Sunday, October 14, 2007
Cot Deaths And The Instinct For Authoritarianism
According to a scientific study about to be published in the medical journal Early Human Development, nine out of 10 mothers whose babies suffered cot death smoked during pregnancy.
This means a women who smokes is four times more likely than a non-smoker to lose her child to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, a heartbreaking tragedy that, as a Grandad, I have seen close-range and hope never to see again happen to anyone.
A major new report seen by the Independent on Sunday has revealed that smoking holds the key to a mystery that has baffled doctors and brought heartache to thousands
I completely agree, and did so long before this report was produced, that smoking during pregnancy cannot be anything but harmful to the unborn, and any evidence to prove the link to cot deaths and, indeed, any other potential harmful effect on the health of the child before or after birth, is to be welcomed wholeheartedly.
However, no matter the importance of the message, some of the language used in the report is disturbing.
Statements coming from scientists and doctors such as: 'suggests a possible move to try to ban pregnant women from getting tobacco altogether,' and 'not heeded warnings about smoking and may need to have their access to tobacco restricted,' or 'ban on parents smoking indoors where children are present,' no matter how well intentioned, smack of an authoritarianism which does not sit well with such professionals, especially given the instinct of our politicians to regard the public's rights and liberties as something to be lightly thrown away.
By all means, send a strong message of the dangers, give help and encouragment to those who need it, get the message across that smoking while pregnant is harmful to the child, and could be fatal, but drop the 'police state' language and the threats.
We get too much of that already from government.
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This means a women who smokes is four times more likely than a non-smoker to lose her child to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, a heartbreaking tragedy that, as a Grandad, I have seen close-range and hope never to see again happen to anyone.
A major new report seen by the Independent on Sunday has revealed that smoking holds the key to a mystery that has baffled doctors and brought heartache to thousands
I completely agree, and did so long before this report was produced, that smoking during pregnancy cannot be anything but harmful to the unborn, and any evidence to prove the link to cot deaths and, indeed, any other potential harmful effect on the health of the child before or after birth, is to be welcomed wholeheartedly.
However, no matter the importance of the message, some of the language used in the report is disturbing.
Statements coming from scientists and doctors such as: 'suggests a possible move to try to ban pregnant women from getting tobacco altogether,' and 'not heeded warnings about smoking and may need to have their access to tobacco restricted,' or 'ban on parents smoking indoors where children are present,' no matter how well intentioned, smack of an authoritarianism which does not sit well with such professionals, especially given the instinct of our politicians to regard the public's rights and liberties as something to be lightly thrown away.
By all means, send a strong message of the dangers, give help and encouragment to those who need it, get the message across that smoking while pregnant is harmful to the child, and could be fatal, but drop the 'police state' language and the threats.
We get too much of that already from government.
HOME
Labels: Children, Freedom, Labour, People
© Colcam 2005-2007
