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No to costly smokers
• I WAS appalled to learn that treating smokers costs £6.5 million, (New Journal, December 13) in Camden alone, and this is a low estimate, every year.
How must this impact on the provision of other treatments? Even if one does not (as I do very strongly) believe that passive smoking causes various serious, sometimes fatal, conditions it is surely obvious that the inability to provide such treatments must have some impact on the health of Camden residents including that of innocent non-smokers.
You also mention one of the beneficial effects of the Scottish smoking ban which began in March 2006 – the steep decline in hospital admissions for heart attacks. How many heart attack hospital admissions have there been in Camden due to smoking? (The English smoking ban is less than six months old).
How many people have had their hospital admission postponed, and with what effect on their health?
MARGARET KING
Belsize Grove, NW3
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