The beauty of quitting the beloved fag after your 18
Means women retain their beauty
TOBACCO-related lung cancer now kills more women in Ireland than breast cancer. It is a dreadful development. And it hasn’t happened by chance. Tobacco companies targeted women at a time when men began to respond to public health campaigns by giving up cigarettes.
They set out to make smoking fashionable for young women and companies produced superslim and less pungent cigarettes. As a consequence, the number of women dying from lung cancer has been rising by about 3 per cent a year.
Because of the time-lag involved between taking up smoking and developing lung cancer, health agencies have found it difficult to persuade young people of the need to quit and of the dangers involved. Many young people act as if they are immortal. And studies suggest that four-out-of-five nicotine users become addicted between the ages of 14 and 18.
Now, the Irish Cancer Society has launched a campaign entitled “the beauty of quitting”, emphasising the effect prolonged smoking has on women’s good looks, in terms of wrinkles, yellowish skin and discoloured teeth.
A ban on smoking in the workplace, introduced in 2004, cut tobacco consumption. The effect was short-lived, however, and as more young people became addicted the figures began to rise. The recruitment of young women, particularly in the lower-income bracket, has brought their present participation level to 40 per cent, compared to 29 per cent for the general population.
At that level, it is almost double the European average. Lung cancer is now the largest cancer killer of both men and women and 20 per cent of all deaths are tobacco-related.
The Irish Heart Foundation wants the Government to tackle the rising death rate by increasing the cost of a packet of 20 cigarettes by €1, bringing the price to above €10. Cigarette consumption is price sensitive, particularly where young people are concerned. But the scale of cigarette smuggling has become so great that the effect of previous tax increases has been undermined.
One-quarter of all cigarettes sold here may be smuggled. While that situation persists, additional taxes would have limited effect. Cutting lung cancer deaths will require a variety of official strategies, including tax increases and severe smuggling penalties. But a personal desire to end the habit is also needed.
Ireland’s motorways score highly in a Engineers review of Infrastructure & Communications
In The State of Ireland 2012
IRELAND’S , motorways and communications systems have scored highly in a review of the State’s infrastructure, carried out by Engineers Ireland.
But the review, The State of Ireland 2012 , which is published this morning, warns there is an ongoing need to improve speeds of trains, upgrade regional roads and provide funding for flood relief measures.
The report also warns there is a “vital” ongoing need to reinvest in productive infrastructure, despite the economic crisis, to attract investment and jobs.
Using an A to D grading system – where A was well-maintained infrastructure with adequate capacity and planning for future development, – the review assessed the States energy, transport, water, waste and communications infrastructure.
None of the State’s infrastructure merited an A grade in the report. But it found the overall grade of energy facilities was a B, concluding energy infrastructure “served the country well”. The report said the energy sector was facing challenges from carbon emission targets and supply security.
The report also found communications were generally good with the infrastructure meriting a B-minus. The report said faster broadband communications speeds of 100Mbpts or more should be developed within 12 months. But it said broadband costs were high. It recommended the State continue to be involved in the deployment of communications infrastructure to deliver fast broadband to a minimum of 95 per cent of the population, including the islands.
Transport was given a mixed review with a C grade. The review found new motorways were good and had made carriage of goods to the ports significantly better than 10 years ago. But is said the new roads had presented competition difficulties for regional airports and the railways. The report called for investment within 12 months in rail renewal to increase train speeds between cities.
In the five-year term it recommended a ports plan, including development of deep water accommodation for larger vessels. Secondary roads were given a D grade, but the new airport terminals at Dublin and Cork positioned the country well for growth, it said. The airport authorities should consider further airport development to make Ireland attractive for through traffic and the example of making Dublin and/or Cork a hub for Asian airlines en route to the US, is mentioned.
The State’s flood defence measures were criticised and water and flooding infrastructure merited only a C grade.
The report said the national flood warning and forecasting study should be published and resources found within 12 months to begin implementing its recommendations. The report said universal water charging and metering should also be implemented within 12 months. Irish Water should be set up and the transfer of responsibilities from local authorities should also be commenced within a year.
The State’s waste infrastructure was also given a C grade and the report recommended Dublin’s proposed Poolbeg waste to energy plant should commence construction within 12 months.
According to the engineers the State needs to vest the ownership of waste in local authorities and confirm their power to direct how waste is treated. It said household waste collection should be regulated by a fair, transparent and competitive process.
While the report acknowledged current economic restrictions, it recommends the Government prioritise what investments can be made in the short term.
Miriam O’Callaghan
Gets the watchdog’s backing on McGuinness Prime Time affair
It was one of the highlights of the presidential election, but now Miriam O’Callaghan’s challenge on Martin McGuinness’ IRA past has been backed by the Broadcasting Authority.
The North Deputy First Minister felt much aggrieved by her treatment during the Prime Time presidential debate. So much so that he berated her in dressing rooms after the show.
It later turned out that many of his supporters were annoyed too. The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, which oversees broadcasting standards in Ireland, received 10 complaints about it.
The Sinn Féin and former IRA man McGuinness branded Miriam’s questioning “unfair and totally out of order”. Probably words that could justifiably be used regarding his actions in the past on which Miriam was trying to question him.
The BAI did not uphold any of the 10 complaints made about the October 13, 2011, show.
While there were 10 complaints, Miriam was backed my many other for being the first to aggressively question McGuinness. While discussing religious beliefs, she asked McGuinness: “How do you square, Martin McGuinness, with your God, the fact that you were involved in the murder of so many people?”
No doubt, it was the question on many people’s minds during the campaign.
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