . T his in-

c r e a s e h a s c h i e f l y b e e n i n a r e a s w h i c h h a p p e n t o b e t h e l o c a t i o n s o f

p e t r o - c h e m i c a l , s h i p - b u i l d i n g , p a p e r , c h e m i c a l a n d n o n - f e r r o u s i n -

d u s t r i e s . T h e a i r i n t h e c o m m u n i t i e s s u r r o u n d i n g t h e s e p l a n t s h a s b e e n

f o u n d t o h a v e t h e s a m e c a r c i n o g e n s a s i n t h e p l a n t s t h e m s e l v e s . T h i s i s

a r e f l e c t i o n o f t h e d e l i b e r a t e d i s c h a r g e t h r o u g h t h e s m o k e s t a c k , o r

l e a k a g e , o r s p i l l i n g c a u s i n g w h a t E p s t e i n c a l l s ' c o m m u n i t y c a n c e r ' . H e

19 Cancer in the Work Place

noted that highly industrialised New Jersey had a 64 per cent higher

lung cancer rate than Wyoming.

GRIM PREDICTION

I n t h e l a t t e r h a l f o f t h e 2 0 t h c e n t u r y w e h a v e c r e a t e d a v a s t n u m b r

o f n e w c h e m i c a l s c a l l e d p e t r o - c h e m i c a l s , d e v e l o p e d f o r p e s t i c i d e s a ~ d

i n d u s t r i a l c h e m i c a l s . In 1940 the U . S . w a s p r o d u c i n g o n e b i l l i o np o u n d s a y e a r

. B y 1 9 7 5 t h i s h a d i n c r e a s e d t o 3 0 0 b i l l i o n p o u n d s. E p s -

t e i n s a y s i n v i e w o f t h e s e c a r c i n o g e n s , t h a t i n t w o o r t h r e e d e c a d e s , i n -

s t e a d o f t a l k i n g a b o u t a 1 i n 5 i n c i d e n c e o f c a n c e r , w e ' l l b e t a l k i n g

a b o u t 1 i n 3 , i f n o t 1 i n 2 .

WHERE DOES THE MONEY GO?T h e U n i t e d S t a t e s s p e n d s o n e b i l l i o n d o l l a r s a y e a r o n t h e N a t i o n a l

C a n c e r I n s t i t u t e , b u t E p s t e i n s a y s t h a t o n l y a s m a l l p e r c e n t a g e o f t h i s

a c t u a l l y g o e s t o p r e v e n t i o n o f c a n c e r. ( H o w m u c h t o t h e a n t i - s m o k i n g

c a m p a i g n ? ) G o v e r n m e n t e f f o r t s t o r e g u l a t e c h e m i c a l c a r c i n o g e n s h a v e

b e e n h a m p e r e d b y l e g i s l a t i v e p r e s s u r e s a n d b y s p e c i a l c o m m i t t e e s

w h i c h h a v e a t t e m p t e d t o l i m i t t h e r e g u l a t o r y a g e n c i e s t o p e r f o r m t h e i r

f u n c t i o n. I n d u s t r y w i t h i t s v a s t r e s o u r c e s , i t s p o w e r f u l a b i l i t y t o

m a n i p u l a t e i n f o r m a t i v e p r o c e s s , w i t h i t s h u n d r e d s o f l o b b y i s t s , i t s

a b i l i t y t o m a n i p u l a t e a n d i n f l u e n c e c o n g r e s s i o n a l d e c i s i on m a k i n g , i t s

a b i l i t y t o m a n i p u l a t e a n d i n f l u e n ce r e g u l a t o r y a g e n c i e s , i t s c o n t r o l o f

t h e m e d i a , l e a v e s t h e p o p u l a t i o n e x p o s e d t o t h e s e g r e a t d a n g e r s.

GIANT COVER UP

Industry has developed a unique control of the total information

process . We're faced, says Epstein, with the extraordinary paiadox

that regulatory agencies regulate industries on the basis of informa-

tion generated in secrecy and interpreted, usually in secrecy, by tha t

same industry which is going to be regulated by the agency.

I n h i s b o o k h e g i v e s c h a p t e r a n d v e r s e , n a m i n g t h e c o r p o r a t i o n s , o f

a w i d e r a n g e o f e x a m p l e s t o i n d i c a t e h o w c e r t a i n u n d u s t r i e s h a v e

d e v e l o p e d s t r a t e g i e s w h i c h w i l l m i s l e a d t h e p u b l i c a n d C o n g r e s s a n d

t h e r e g u l a t o r y a g e n c i e s , a n d h o w i n d u s t r y w i l l d i s t o r t , m a n i p u l a t e a n d

' a c c i d e n t a l l y ' d e s t r o y i n f o r m a t i o n n o t c o n s i s t e n t w i t h t h e i r o w n i n -

t e r e s t s .

