Smokers, smoking in front of children and Passive Smokers' Deaths

The BMA say that many thousands die each year not only from smoking tobacco products but those who inhale smokers' products of combustion. This information is by no means new and sadly, does not put young people off from starting to smoke. The BMA advocates that smoking in cars be banned. There is another aspect and that is that those who smoke whilst driving are inevatably distracted and also are holding a small fire which could ignite clothing if dropped.

 

Smokers often argue that preventing them from smoking in front of children is an afront to their freedom. The difficulty for that argument is that children also have rights and society should protect those rights and their health and safety, that is in this case the right to breath reasonably fresh air.

 

Smoking amongst older people is on the decline, partly because having a health scare, those who are not totally adicted give up smoking and partly because smokers die younger than none smokers. The cost of tobacco products may also be an influence.  Amongst asbestos disease sufferers there seems to have been a high percentage of smokers. I recall visiting a woman at her home to interview her. She was in some distress with her breathing due to an asbestos disease and although she was on oxygen, her husband and other members of the family were smoking around her. Her husband also suffered from an asbestos disease. Both died soon after the civil trial but won their cases.

 

Smoking in front of children not only sets a bad example but can seriously injure their young lungs. It can be said to be an abuse of the health of the children. People who do so put their own pleasure before the health of the children who have no say in whether or not they breath in the toxic fumes from tobacco smoking.

 

It is a status symbol amongst some young people to want to look good by smoking and once hooked, it takes a lifetime to break the habit which some never achieve and the cost in terms of health and finance to the smoker is enormous and often deadly. It is fitting that Sir Walter Raleigh was hung drawn and quartered - because he introduced tobacco to the UK.

 

Smokers please go to www.smokefree.nhs.uk for your free patch for a week.

 

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Legionella Outbreaks

This dreadful disease is  named after the USA Legionnaires' convention in 1976 where many men contracted pneumonia and has become a real life threatening problem. We remember the fatality cases at the BBC, Staffordshire Hospital, in Barrow in Furness and more recently in Wales.

 

It is caused through a fine mist (respirable aerosol) of water contaminated with the legionella organism and this traditionally emanates from air conditioning condensing units operated with water. This is why air cooled units are now chosen in the air conditioning industry in place of water cooled. Even shower heads can be a source and there is legislation aimd at keeping temperatures in hot water systems high enough at point of exit to kill off the bacteria. 

 

There is an ACOP - contact HSE www.hse.gov.uk for dealing with these systems and penalties for not doing so range from heavy fines to charges of manslaughter because some 12% of sufferers die. (See home page)

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Alcohol problems in the News

The terrible carnage in our inner cities of drunkeness, particularly amongst young people is starting to manifest itself in serious health problems and this is worse amongst females, many of whom will die in their thirties or early forties through liver and other illnesses. The medical profession is starting to say this at last when we have all known it for decades.The North of England is worse than the South.

 

The latest solution already advocated in Scotland is to have two days a week alcohol free. There is merit in that suggestion but if that means increasing intake on the other days, then the beneifits will be eroded.

 

Alastair Campbell has bravely spoken up about alcohol addiction and the estimate of 220,000 lives which will be cut short in the next 20 years because of excessive drinking.

 

Lots of jokes on radio and TV about alcohol but if you have ever seen anyone die of an alcohol related disease, or had a relative killed because of a drunk driver, the jokes would not seem so funny. As a society we have long pandered to the belief that alcohol is essential for life when it has the net result of killing its customers and causing misery to many families.

 

If you are concerned over your alcohol intake, please go to

www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk