§ 19. Dr. Stuttafordasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if the new smoking material being marketed by a firm whose name has been supplied to him has been fully investiated for harmful effects and if the results of the experiments carried out on this material have been examined by him; and if he is 794 satisfied that this material does not carry an unacceptable risk to health.
§ Sir K. JosephI would have liked wholeheartedly to welcome a less dangerous form of smoking material. Very regretfully, I cannot yet do so in respect of the Courtaulds product which I understand my hon. Friend has in mind. We are not in that position because the necessary tests have not been fully completed. There is nothing to suggest that a smoker of this product is in greater danger than a smoker of a tobacco cigarette and reasonable hope that his risk may be less, but it is incomprehensible to me that the company should market its cigarettes before the relative safety of the product has been fully appraised as far as the tests the company itself has commissioned can do so. Responsibility for marketing rests with the company, but I understand that the Hunter Committee has urged it not to market this product before it has fully completed its present phase of testing. I repeat that I welcome any move towards a proven less dangerous form of smoking. It is with the more disappointment, therefore, that I have to say that in my view it is regrettable that the company should have chosen not to follow this advice.
§ Dr. StuttafordI thank my right hon. Friend for his honest reply. However, does he not agree that the Hunter Committee has not had the co-operation which it might have expected from the company? Is not statutory legislation needed, rather than appeals for co-operation, so that the Hunter Committee can be assured of future co-operation, in that any drug inhaled can be just as dangerous as one swallowed, and that in medicine any new drug will have to be committed to more stringent tests?
§ Sir K. JosephI do not accept the first part of my hon. Friend's supplementary question. Relations between companies, the Hunter Committee and myself must be confidential.
§ Dr. SummerskillThe right hon. Gentleman's statement is most serious. It appears that the Hunter Committee's functions have been completely ignored by this firm. Will the right hon. Gentleman use his powers to institute legislation forbidding the sale of these cigarettes if he is not satisfied that they comply 795 with the conditions laid down by the Hunter Committee?
§ Sir K. JosephNo. The hon. Lady is mis-stating the position. I have emphasised that there is nothing to suggest that a smoker of this product is in greater danger than a smoker of a tobacco cigarette, and there is hope that his risk may be less. Successive Governments have not thought it right to take any steps, even if such steps were practicable, to make the manufacture or sale of tobacco cigarettes illegal and there seems no possible point in contemplating such a step at the moment.