Anti-smoking cigs ‘worse than tobacco’

25 August 2004

BRUSSELS – Herbal cigarettes designed to help smokers quit are more dangerous than ordinary cigarettes, several Belgian newspapers reported on Wednesday.

The reports claim plant-based cigarettes sold in pharmacies are more toxic and cancerous because they contain tar.

In France, the French Office for Preventing Tobacco Addiction, has called on the health ministry to ban their sale.

The news coincides with a study confirming even young smokers of tobacco are at risk of heart attacks.

Finnish epidemiologist Markku Mahonen says a large study of cardiovascular diseases carried out in 21 countries between 1985 and 1995, shows how dangerous cigarettes can be for smokers under 40.

The results showed 80 percent of those who had a heart attack between the ages of 35 and 39 were smokers.

Male smokers in that age bracket increased their risk of a heart problem almost five-fold while women smokers increased the risk by 5.3 times.

[Copyright Expatica 2004]

Subject: Belgian news