I t i s i m p o r t a n t t o n o t e t h a t E p s t e i n c l a i m s t h a t a l l t h i s c a n c e r i s

p r e v e n t a b l e .

He describes this manipulation of data as th e equivalent of

homicide . He says that the full force of criminal law should be

d i r e c t e d t o w a r d s p r o f e s s i o n a l s d i r e c t l y o r i n d i r e c t l y a s s o c i a t e d w i t h

acts which w hether by omission or commission, result in human

d i s e a s e a n d d e a t h .

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O n e c a n s e e w h y i t i s i m p o r t a n t f o r t h e s e i n d u s t r i e s t o t r y t o p i n t h e

blame for lung cancer on to smoking . O n e d o e s n o t r e a l l y h a v e t o

guess where the extreme anti-smoking movements get the very

s u b s t a n t i a l f u n d s t o r u n t h e i r s c a r e c a m p a i g n s .

WORKERS DIDDLEDA s o - c a l l e d e x p e r t o p i n i o n o f t e n q u o t e d p r o v i d e s e x a c t v a l u e s o f t h e

n u m b e r o f r e s p i r a t o r y d i s e a s e s a l l e g e d t o b e c a u s e d b y s m o k i n g . I n

1 9 7 2 a r e p o r t t o C o n g r e s s c h a r g e d t h a t f o r l u n g c a n c e r 9 5 p e r c e n t w a s

a t t r i b u t a b l e t o s m o k i n g . N e v e r t h e l e s s n o s c i e n t i f i c b a s i s w a s g i v e n t o

j u s t i f y t h e s e c a l c u l a t i o n s . T h e y a r e a f a r c r y f r o m m o d e r n o p i n i o n t h a t

m o s t l u n g c a n c e r s a r e c a u s e d b y e n v i r o n m e n t a l f a c t o r s a n d n o t s m o k -

i n g . H o w e v e r , w o r k e r s ' c o m p e n s a t i o n t r i b u n a l s a p p e a r t o b e s t i l l

g u i d e d b y t h i s o u t - d a t e d ' e x p e r t ' o p i n i o n , a n d a w o r k e r w h o s m o k e d

( o r w a s t h o u g h t t o h a v e s m o k e d ) m a y n o t g e t a n y c o m p e n s a t i o n a t a l l.

H o w m a n y t h o u s a n d s o f w o r k e r s h a v e b e e n d o n e o u t o f c o m p e n s a t i o n

b y t h i s d i s c r e d i t e d h o k u m ?

Professor Sterling points out t hat even though a dozen recent in-

vestigations of lung cancer epidemics among workers have admitted

that smoking is not a major cause (in some investigat ions, not even a

'contributing' cause) a worker's past smoking habits still play a

leading role in decreasing his compensation . His widow anddependents often get nothing . It seems that the unions are falling

d o w n o n t h e i r j o b i n f a i l i n g t o p r e v e n t t h i s i n j u s t i c e , b y f a i l i n g t o s h o w

that smoking is used to divert attention away from the effects of ex-

posure to toxic subst ances in the work place or environment .

Commenting on this bias, the Australian scientist, Dr . J . R .

J o h n s t o n , w r i t e s i n t h e A u s t r a l i a n ( A u g u s t 5 t h 1 9 8 1 ) , " D e a t h f r o m

lung cancer is now accepted as evidence that the person was a

smoker ." He quotes the case of Joe Louis, the b oxer, who was

p o s t h u m o u s l y d e c l a r e d t o h a v e b e e n a s e c r e t s m o k e r .

