Letter: Battle of smoke
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Battle of smoke
Sir: Ron P Levy (letter, 13 October) accuses me of hiding behind "the myth that adults take up smoking of their own free will". He challenges me to name "one person who has taken up smoking while in their adult years". The government-sponsored General Household Survey, published this year, reports that 35 per cent of those who smoke regularly started over the age of 18.
He claims that the size of the market for aids indicates that smoking is addictive. May I remind him that 11 million people in Britain have given up smoking in the last 20 years, and that as Dr Daniel Inde of the Washington School of Medicine told a meeting of lung cancer specialists in Dublin in 1997, 90 per cent of smokers who quit do so without "outside" help?
The tobacco industry does not want children to smoke and will continue to work with government in preventing their access to cigarettes. But society's cause is not helped by false accusations and inaccurate assumptions.
JOHN CARLISLE
Tobacco Manufacturers' Association
London SW1
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments