Euro-MP "Don't be blinded by the Smoke"

6.12.02pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 30th May 2006

West Midlands Liberal Democrats MEP Liz Lynne hosted a seminar on the links between smoking and blindness today to coincide with World No Tobacco Day 2006 (31/05/06), the seminar highlighted the little publicised fact that smoking causes age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the main cause of sight loss in the European Union.

The West Midlands Liberal Democrats MEP who earlier joined in a street theatre performance with AMD Alliance International and patient and professional groups from across Europe said "Scientists have now proven that the causal link between smoking and blindness is as strong as the link between smoking and lung disease. By smoking you at least double your risk of going blind through age-related macular degeneration. In some cases smoking may put you eight times more at risk of AMD than a non-smoker, if you are genetically predisposed to the AMD condition."

"I firmly believe that there is a strong argument for additional warnings regarding the link between smoking and blindness to be added to cigarette packets. Smokers need to be fully aware of the risks that they are running. I hope that this seminar today will help draw attention to this little known issue."

A recent study by a Cambridge University team presented the clearest evidence yet of the link between passive smoking and blindness. Living with a smoker for five years doubled the risk of the disease and regular smoking tripled it, they found.

According to the Royal National Institute for the Blind, around 500,000 people in the UK currently have AMD and an estimated 54,000 of those have this condition as a result of smoking.

Ends

Notes to Editors

1. Warnings on tobacco packaging within the EU are governed by Directive 2001/37/EC. Under this Directive, tobacco products must carry one of the following general warning: Smoking kills/smoking can kill and an additional warning from a designated list of 14.

Following a Council decision (C(2003)3184), governments can also require the written warnings be combined with images from a library of 42 pictures.

2. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4542128.stm

For further information, comment or to book an interview, please telephone Liz Lynne on 003222845521 (Brussels) or 077644 52725(mobile) or Press Officer Ollie Newham on 01789 266354