A r e c e n t U . S . g o v e r n m e n t s t u d y ( 1 9 7 8 ) b y t h e N a t i o n a l I n s t i t u t e o f

E n v i r o n m e n t a l H e a lt h S e r v i c e s e s t i m a t e s t h a t t h e f o l l o w i n g n u m b e r o f

w o r k e r s w i l l b e s u b j e c t e d t o l u n g c a r c i n o g e n s .

a s b e s t o s .

a r s e n i c

cadmium

chromium

n i c k e l

v i n y l c h l o r i d e ( P . V . C . )

p e t r o l e u m f r a c t i o n s

1 . 6 m i l l i o n w o r k e r s

1 . 5 m i l l i o n

1 . 4 m i l l i o n

1 . 5 m i l l i o n

1 . 4 m i l l i o n

2 . 2 m i l l i o n

3 . 9 m i l l i o n

David P . R a l l , D i re c t o r o f t h e I n s t i t u t e , s a y s , " I d o n ' t t h i n k t h a t

t h e s e e s t i m a t e s c a n b e e f f e c t i v e l y c h a l l e n ge d . "

Cancer in the Work Place 21

U. S . figures show that deaths from lung cancer for workers at cokeovens are nine times higher than for the general pub lic

.

I n t h e f a c e o f a l l t h i s d a m n i n g e v i d e n c e t h e t o b a c c o h a t e r s s t i l l c a l l

smoking public health enemy number one. I t ' s r e a l l y l i k e A l i c e I n

Wonderland .

C o u l d a n y r e a s o n a b l e p e r s o n a n y l o n g e r t h i n k t h a t s m o k i n g p l a; s

a n y s i g n i f i c a n t r o l e i n l u n g c a n c e r ?

ASBESTOSSHOULD IT BE USED AT A LL?

P e r h a p s t h e s u b s t a n c e t h a t r i v a l s r a d i o a c t i v i t y i n i t s d e a d l i n e s s i s

a s b e s t o s .

The U. S . g o v e r n m e n t 's n e w c a n c e r s t u d y ( N a t i o n a l I n s t i t u t e o f E n -

v i r o n m e n t a l a n d O c c u p a t i o n a l H e a lt h 1 9 7 8 ) s t a t e s t h a t a s b e s t o s i s t h e

l e a d i n g o c c u p a t i o n a l c a r c i n o g e n. I t e s t i m a t e s t h a t 1 7 p e r c e n t o f t h e

y e a r l y 2 0 p e r c e n t o f l u n g c a n c e r c a s e s a r e d u e t o a s b e s t o s .

T h i s s u b s t a n c e i s s o l e t h a l t h a t j u s t o n e p a r t i c l e i n h a l e d a n d l o d g e d

in the lung tissues will most likely cause a lung cancer in about 20

years .

B u t i t i s n o t o n l y w o r k e r s w h o a r e a t r i s k . A s b e s t o s i s n o w w i d e l y

u s e d i n b u i l d i n g s , b o t h e x t e r n a l l y a n d i n t e r n a l l y . I n f a c t i t i s u s e d j u s t

a b o u t e v e r y w h e r e , i n c l u d i n g s c h o o l s . I t t e n d s t o f a l l o f f i n a l m o s t i n -

v i s i b le f l a k e s o n t o t h e p u b l i c s o t h a t j u s t a b o u t e v e r y b o d y i s e x p o s e d

t o i t .

I t i s s o d e a d l y t h a t P r o f e s s o r E p s t e i n u r g e s t h a t i t b e c o m p l e t e l y

banned . I t s h o u l d n o t b e u s e d a t a l l , h e s a y s .

C a l i f a n o a n n o u n c e d t h a t o f t h e f i v e m i l l i o n A m e r i c a n w o r k e r s i n

s h i p y a r d s w h o w e r e e x p o s e d t o a s b e s t o s d u r i n g t h e l a s t w a r , h a lf a r e

e x p e c t e d t o g e t c a n c e r f r o m i t . H e f u r t h e r r e l e a s e d i n f o r m a t i o n t h a t

5 0 , 0 0 0 d e a t h s a y e a r a r e e x p e c t e d f r o m i t .

A s b e s t o s h a s b e e n r e c o g n i s e d a s d e a d l y f o r m a n y y e a r s , b u t i n -

d u s t r y h a s s u c c e e d e d i n h u s h i n g t h i s u p. A s f a r b a c k a s 1 9 1 8 i n s u r a n c e

c o m p a n i e s r e c o g n i s e d t h e d a n g e r a n d w e r e r e f u s i n g t o s e l l p o li c i e s t o

a s b e s t o s w o r k e r s .

'SYNERGIS M'COMICAL CAPERSI f e v i d e n c e w e r e l a c k i n g o f t h e m e d i c a l p r o f e s s i o n ' s r e t r e a t f r o m t h e

s m o k i n g c o n t r o v e r s y , t h e a b s u r d n e w t h e o r y o f ' s y n e r g i s m ' s h o u l d b e

s u f f i c i e n t t o s h o w i t .

