by Jeremy Laurance

Health Editor

ALMOST ONE in five smokers[1] in the UK is already ill with[2] a tobacco-related disease[3], or will become ill in the next two years, according to a report by the World Health Organisation (WHO) published yesterday to mark World No-Tobacco Day[4].

The report spells out the benefits of persuading smokers to quit[5] in France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland and the UK, which are members of a European Partnership Project to cut smoking[6].

Nearly 3 million of Britain's 17 million smokers will have succumbed to heart or lung disease[7] or, among women, will have given birth to an under-weight baby[8] at greater risk complications[9] by 2001. The cost of treating these patients put at more than[10] £4bn in the UK, more than 10 per cent the total NHS[11] budget.

Projected[12] over the next years the number of smokers struck down by illness[13] rises almost 6 million and the costs to almost £28bn.

The chief casualties will those who develop chronic obstructive pulmonary disease[14], expected to number 1.7 million over the next two years. More than 500,000 will develop heart disease or suffer a stroke[15], and almost 100,000 women smokers will give birth to low birth-weight babies.

Dr Peter Anderson, acting director of health promotion for WHO in Europe[16], said the statistical model used to produce the projections[17] showed that over the next 20 years in the six countries, between a third and a half of smokers[18] will develop a tobacco-related disease resulting in 14 million preventable deaths[19]. In 1998, an estimated 30 million Europeans tried to quit smoking, but over 90 per cent failed.

Dr Anderson added: "Nicotine dependence[20] is an addiction and is formally classified as a disease. This will help to convince governments to back initiatives to encourage quitting[21]."

The three-year partnership project[22], launched by the director-general of WHO, Dr Gro Harlem Brundtland, last January, is intened to support the millions of people in Europe who are trying to shake off their addiction to tobacco[23]. It is backed by professional, government and voluntary organisations and by companies manufacturing nicotine gum and patches[24].

• Scientists believe they may have discovered an early warning sign of lung cancer[25]. The disease claims 35,000 lives[26] a year in the UK, more than any other cancer, and is almost exclusively[27] caused by smoking. Only 5 per cent of sufferers survive for five years[28].

Cancers of the lung are nearly always advanced by the time they are diagnosed[29], making treatment hopeless[30]. Now scientists at the University of Liverpool have found a genetic marker that could be used to identify patients at risk[31].

Professor John Field and colleagues, writing in the Cancer Research Journal, say: "Early identification[32] ... would greatly improve the effectiveness of treatment."

Opracowanie: Agata Papiorek

Źródło: The Independent, June 1, 1999.

[1] almost one in five smokers – blisko jeden na pięciu palaczy.

[2] is already ill with – jest już chory na.

[3] a tobacco-related disease – choroba związana z paleniem tytoniu.

[4] World No-Tobacco Day – Dzień Bez Papierosa.

[5] the report spells out the benefits of persuading smokers to quit – raport wylicza korzyści płynące z przekonywania palczy do rzucenia nałogu.

[6] to cut smoking – ograniczyć palenie.

[7] will have succumbed to heart or lung disease – zapadnie na chorobę serca lub płuc.

[8] an under-weight baby – dziecko o niskiej wadze urodzeniowej.

[9] risk complications – ryzyko komplikacji.

[10] the cost of treating these patients put at more than – koszt leczenia tych pacjentów wynosi ponad.

[11] NHS – National Health Service.

[12] Projected – przewidywany.

[13] struck down by illness – dotknięty chorobami.

[14] the chief casualties will those who develop chronic obstructive pulmonary disease – największą grupę poszkodowanych stanowi będą pacjenci z obstrukcyjną chorobą płuc.

[15] will develop heart disease or suffer a stroke – będą cierpieć na choroby serca lub przejdą udar.

[16] acting director of health promotion for WHO in Europe – pełniący obowiązki dyrektora do spraw promocji zdrowia Światowej Organizacji Zdrowia w Europie.

[17] the statistical model used to produce the projections – model statystyczny użyty w prognozach.

[18] between a third and a half of smokers – około 1/3 – ½ palaczy.

[19] 14 million preventable deaths – 14 milionów zgonów, którym można było zapobiec.

[20] nicotine dependence – uzależnienie od nikotyny.

[21] this will help to convince governments to back initiatives to encourage quitting – pomoże to przekonać rządy do poparcia inicjatyw zachęcających do rzucenia palenia.

[22] the three-year partnership project – trzyletni program partnerski.

[23] to shake off their addiction to tobacco – wyzwolić się ze swojego uzależnienia od tytoniu.

[24] nicotine gum and patches – nikotynowe plastry i gumy do żucia.

[25] an early warning sign of lung cancer – wczesne sygnały ostrzegawcze raka płuc.

[26] the disease claims 35,000 lives – choroba pochłania rocznie 35 tysięcy ofiar.

[27] almost exclusively – prawie wyłącznie.

[28] only 5 per cent of sufferers survive for five years – zaledwie pięć procent przeżywa pięć lat.

[29] cancers of the lung are nearly always advanced by the time they are diagnosed – rak płuc niemal zawsze w chwili rozpoznania jest już w zaawansowanym stadium.

[30] making treatment hopeless – co powoduje, że leczenie nie ma sensu.

[31] that could be used to identify patients at risk – które mogą być użyte, by wykryć pacjentów zagrożonych chorobą.

[32] early identification – wczesne wykrycie.