wfn.org | Adventist Tobacco Control Campaigner

["Christian B. Schäffler" <APD_Info_Schweiz@compuserve.com>]

February 7, 1999
Adventist Press Service (APD)
Christian B. Schaeffler, Editor-in-chief
Fax +41-61-261 61 18
APD@stanet.ch
CH-4003 Basel, Switzerland

Adventist Tobacco Control Campaigner Urges Action to 
Combat "Global Epidemic of Nicotine Dependence"

San Diego, CA/USA. [ANN/APD] Dr. Linda Hyder Ferry, 
tobacco control campaigner and smoking cessation 
specialist, highlighted the dangers of what she 
termed the "global epidemic of nicotine dependence."

Speaking at the Adventist Ministries Convention in San 
Diego on January 20, Ferry called for the world to 
"get serious about smoking cessation, a question of 
life or death for hundreds of thousands in the U.S. 
and three million around the world who die every 
year."

As primary researcher of the new medication treatment 
for quitting smoking, and advisor to the proposed 
national certification program for tobacco dependence 
specialists, Ferry is well-placed to identify the 
massive world-wide problem of nicotine dependence.

"The percentage of smokers in the U.S. has not 
declined for several years," says Ferry. "Over 50 
million Americans smoke, and more children under18 are 
smoking now than in the 1960's. The tobacco industry 
spends around $5 billion in advertising each year-more 
than is spent in prevention and public health budgets 
across the nation. Cigarette makers need to have their 
ads wiped off the billboards and magazines across the 
planet. For the truth is that nicotine is addictive 
and tobacco is lethal."

Ferry, chief of Preventive Medicine at Jerry L. Pettis 
Memorial Veterans Administration Medical Centre and 
Associate Professor at Loma Linda University School of 
Medicine, both in Loma Linda, California, initiated 
research into bupropion (Zyban), now the first non-
nicotine, non-addicting medication approved for use in 
the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Her pioneering work has 
led to many hard-core smokers successfully quitting 
and the treatment is soon to be expanded to other 
areas of the world.

Her latest research investigates the link between 
spiritual values and success in quitting.

"Aspects of spirituality and faith have been shown to 
have a positive impact on health and medical 
treatments," says Ferry. "We are now researching the 
relationship of spirituality to smoking cessation."

Preliminary results in a pilot study being completed 
next month confirm a positive association and have 
prompted the planned development of a smoking 
cessation program that will highlight the importance 
of involving the spiritual component.

Referring to very first smoking cessation program 
ever, the "Five Day Plan to Stop Smoking," developed 
by the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the 1950's, 
Ferry comments that "we as a Church need to update our 
legacy of smoking cessation for the 21st century." 
This Christian or Christ-centred approach should be 
based on acceptance, be redemptive and supporting, and 
recognise the value of medical treatment to "undo the 
neurochemical changes caused in the addiction centre 
of the brain by nicotine," says Ferry.

Dr. DeWitt Williams, director of Health Ministries for 
the  Adventist Church in North America applauds the 
call for action.

"Smoking kills over 400,000 people a year in the U.S.-
more than those who die in accidents, fires, suicides, 
and AIDS combined," says Williams. "Smoking is the 
biggest killer-yet it's legal. Our society and our 
Church must do something to stop this, the most 
preventable cause of death." [99/04/09]