T h e y a d m i t n o w t h a t m o s t l u n g c a n c e r s a r e c a u s e d b y s u c h t h i n g s a s

r a d i o a c t i v i t y , a s b e s t o s a n d o t h e r i n d u s t r i a l c a r c i n o g e n s ( h o w c a n t h e y

d e n y i t ? ) b u t t h e y a r e t r y i n g t o c l a i m t h a t a l t h o u g h p e o p l e g e t l u n g

c a n c e r s f r o m t h e s e , t h e y w o u l d n ' t u n l e s s t h e y s m o k e d ; t h a t i s , t h a t

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s m o k i n g p l a y s a ` s y n e r g i s t i c ' o r h e l p i n g r o l e . O n c e a g a i n t h e r e i s n o t a

s c r a p o f v a l i d e v i d e n c e f o r t h i s w e i r d t h e o r y . I t s o u n d s l i k e a l a s t

d e s p e r a t e t h r o w b y t h e p a n i c - s t r i c k e n a n t i - s m o k e r s t o b o l s t e r u p t h e i r

doomed theory .

I f a p e r s o n g e t s a p a r t i c l e o f a s b e s t o s i n h i s l u n g t i s s u e h e w i l l m o s t

l i k e l y g e t a l u n g c a n c e r . H o w i n t h e n a m e o f s w e e t r e a s o n c a n i t m a t t e r

i f h e s m o k e s o r n o t ? H e w i l l g e t t h e l u n g c a n c e r j u s t t h e s a m e .

Blair and Thompson found that dogs made to inhale almost in-

f i n i t e s i m a l a m o u n t s o f p l u t o n i u m g o t l u n g c a n c e r i n 1 0 0 p e r c e n t o f

c a s e s . S i n c e t h e d o g s d i d n o t s m o k e i t c a n n o t b e s u g g e s t e d t h a t t h e r e

w a s a n y ' s y n e r g i s m ' h e r e . ( S c i en c e 19 7 3 . 1 8 )

W a g o n e r r e p o r t e d t h a t t h e r e w a s a 3 0 0 p e r c e n t l u n g c a n c e r i n c r e a s e

i n A m e r i c a n I n d i a n u r a n i u m m i n e r s a n d t h e s e p e o p l e r a r e l y s m o k e .

H o w c o u l d t h e r e b e ' s y n e r g i s m ' h e r e ? ( P r o c e e d i n g s 1 1 t h I n t e r n a t i o n a l

C a n c e r Co n f e r e n c e ) .

T h e A m i s h p e o p l e , b e c a u s e o f t h e i r r e l i g i o u s b e l i e f s a r e s t r i c t l y n o n -

smokers . Wagoner found an excess of lung cancer among Amish

peopl e who worked with asbest os . 'Synergism'? (C ongressional

R e c o r d 1 9 7 3 ) .

W a g o n e r a l s o c a r r i e d o u t a s t u d y o f w o m e n a s b e s t o s w o r k e r s . O f

the women who got lung cancer more than half were non-smokers .

S t e l l a n d M c G i l l ( J . L a r y n g o l O t o l. 1 9 7 5 ) r e p o r t e d t h a t i n c a n c e r s o f

t h e l a r y n x a m o n g a s b e s t o s w o r k e r s t h e r e w a s n o d i f f e r e n c e i n s m o k i n g

h a b i t s .

N e w m a n e t a l r e p o r t e d i n O c c u p a t i o n a l C a r c i n o g e n s 1 9 7 6 , a h i g h

r a t e o f l u n g c a n c e r a m o n g b o t h s m o k e r s a n d n o n - s m o k e r s i n c o p p e r

m i n e s a n d c o p p e r s m e l t e r s a n d r e p o r t e d t h e r e w a s n o d i f f e r e n c e i n t h e

r a t e s .

Weiss and Boucot (International Conference on lung diseases,

M o n t r e a l 1 9 7 5 ) f o u n d i n w o r k e r s i n c h l o r o - m e t h y l e t h e r t h a t n o n -

s m o k e r s g o t m o r e l u n g c a n c e r s t h a n s m o k e r s .

L u n d i n e t a l ( N a t i o n a l I n s t i t u t e o f O c c u p a t i o n a l S a f e t y a n d H e a l t h

1 9 7 1 ) r e p o r t e d t h a t a n e x c e s s o f l u n g c a n c e r s a m o n g u r a n i u m w o r k e r s

c a n n o t b e e x p l a i n e d b y t h e i r s m o k i n g h a b i t s .

