§ Mr. David Steelasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will ensure that there is no delay in the development of NSM substances for cigarettes in view of United States competition in this field.
§ Dr. OwenI can assure the hon. Gentleman there will be no unnecessary delay. The substitute for tobacco known as NSM is being developed commercially. My concern is with the health aspects of the smoking of a tobacco substitute of any kind. As I said during the debate on smoking and health on 16th January, it cannot be automatically assumed that any substitute material is safer than the tobacco it is designed to replace. The 521W Government intend, after consultation, to lay a draft order under Section 105(1)(b) of the Medicines Act for approval by Parliament to ensure that those tobacco products consisting of or containing a substitute for tobacco or an additive to the tobacco would need a product licence from the Government. Such a licence would be granted on advice received from a statutory committee on the safety of the product. The committee would be established under Section 4 of the Medicines Act and would be based on the existing Independent Scientific Committee on Smoking and Health under the chairmanship of Dr. R. B. Hunter. The Section 4 Committee would advise the Government when, in its view, the criteria for the testing and marketing in the United Kingdom of a substitute in a tobacco product as set out in the guidelines in the Hunter Committee's First Report had been met. It would follow exactly the same procedures whether the substitute is manufactured here or abroad.
Meanwhile, the Hunter Committee is continuing to consider the health aspect of tobacco substitutes. It has not yet advised the Government that in its view it has no objection to the marketing of any tobacco product containing substitutes. I am satisfied that the Committee is considering the matter as quickly as possible consistent with the need to have full regard to the toxicity, teratological and carcinogenic potential of these substances when smoked and the risks to the health of the public. In its report the Hunter Committee said that it would need to be satisfied that long term studies to monitor the health effects on humans had been arranged before such substances were marketed.—[Vol. 903, c. 808.]