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Cardiology |
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| 19 Oct 2009 | Viewed: 155 | |
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The European Society of Cardiology wishes to comment on media reports
this week that France is preparing to authorise the sale of cigarettes
on the internet, to conform to European rights. Although Budget
Minister Eric Woerth denies that this is the intention, the news is
disappointing given the drop in heart attack rates following last year's smoking ban.
ESC spokesperson Professeur Ph.Gabriel STEG (Université Paris VII, Centre Hospitalier Bichat-Claude Bernard, Paris) said :
"While I understand that the alleged motive is that the French
government needs to align itself with the European directive and the
need to tackle the monopoly of cigarette retail in France, this move
contradicts years of health policy to reduce tobacco consumption.
There is clear evidence that an increase in tobacco retail
price and restricted access to cigarettes have led to less people
smoking, with important health benefits. The government needs to take
action to continue its previous policy which tackled smoking as an
effective way to improve public health."
Daily financial newpaper Les Echos broke the news on 14
October, stating that the French government would propose the idea to
Parliament in mid-November. Cigarettes would be sold at retail prices
in France, to prevent price undercutting on the internet. MP Eric
Woerth denied that these are the government's aims, stating that
"tabacco products are unique as they are directly involved in public
health policy ; there are no plans to open this sector to a different
type of sales market," as reported on 14 October by Le Monde.
A wave of smoking bans through Europe and the USA during this
and last year has led to substantial reductions in heart attack rates,
according to a study published last month in Circulation, the journal of the American Heart Association (1).
The analysis pooled 13 studies from regions in North America, Italy,
Scotland and Ireland and found a consistent reduced risk of
hospitalisation for heart attack (acute myocardial infarction, AMI) of
17% one year after implementation of the law. The investigators found
that heart attack figures fell by 36% during the three years following
the ban.
Commenting on the Circulation meta-analysis for the
European Society of Cardiology, spokesperson Professor Joep Perk from
Oskarshamn District Hospital in Sweden said: ""First, what the analysis
shows is that the harmful effect of second-hand smoke is much greater
than we first imagined. It also shows that the benefits derived from
the anti-smoking legislation continue over time in a linear direction.
At the public health level the results strengthen the case for
anti-smoking legislation in all jurisdictions. There seems no reason
why the EU should not now advocate strong legislation in all member
states. Studies like these strengthen the case for preventive
cardiology."
In the UK, an amendment to the government's Health Bill has
been proposed this month, which would outlaw cigarette vending machines
in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The European Society of Cardiology together with other health
institutions has continuously informed the public of the overwhelming
evidence of the adverse effect of smoking on cardiovascular health. The
European Guidelines on CVD prevention warn that smoking is responsible
for 50% of all avoidable deaths and that smoking causes heart attacks
at any age.
"Although cardiovascular diseases are very complex in nature
and due to many causes, smoking is one of the major contributors and
smoking bans have certainly caused a reduction in coronary events in
Italy. This has been documented in an article published in Circulation
(2) where the rate of reduction of coronary events was consistent with
the pollution reduction observed in indoor public places. I believe
that this is clearly confirming that prevention is not only a task for
doctors, but also for society and politicians," explains Roberto
Ferrari, President Elect of the ESC.
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| News Source: medical news today |
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