R e s e a r c h e r s w h o s t u d i e d 6 6 7 c a s e s f o u n d t h a t i n c r e a s e d r i s k o f l u n g

c a n c e r i n s t e e l w o r k e r s c a n n o t b e a t t r i b u t e d t o s m o k i n g . ( A m e r i c a n

J o u r n a l o f E p i d e m i o l o g y J u n e 1 9 8 3 . )

Williams, Steger and Goldsmith (J. Nat. C a n c e r I n s t i t u t e 1 0 7 7 )

found elevated lung cancer rates in a number of occupations and

n o t e d t h a t a d j u s t i n g t h e f i g u r e s f o r s m o k i n g d i d n o t c h a n g e t h e r a t e s .

I n t h e f a c e o f a l l t h i s , h o w c a n a n y s a n e p e r s o n b e l i e v e i n t h e a b s u r -

d i t y o f ' s y n e r g i s m ' .

Cancer in the Work Place 23

THE WINDS OF CHANGES i n c e s c i e n t i s t s f o u n d a d o u b l i n g i n l u n g c a n c e r f i g u r e s f o r n o n -

s m o k e r s i n t h e p a s t d e c a d e , t h e r e h a s b e e n a m a r k e d c h a n g e i n t h i n k -

i n g . A c o u p l e o f y e a r s a g o a c o m m i t t e e o f s c i e n t i s t s t o l d t h e U . S .

g o v e r n m e n t t h a t m o s t l u n g c a n c e r w a s d u e t o t h e w o r k p l a c e a n d t h 4

too much blame had been p laced on smoking . S i n c e t h e n t h e s u s p i c i o n

t h a t s m o k i n g i s n o t t h e c u l p r i t h a s b e c o m e s t r o n g e r a n d n o w m o r e a n d

m o r e s c i e n t i s t s a r e t e l l i n g t h e g o v e r n m e n t t h a t s m o k i n g i s o n l y a m i n o r

c a u s e , i f a n y . A n d m a n y a r e s a y i n g o u t r i g h t t h a t i t h a s n o t h i n g w h a t -

s o e v e r t o d o w i t h l u n g c a n c e r. A n e x a m p l e o f t h i s l a t e s t s c i e n t i f i c

t h i n k i n g i s a s t a t e m e n t r e c e n t l y b y P r o f e s s o r S h e l d o n S o m m e r s , a

distinguished American pathologist and member of the New York

A c a d e m y o f M e d i c i n e a n d S c i e n c e , t h a t " T h e b e l i e f t h a t s m o k i n g i s

t h e c a u s e o f l u n g c a n c e r i s n o l o n g e r w i d e l y h e l d b y s c i e n t i s t s . " P r o -

f e s s o r s K o t h a r i a n d M e h t a o f t h e B o m b a y M e d i c a l C o l l e g e h a v e w r i t -

t e n a b o o k i n w h i c h t h e y s h o w t h a t n o t o n l y d o e s s m o k i n g n o t c a u s e

l u n g c a n c e r , b u t t h a t i t i s q u i t e i m p o s s i b l e f o r i t t o d o s o .

The reader might wonder why certain organisations, which might be

expected to do so, are rather soft on drawing attention to those in-

dustries with thes e proven and wide-spread carcinogens which cause

so much cancer . But perhaps he might not wonder if he realised that

these organisations receive much of their contributions from these in-

dustrial corporations . Apart from that they don't want to lose face by

admitting that they have been spouting arrant nonsense for years.


14/61

24

C h a p t e r 4

GIFT OF THE GODS

Why do people smoke? The answer is, "Because th ey enjoy it . "

T h i s c o u l d b e t h e s e c r e t o f t h e o p p o s i t i o n t o i t b e c a u s e m a n y p e c u l i a r

p e o p l e a r e a g a i n s t p e o p l e e n j o y i n g a n y t h i n g .

P e o p l e w o u l d h a r d l y s m o k e i f t h e y d i d n ' t e n j o y i t o r f e e l t h a t i t d i d

them good . F r o m t i m e i m m e m o r i a l t h e y h a v e b e e n e n j o y i n g t o b a c c o .

