Sunday 1 September 2013

Tobacco Control Industry Credibility Takes Another Nosedive

Something crackers from New Zealand this way comes.
Parents of newborn babies are being told to wear smoking jackets and not touch their child for up to half an hour after having a cigarette - to protect the babies from smoke residue.
Yep, the kid may be crawling towards an electric socket with a knitting needle, but keep well away in case they experience real danger.
[Counties Manukau smokefree programme manager Vicki Evans said] "We recommend parents wait at least 20 minutes and wash their hands before touching their baby after having a cigarette, and wear protective clothing which is then removed after smoking."
Absurd, much?
However, a leading quit-smoking advocate says enforcing thirdhand smoke measures do little to protect children in the long run.
That'll be because there is no such health danger as thirdhand smoke. Considering the evidence consists of a telephone poll; a study so corrupt in method that its authors should be relegated to flipping burgers for a living; and a press release by an anti-bacterial floor mop company; anyone who actually buys into the fantasy must be so idiotic as to also believe that there was once a World War 2 bomber on the moon ... which then vanished.

This is how pathetically low tobacco control has sunk, with health service institutions being their version of an open mike comedy store. Next up, how fairies at the bottom of the garden can sprinkle magic dust on your baby to ease teething pain.

Good grief.


9 comments:

SadButMadLad said...

Are parents with new babies going to be advised not to keep any pets then?
Are parents with new babies going to be advised to wrap them in bubble wrap?
Are parents with new babies going to be advised to use plastic cutlery and cups?
Are parents with new babies going to be advised to use bleach & do an anti-bacterial deep clean after every nappy change?


You get the idea.

Eric Manktelow said...

I seem to remember the wait 20 minutes before touching little bundle of joy after smoking as a UK message once. Still a load of bollocks though.

Adam Haseman said...

"Mum of five Brooke Te Maari said she insisted her partner showered and changed clothes before any close contact with their babies. She decided the residue left after smoking was harmful to her young family and instigated a strict house rule designed to protect the children."
If I was her partner she'd be in serious danger of becoming a single parent. Talk about hook line and sinker.
I wonder if she does the same with visitors in case they have come into contact with something?

JonathanBagley said...

Why on earth didn't she get a non smoking partner in the first place? Can't see this one lasting the distance..

Bucko TheMoose said...

I've read some shite in my time but that's got to be a piss take, surely.

Surely?

*Tumbleweed*

Rob said...

Why 20 minutes? What is the scientific rational for 20 minutes as opposed to, say, one hour? Two hours? 45 seconds?

Rob said...

Rationale

Sam Duncan said...

smoking jackets


Oh, my dear, how terribly, terribly Noël Coward. Do they use nine-inch cigarette holders too? And spats. Must protect the footwear.

Anon said...

Just a FYI. I have just heard that the University of Worcester is implementing a smokefree policy across its "Riverside Campus" - this means not only inside, but ALL outside areas including car parks, patios etc. They also intend to, at some point in the future, implement a smokefree policy on its main campus which is currently non-smoking everywhere (including outside) apart from one patio area. They want this (tiny) patio area gone. Is this the first UK university to implement such a draconian policy?

In principle, I have no objection to them doing this - it's their property after all. What I find disgusting is that I can find no mention of this on the University website. Such a policy needs to be widely publicised - I know I wouldn't choose to study somewhere which had such a policy. By not publicising it they are simply enticing students in, and then, once they have paid and are locked in to studying there, bullying them into accepting a lifestyle choice that the University deems "acceptable."

Disgusting behaviour. Oh for such caring, "progressive" policies, eh? Good job they find being gay acceptable or they'd be hounding them off for their lifestyle choices, too.

Oh just as a side note - in 2008 they gave an Honorary degree to Lord Faulkner of Worcester for his work with the Roy Castle Foundation. Oh, and he's an ASH Trustee, too.

http://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/3817938.print/