Stop stigmatising smokers, Forest Ireland tells Irish Cancer Society

Wed 17th January, 2018

According to the results of a survey released today by the Irish Cancer Society (ICS), one-in-five people in Ireland has less sympathy for people with lung cancer compared to people with other types of cancer.

Responding to the survey and comments by the ICS, John Mallon, director of Forest Ireland, said:

"For years politicians and public health bodies have sought to make smokers social outcasts so it's no surprise that some people have less sympathy for people with lung cancer.

"Smoking bans, plain packaging and punitive taxation are all designed to denormalise smoking and shame the consumer with the additional result that some smokers are reluctant to be seek medical help.

"If the Irish Cancer Society really wants to help lung cancer patients and their families they need to cut down the anti-smoking rhetoric and stop stigmatising a perfectly legitimate habit."

See: New study reveals one-in-five people in Ireland has less sympathy for people with lung cancer (Irish Cancer Society)

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