I n t h e A m e r i c a s , o f c o u r s e , t o b a c c o w a s s m o k e d f o r c o u n t l e s s a g e s . I n

t h e W e s t e r n w o r l d , b e f o r e t o b a c c o w a s i n t r o d u c e d , m a n k i n d h a d b e e n

s m o k i n g h e r b s o f v a r i o u s k i n d s l o n g b e f o r e t h e d a w n o f h i s t o r y . P o e t s

h a v e s u n g t o b a c c o ' s p r a i s e s . B r i l l i a n t m e n h a v e b e e n a i d e d b y i t t o

g i v e t h e w o r l d g r e a t l i t e r a t u r e a n d s c i e n t i f i c d i s c o v e r i e s . Some famous

men who smoked w ere Einstein, Freud, Thackeray, Darwin, Robert

L o u i s S t e v e n s o n , Z o l a , C h u r c h i l l , R o o s e v e l t , K i n g E d w a r d V I I , K i n g

E d w a r d V I I I ( l a t e r D u k e o f W i n d s o r ) - a n d i t i s w o r t h n o t i n g t h a t

t h e y a l l l i v e d t o a g o o d o l d a g e .

T h a c k e r a y w r o t e " I v o w a n d d e c l a r e t h a t t h e c i g a r h a s b e e n o n e o f

t h e g r e a t e s t c r e a t u r e c o m f o r t s o f m y l i f e - a k i n d c o m p a n i o n , a g e n -

t l e s t i m u l a n t a n d a n a m i a b l e a n o d y n e , a c e m e n t e r o f f r i e n d s h i p " . H e

\ 7 4

I MILLION B. C .

" N o w t h a t t h e y a r e s m o k i n g t h e h u m a n r a c e w o n ' t l a s t m u c h l o n g e r

Gift of the Gods 25

also wrote, "How wonderful is the pipe in that it draws out the

thoughts of philosophy, but it stops the mouths of fools . "

B i s h o p M o o r h o u s e o f M a n c h e s t e r s a i d , " I s m o k e , a n d I a m a b e t t e r

C h r i s t i a n f o r d o i n g i t " .

C h a r l e s K i n g s l e y w r o t e i n ' W e s t w a r d H o ' , " T o b a c c o ! A l o n e m a n ' s

companion, a bachelor's friend, a hungry man's food, a sad mank

c o r d i a l , a w a k e f u l m a n ' s s l e e p , a n d a c h i l l y m a n ' s f i r e . . . t h e r e ' s n o

h e r b l i k e i t u n d e r t h e c a n o p y o f h e a v e n " .

Dr . Sherwin J . Feinhandler, psychiatrist a t Harvard Medical

S c h o o l , w r i t e s , " S m o k i n g i s a r i t u a l t h a t w e l c o m e s s t r a n g e r s , p r o v i d e s

c o m p a n i o n s h i p i n s o l i t u d e , f i l l s ' e m p t y ' t i m e , m a r k s t h e s i g n i f i c a n c e

o f c e r t a i n k i n d s o f o c c a s i o n s a n d e x p r e s s e s i n d i v i d u a l i d e n t i t y a n d p e r -

s o n a l s t y l e " .

And Tom Robbins in 'Esquire Magazine' : " S m o k i n g c i g a r e t t e s i s a s

i n t i m a t e a s w e c a n b e c o m e w i t h f i r e w i t h o u t i m m e d i a t e e x c r u c i a t i o n .

E v e r y s m o k e r i s a n e m b o d i m e n t o f P r o m e t h e u s , s t e a l i n g f i r e f r o m t h e

g o d s a n d b r i n g i n g i t b a c k h o m e. W e s m o k e t o c a p t u r e t h e p o w e r o f

t h e s u n , t o p a c i f y H e l l , t o i d e n t i f y w i t h t h e p r i m o r d i a l s p a r k , t o f e e d

o n t h e m a r r o w o f t h e v o l c a n o . When we smoke we are performing a

v e r s i o n o f t h e f i r e d a n c e , a r i t u a l a s a n c i e n t a s l i g h t n i n g . "

A v e r y g e r m a n e r e p l y w a s g i v e n b y a w o m a n w h o w a s a s k e d w h y s h e

s m o k e d . S h e a n s w e r e d " I s t a r t e d t o s m o k e b e c a u s e I l i k e d t h e c o m -

pany of smokers . They were totally mor e interesting than non-

smokers . "

An American Bachelor of Divinity, Dale B . Reed wrote, "Tobacco

- the friend of quiet meditation, harmony and peace . I t i s p u r e l y a

h u m a n i n d u l g e n c e . I t e x c i t e s n o p a s s i o n , l u s t s n o r m a n i a . I t i s o p p o s -

ed to violence - never has the farmer beaten his wife from the in-

fluence of tobacco . It is conducive to tolerance and understanding .

