§ 70. Mr. Pavittasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will take steps to establish a standing committee to advise him on the hazards to health of smoking tobacco, tobacco substitutes and any mixture of tobacco and tobacco substitutes;
(2) if he will consult with the tobacco companies and chemical companies at present engaged in producing a tobacco substitute which does not lead to cancer of the lungs in order to arrange for comprehensive clinical testing;
(3) what arrangements he has made to assess the consequences to health of smoking cigarettes containing tobacco substitutes other than those used in herbal cigarettes.
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§ Mr. Crossman:The hazards of tobacco smoking are already well known. As regards tobacco substitutes, the Medical Research Council is at my request calling a meeting of independent experts to evaluate the tests used and the evidence supplied by the manufacturers of the new smoking materials. I shall consider what further action is desirable when I have received their report.