WHJTBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 1988, PAGE 7 PAGE SEVEN Qmite hiterafly it took the deatb of a generation but the war against smoking is finally being wvon. Even if they privately accepted the heath hazards of smoking, the policy-makers of a generation ago could not admit it without first breaking their own addiction - and that, as many smokers can attest, is no easy feat. They continued to puf themselves into oblivion. It is now twenty years since the Surgeon General of the United States issued bis first report on smoking. It stated in bard statistical terms what many already knew and what numerous minor studies had already proclaimed - smoking *\~\~ was deadly. Before the Surgeon General's report the tobacco ~N industry bad littie difficulty in counteracting the damaging evidence but the weight of an officially sanctioned govern- ment report wag something different.M At tbe time, a majority of aduit Nortb Americans were smokers - most were addictedl. Clearly tbe'industry bad a huge army of support tbat no government could ignore - but that buge army was dying off. Through tbe years, study after study indicated that smoking is the major or a contributing-- -- factor in ail the leading causes of deatb - cancer, beart disease, lung disease and strokes. Our bealtb care system is cboked witb nicotine addicts witb self inflicted ilinesses - but_______________________________________ as long as everybody else was smoking, tbat was OK. The Surgeon General's first report establisbed an i irrefutable connection between smoking and tbe people dying ---- around us. The industry fougbtback witb studies of tbeir own, but everybody knew wbo was paying for tbem. They fougbt back witb lower nicotine and tar levels in some of tbeir products and tried to convince us tbey were safer. They poured millions into advertising to a new generation- lifestyle advertising implying smoking is part of tbe- good life. But people kept dying - the evidence accumulated. In a later report tbe Surgeon General added new evidence tbat even non-smokers exposed to sidestream smoke were at serious risk. This year's report documents the addictiveness of nicotine - as severe as cocaine. Gradually the medical profession bas realized tbeir own culpability. Many bave quit, but even those unable to break their addiction bave at least stopped smoking at tbeir patients' bedsides. A new generation of doctors bas now been trained witb a full appreciation of the danger of the weed. % The last few years bave seen changes that would bave been impossible just a few years af -). Airlines bave banned smoking on many fligbts - eve- long ones. Cigarette advertising bas just been banned. A .01aoke free workplace is now guaranteed by law in many industries. Scbools, wbicb fougbt a losing battle against smoking back in the sixties and eventually caved in witb designated smoking rooms for students, are going smoke-free. Restaurants ask if you want smoking or non-smoking. But perbaps most important, smokers no longer ignore "No Smoking" signs. 4 Obarities such as the Cancer Society and the Heart and _______ Stroke Foundation whicb only a few years ago pussyfooted THE HEWIS BLOCK, BROCK STREET NORTH, C. 1922 around tbe issue witb bland statements that smoking was This fine brick building was built in 1864 by Thomas H. McMillan and purcbased in 1912 just one of several ,isk factors, bave now banded together by butcher William Hewis. Shorty's Cigar Store is now in the soutb store at rigbt. Coca-cola, letter last week from one who trotted out alI the old cliches of* Town Council is considering purchase of tbe 100-acre Smith farm between Hopkins and tbe industry - tbe government was driving tbem out of Blair Streets soutb of I{igbway 401 for industrial land. business. I bave no sympatby. The government bas been* W.C. Town funeral Chapel bas offered to donate its ambulance and equipment to the new encouraging tbem for twenty years to try other crops; it bas St. John Ambulance branch. offered generous financial incentives and bas spent millions* Mr. and Mrs. P.J. Neal are celebrating their 25tb wedding anniversary today. studying alternative crops, but tebacco farmers were making10 E SAG so mucb growing tebacco (the industry saw to tbat) tbat tbey fo h r a u1 5,1888RS AGonoth wouldn't switcb. The alligator tears fail to move me. WHITBY CHRONICLE The only people I feel sorry for are those tbat are still* Tramps passing tbrougb Myrtle bave been pestering the local residents. booked. In tbe absence of governnient involvement, numerous One bundred and flfty men took part in a barn-raising at Ashburn last week, without an proflt-orientfed businesses prey on bapless addicts witb accident. kick-tbe-weed therapies. Most are legitimate, *but now, just* Brooklin's leading merchant Thomas Jackson Holliday and bis wife celebrated their 25tb as the government provides funds for detox centres for wedding anniversary on June 11. alcobolics and drug addicts, so it sbould be prepared te bhelp* A train on tbe CPR was wrecked near Myrtl e wben it hit a herd of cattle lying on the the millions who are addicted te tobacco. The long-term track. savings in bealtb care expences will be enormous. _______________________________________