Letter: Thousands of smokers stop

Sir: Dr Vivienne Nathanson of the BMA suggests I am "wriggling" on the notion of tobacco being addictive (Letters, August 29) and she refers to the BMA's own booklet for members which I instanced, now telling us that advice contained therein not to use the word "addiction" is only there because of the disheartening message the word conveys.

Yet within the booklet the text goes on to say that "a balance needs to be struck, acknowledging the potential difficulties of stopping as well as the ease with which many smokers manage to stop". It makes clear that 2,000 smokers a day give up.

I might add that the vast majority of those smokers stop without the aid of patches, hypnotherapy, courses, books, or any other aid.This is why we say we find it hard to accept that with 11 million ex-smokers in this country, tobacco can be classed as addictive in the sense that most people understand the word.

In passing, I am not from BAT, as Dr Nathanson appears to think.

CLIVE TURNER

Tobacco Manufacturers' Association,

London SW1