Madam, - I write in response to Tim Dunne's letter of December 29th and in support of Dr William Fennell's letter of January 6th and his correct analysis of the independent scientific data on the ill-effects of passive smoking.
Moreover, I would like to re-reiterate the mission of the Irish Cancer Society which is to eliminate cancer as a major health problem and to improve the lives of those living with cancer through patient care, research and education.
Smoking causes 95 per cent of all lung cancers, which account for 20 per cent of all cancer deaths in this country. Passive smoking increases the risk of lung cancer in non-smokers by 25 per cent.
We therefore do not believe that we are "stepping outside our brief as a charity by being at the forefront of the political campaign to ban smoking in the workplace". Rather, we are acting in support of the Minister for Health in his endeavour to reduce the incidence of cancer. - Yours, etc.,
JOHN McCORMACK,
Chief Executive,
Irish Cancer Society,
Northumberland Road,
Dublin 4.