Thread: Bizarre claim that smoking is healthy

Victor Chang Foundation smoking is healthy

NICK O'MALLEY, Sydney Morning Herald
March 30, 2010

A DIRECTOR of the Victor Chang Foundation's board has written a long and detailed opinion piece promoting ''healthy smoking'' for The Jakarta Post, as the Indonesian government considers its first crackdown on cigarette advertising.

''The real argument is here in Indonesia some quite remarkable Indonesian scientists and doctors have discovered that cigarette smoking can, with specially treated cigarettes, significantly assist people's health and has the potential to cut health costs around the globe,'' wrote Murray Clapham, an Australian businessman and former diplomat who spends time in Indonesia and Singapore, as well as serving on the foundation's board.

''One thing we must do is learn from the ancient wisdom and find out how to grow healthy tobacco. Indonesia has made a start and it's a great place to do it. Unfortunately my country (Australia) has almost banned any private initiatives in this area.

''Tobacco is certainly not the key factor in many of the health issues attributed to it; the jury should remain out on that.

''These and other matters are still the subject of investigation. Let's not throw the baby out with the bath water here in Indonesia now. To conclude, let's ban unhealthy cigarettes and promote healthy smoking.

''This will serve many purposes, the pro-smokers can have their cake and eat it without fear, the anti-smokers are likely to have a new cheap readily available healing tool.''

Dr Alan Farnsworth, the chairman of the Victor Chang Foundation's board, was not available for comment, but said through a spokesman that though Mr Clapham was on the board he did not speak for it, was not a clinician and that his views were ''absolutely, unequivocally'' not shared by the board. The spokesman could not comment on what action the board might take, if any.

The Victor Chang Foundation was set up to raise money to educate doctors in Asia and is unrelated to the better known Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute. ''The Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute is a completely separate organisation to the Victor Chang Foundation. We strongly believe the overwhelming data implicating smoking, both active and passive, as being harmful to your health,'' said a spokeswoman for the institute.

The chief executive of Action on Smoking and Health, Anne Jones, described the article and the use of Victor Chang's name as ''worse than mischievous''.

''This is just rubbish, there is no such thing as a safe cigarette, even the tobacco companies admit that.''

She said millions of people had died from smoking in Indonesia and the government, which has its own links to tobacco growing, has so far been loath to tackle the industry.

Mr Clapham could not be contacted for comment.

Originally Posted by peter000

''The real argument is here in Indonesia some quite remarkable Indonesian scientists and doctors have discovered that cigarette smoking can, with specially treated cigarettes, significantly assist people's health and has the potential to cut health costs around the globe,'' wrote Murray Clapham, an Australian businessman and former diplomat who spends time in Indonesia and Singapore, as well as serving on the foundation's board.

I think they call those "special cigarettes" joints.

''One thing we must do is learn from the ancient wisdom and find out how to grow healthy tobacco. Indonesia has made a start and it's a great place to do it. Unfortunately my country (Australia) has almost banned any private initiatives in this area.

Thats because cannabis is illegal in Australia.

I started smoking as a new year's resolution.

I quit smoking a year ago and have never felt so UN-healthy. He could have a point.

I developed a taste for old radio shows from the 1940's and 50's. Shows such as Gunsmoke, Dragnet, Have Gun Will Travel etc. Many of the old shows still have the cigarette ads from that time in the USA as part of the soundtrack. Absolutely amazing the things the US tobacco industry used to say. Cotton filters were advertised as removing all the danger and doctors praised certain brands as healthy. The quality of some of these ads were as good and "catchy" as any modern advertisement.

Originally Posted by BobR

I developed a taste for old radio shows from the 1940's and 50's. Shows such as Gunsmoke, Dragnet, Have Gun Will Travel etc. Many of the old shows still have the cigarette ads from that time in the USA as part of the soundtrack. Absolutely amazing the things the US tobacco industry used to say. Cotton filters were advertised as removing all the danger and doctors praised certain brands as healthy. The quality of some of these ads were as good and "catchy" as any modern advertisement.

Many years ago when I was in my 20s I went to see my GP about a persistent cough. He suggested I try another brand of cigarettes, so the consultation ended with him and me each having one of his Phillip Morris Executive cigarettes. Times sure have changed.

These will be the ones with no tobacco in I take it

Originally Posted by peter000

with specially treated cigarettes

maybe he should have quoted this in indo - would have gotten him even more coverage

CIGARETTES may contain traces of pig's blood, an Australian academic says with a warning that religious groups could find its undisclosed presence "very offensive". University of Sydney Professor Simon Chapman points to recent Dutch research which identified 185 different industrial uses of a pig - including the use of its haemoglobin in cigarette filters.

He is sure smoking a bit more than just tobacco.