End CPP investment in tobacco, doctors demand

The 50,000 member Canadian Medical Association passes a resolution brought to it by family physician and anti-smoking activist Jay Duncan, demanding that our Canada Pension Plan - an important social support for millions of Canadians - divest itself of all tobacco company stocks and 'shocked and angered' Health Minister Ujjal Dosanjh agrees.

I wonder how much of their personal wealth outraged Duncan, his doctor buddies who supported the resolution and politician Dosanjh have invested in tobacco company stocks.

Sagging casino business prompts wave of buyouts while smoking ban support lags

While the Manitoba Lotteries Corp. blames Winnipeg's tough smoking ban for the actual loss of 269 jobs and 21 million dollars in revenues, anti-smoking nuts continue to move from community to community falsely claiming smoking bans help the hospitality industry.

While the most recent Statistics Canada Tobacco Use Monitoring Survey shows smoking bans in pubs have the support of only 34% of Canadians, anti-smoking nuts continue to falsely claim widespread public support for these draconian restrictions.

While research repeatedly shows the dangers of environmental tobacco smoke are negligible to non-existent, anti-smoking nuts continue to falsely claim it causes thousands of deaths annually.

What does our future hold if we continue to allow public policy to be guided by those who knowingly deceive you?

A significant increase in asthma related health care utilisation associated with flu vaccination

The mindset of public health activists seems set more to the selling of flu vaccinations than providing the accurate information we need to make an informed choices.

Here's a study where the authors concluded the results 'failed to provide clinical evidence in support of the recommendations for annual influenza vaccination of asthmatic children. Even after controlling for several potential confounders, we noted a statistically significant increase in asthma related health care utilisation associated with vaccination. While this disturbing result does not show harm from the influenza vaccine, it is suggestive enough to warrant future study. It appears that a long term, prospective controlled trial may be needed.'

Arch Dis Child. 2004 Aug;89(8):734-5.

Effectiveness of influenza vaccine for the prevention of asthma exacerbations.

Christy C, Aligne CA, Auinger P, Pulcino T, Weitzman M.

Strong Children's Research Center, Rochester General Hospital, Rochester, NY, USA. cynthia.christy@viahealth.org

BACKGROUND: There is a lack of clinical evidence that annual vaccination against influenza prevents asthma exacerbations in children.

METHODS: Retrospective cohort study of 800 children with asthma, where one half did, and the other half did not receive the influenza vaccine. The two groups were compared with respect to clinic visits, emergency department (ED) visits, and hospitalisations for asthma. In multivariable analyses, adjustment was made for baseline asthma severity, prior utilisation of health services, receipt of vaccine in the previous year, and demographic variables.

RESULTS: After adjusting for other variables, the vaccine group had a significantly increased risk of asthma related clinic visits and ED visits (odds ratios 3.4 and 1.9, respectively).

 

 

Smoking bans lack public support

Anti-smoking groups claims that there is widespread support for smoking bans highlights the problem with information spewing from anti-smoking radicals - it differs significantly from reality.

• 1999 The Ontario Tobacco Research Unit (OTRU) survey showed only 12% of Ontario residents 18 or older support a total smoking ban in bars with only 28% supporting a total smoking ban in restaurants.
• OTRU’s 2002 follow-up survey, showed only 19% of Ontario residents 18 or older support a total smoking ban in bars and only 35% supporting a total smoking ban in restaurants.
• A Canada-wide survey to compare Ontarians’ preference for a total smoking ban on smoking in restaurants and bars with other provinces revealed consistent results. Only 24% of Canadians supported a total ban smoking ban in bars; only 37% in restaurants.
• A study published in the January 2003 issue of the Canadian Journal of Public Health found only 14% of Ontarians support a complete ban in bars and taverns. Only 37% of Canadians support a complete ban on smoking in restaurants.
• Gallup polling in July 2003 suggests similar sentiments are also held by Americans. Only 25% favour a total smoking ban in hotels. While 45% favour a total ban smoking in restaurants and 52% favour areas that are set aside for smoking.
• Similar research shows a strong lack of support for smoking bans by the British public where only 17% of all adults believe smoking should be banned in pubs, clubs, and bars.