The American Indian, generations ago, realised the calming effect of

tobacco . This was expressed in the pipe of peace . Tobacco is con-

ducive to forgiveness ; i t i s m i l d , g e n t l e a n d i n d i s p o s e d t o q u a r r e l . I t i s

a blessed gift to mankind . Man has little joy and pl easure in living

beyond his fruitful years ; little joy in the period when he can har dly

eat, drink or dance ; when he is dependent on those of the younger

generation . I f , h o w e v e r , o n e s h o u l d l i v e i n t o t h i s p e r i o d o f l i f e , t o b a c -

co may be his main consolation !"

General Pershing, Commander of the U . S . f o r c e s i n F r a n c e , c a b l e d

t o t h e S e c r e t a r y o f W a r i n W a s h i n g t o n , " Y o u a s k m e w h a t w e n e e d t o

w i n t h i s w a r . I a n s w e r y o u , t o b a c c o - a s m u c h a s b u l l e t s . T o b a c c o i s

as necessary as food . We need a thousand tons at once ." The

Secretary of War said, "Tobacco has established its claim to a

r e c o g n i s e d p l a c e i n t h e s o l d i e r ' s l i f e . To men enduring hardship,

t o b a c c o f i l l s a n e e d n o t h i n g e l s e c a n s a t i s f y " . G e n e r a l D o u g l a s M c A r -

t h u r s a i d , " M o n e y c o l l e c t e d f o r t h e w a r e f f o r t s h o u l d b e u s e d t o p u r -

c h a s e c i g a r e t t e s . "! 50792 7419


15/61


O v e r t h e c e n t u r i e s t o b a c c o p l a y e d a n i m p o r t a n t p a r t i n t h e s o c i a l

l i f e o f m o s t c o u n t r i e s . P e o p l e t h o u g h t n o t h i n g c o u l d b e m o r e p l e a s a n t

t h a n t a l k i n g i n c o f f e e h o u s e s a n d t a v e r n s w i t h t h e i r p i p e s . Smoking

meant companionship and conviviality, harmony and peace . I t w a s

t h e g r e a t s o c i a l c e m e n t e r . H o w a b s u r d i t i s n o w t o h e a r t h e a n t i -

s m o k e r s c o n d e m n i n g s m o k i n g a s a n t i - s o c i a l .

Women, too, smoked for hundreds of years . Among the peasants

o f m a n y c o u n t r i e s i t w a s , a n d s t i l l i s , c o m m o n t o s e e t h e w o m e n f o l k

w i t h t h e i r c l a y p i p e s . I n s e v e n t e e n t h c e n t u r y E n g l a n d s c h o o l t e a c h e r s

e n c o u r a g e d c h i l d r e n t o t a k e t h e i r p i p e s a n d t o b a c c o t o s c h o o l . I n

many far eastern countries today women smoke cigars . Even the

c h i l d r e n s m o k e a n d e v e r y b o d y t h i n k s i t i s a g o o d t h i n g . Dr . C . Y .

C a l d w e l l w r o t e i n t h e B r i t i s h M e d i c a l J o u r n a l o f F e b r u a r y 2 6 t h 1 9 7 7

t h a t t h e S e m a i p e o p l e o f M a l a y s i a s t a r t s m o k i n g a t t h e a g e o f t w o

w h e n t h e y g i v e u p b r e a s t f e e d i n g . I t i s a s o rt o f w ea n i ng . T h e n t h e y

c o n t i n u e t o s m o k e a l l t h e i r l i v e s - a n d t h e y d o n ' t g e t l u n g c a n c e r !

P e o p l e o f a l l a g e s a n d c o u n t r i e s h a v e f o u n d s m o k i n g e n j o y a b l e a n d

b e n e f i c i a l . I s t h e w i s d o m o f t h e a g e s t o b e t h r o w n i n t o t h e t r a s h c a n a t

t h e b e h e s t o f t h e a n t i - s m o k i n g m i l i t a n ts ?

27

C h a p t e r 5

W HY SMOKING IS BE NEFICIAL

Saying that smoking is beneficial will cause some of t he anti-

s m o k i n g l e a d e r s t o j u s t a b o u t h a v e a s e i z u r e . W e l l , th a t c a n' t b ~

h e l p e d , f o r i t i s t h e t r u t h .

