HC Deb 06 February 1973 vol 850 cc200-1
1. Sir G. Nabarro

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what figures he can now adduce to demonstrate a fall in cigarette smoking during the two years since the publication of his restrictive measures, including the labelling of packets with health warnings, advertisement monitoring and other devices; if he will now take further steps including the total restriction of advertising, as in Canada and elsewhere; and whether he will make a statement.

The Secretary of State for Social Services (Sir Keith Joseph)

Following the fall in cigarette smoking in 1971 after publication of the Royal College of Physicians' report, there is evidence of an increase in total cigarette consumption in the first nine months of 1972. I do not yet have a figure of the number of nonsmokers in 1972. However, it has been estimated that in 1971 there were over 1 million more adult non-smokers than in 1970—that is, an increase from 44.4 per cent. to 47.2 per cent. of the adult population.

No cigarette smoker can now claim to be unaware of the potential danger of the habit, but to help those who cannot give up I shall shortly be publishing the tar and nicotine yields of the different brands.

Sir G. Nabarro

While applauding the zeal of my right hon. Friend, may I commend to him the example set by many other countries afflicted with the tobacco habit, namely Canada and others, where advertising of cigarettes has been banned entirely on account of the damaging influences of such advertisements? Will my right hon. Friend consider measures of this kind, which have often been suggested to him by myself and many other hon. Members?

Sir K. Joseph

I am not convinced that a ban on advertising would reduce the consumption of cigarettes, but I hope that the publication which will shortly be occurring of tar and nicotine yields will guide those who must smoke to less dangerous brands.

Mr. Millie

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that some weeks ago we drew to his attention the deceitful use of cigar advertising in an attempt to offset the ban on cigarette advertising? Will he look into this because it is one way of meeting the points he made in reply to the Question?

Sir K. Joseph

I undertook to look into that question, and I owe the hon. Gentleman an answer.

Mr. Grylls

Will my right hon. Friend look into the possibility of strengthening the warning in advertisements? We know that this is a first step but the wording is a little wishy-washy. Will my right hon. Friend go as far as is done in the United States and have it stated firmly in the advertisements that cigarette smoking is dangerous to health? That would be much more positive.

Sir K. Joseph

But we must be absolutely certain that what is put in the advertising is impeccably true. I am not convinced that a marginal alteration in the words would persuade smokers to give up the habit.

Mr. Pavitt

Has the Secretary of State been subjected to pressure by the Conservative Central Office on the bad image of a fuddy-duddy Government, thereby making him drag his feet? In the light of recent research, is it not nonsensical that, whereas industry is spending more than £1 million every week to promote the sale of cigarettes, the amount given by the right hon. Gentleman to the Health Education Council is in tens of thousands?

Sir K. Joseph

The amount given to the Health Education Council for this purpose was in a few hundreds of thousands of pounds last year, but the fact is that countries which have banned cigarette advertising altogether have not shown a falling consumption of cigarettes.