I n m y m e d i c a l p r a c t i c e p a t i e n t s f r e q u e n t l y t o l d m e t h a t s m o k i n g

r e l i e v e d t h e i r c o u g h s . B e c a u s e t h i s w a s c o n t r a r y t o w h a t t h e t e x t b o o k s

a n d t h e l e c t u r e r s s a i d , I a t f i r s t t h o u g h t t h e y j u s t i m a g i n e d i t . But as it

c o n t i n u e d o v e r t h e y e a r s I b e g a n t o w o n d e r i f t h e r e w a s s o m e t h i n g i n

i t . My own experience with smoking showed me just how right they

were . F r o m c h i l d h o o d I h a d a h i s t o r y o f b r o n c h i t i s a c c o m p a n i e d b y

marked wheezing. I w a s w a r n e d b y d o c t o r s n o t t o s m o k e . I n m y l a t e

thirties I got such frequent disabling attacks, sometimes with

p n e u m o n i a , t h a t t h e y s e r i o u s l y i n t e r f e r e d w i t h m y w o r k a n d m a d e l i f e

r a t h e r d i s t r e s s i n g . A n o l d c o u n t r y d o c t o r s a i d t o m e o n e d a y , " I u s e d

t o b e l i k e y o u . T h e n s o m e o n e p u t m e o n t o t h e s e c r e t - t a k e u p t h e

p i p e . I d i d a n d I ' v e n e v e r b e e n b e t t e r . "

I h a d n e v e r s m o k e d b e c a u s e o f w a r n i n g s f r o m c h e s t ' e x p e r t s ' b u t

r e m e m b e r i n g m y p a t i e n t s ' c l a i m s , I t o o k t h e o l d d o c t o r ' s a d v i c e . T h e

change in my health was miraculous . I n t h e y e a r s s i n c e I t o o k u p

smoking, my chest troubles have been few . I t i s m a n y y e a r s s i n c e I

h a v e h a d a n a t t a c k o f b r o n c h i t i s . I a m s u r e I w o u l d h a v e b e e n d e a d

l o n g a g o i f I h a d n ' t s m o k e d . W h e n I h e a r 'e x p e rt s ' t a lk i n g o r I r e ad

b o o k s d e c r y i n g s m o k i n g i n c h e s t c o n d i t i o n s I j u s t s m i l e a n d t h i n k h o w

l i t t l e t h e y k n o w .

T h i s c e r t a i n l y b e a r s o u t t h e c l a i m o f t h e N o r t h A m e r i c a n I n d i a n s

w h o t o l d t h e e a r l y e x p l o r e r s t h e y s m o k e d t o e a s e t h e i r c o u g h s . B u t

w h o ' d t a k e n o t i c e o f ' s a v a g e s ' , e v e n i f t h e y w e r e o n l y t e l l i n g w h a t t h e y

observed . M u s t t h e i r w i s e p r a c t i c e s b e s c o r n e d b e c a u s e t h e y w e r e n o t

' c i v i l i s e d ' l i k e t h e E u r o p e a n c o n q u e r o r s ? L i k e t h e I n d i a n s I f o u n d t h a t

w h e n I g o t a c o u g h , s m o k i n g w o u l d e a s e i t .

Having personally experienced the great relief that s moking gives to

b r o n c h i t i s, I f e l t i t w a s m y d u t y t o h e lp o t h e r s . O v e r t h e p a s t f e w y e a r s

in suitable cases I have been advising bronchitic and asthmatic pa-

tients to try s moking . To counter any fear induced by t he brain-

washing of the anti-smoking campaigners, I advised them to smoke a

pipe, pointing out t hat even the campaigners have virtually acquitted

the p ipe of causing harm . However, I feel that tobacco is absolutely

harmless in whatever form it is smoked . I n m o s t c a s e s t h e r e s u l t s h a v e

been strikingly successful and the sufferers have been most grateful .

S i n c e s o m e s c i e n t i s t s b e l i e v e c h r o n i c b r o n c h i t i s p r o b a b l y l e a d s t o l u n g

cancer, it s eems only reasonable that by p rotecting the lungs in this

way, smoking may prevent lung cancer .

O v e r t h e p a s t f e w y e a r s I h a v e m e t q u i t e a f e w d o c t o r s w h o a l s o

50792 7420


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h a v e f o u n d h o w s m o k i n g h e l p s t h e i r c o u g h s a n d t h e c o u g h s o f t h e i r

p a t i e n t s . S o m e o f t h e s e h a d w r i t t e n l e t t e r s t o m e d i c a l j o u r n a l s a b o u t i t

b u t , a s e x p e c t e d , t h e y w

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