Ban All Tobacco - Us Health Chief

Richard Carmona, the surgeon general of the United States, has said he would support the abolition of cigarettes and all tobacco products, the first time that such a senior public health official has taken that kind of stand over the industry.

Dr Carmona's statement was welcomed yesterday by anti-smoking organisations and condemned by the tobacco industry. The Bush administration, which enjoys the support and financial backing of the tobacco industry, yesterday distanced itself from the abolition position.

The US already has some of the toughest anti-smoking legislation in the world. California has led the way. Last year it banned smoking in all areas next to playgrounds or "tot lot" areas. Similar measures are being considered nationwide.

The state, which has banned smoking in public buildings, bars and restaurants, is also considering a ban in some flats. Delaware has a similar ban. Connecticut will impose one from April, and this week Maine moved towards a ban. New York has banned smoking in bars and restaurants.

Ordinances framed also by local councils curtailing cigarette smoking are introduced almost weekly. Santa Monica recently made it an offence, punishable by a £160 fine, to dispose of "smoking-related waste" in a public park.

There have, however, been few suggestions that tobacco should be banned altogether.

Dr Carmona made his controversial remarks while giving evidence to energy and commerce sub-committee hearings at Congress on smoking products that supposedly cut the risk of cancer. Asked if he would support the abolition of "all tobacco products", he said: "I would at this point, yes." He would "support banning or abolishing tobacco products" and saw "no need for any tobacco products in society".

One of the country's leading anti-smoking campaigners, Jeffrey Wigand, the head of Smokefree Kids, said: "I applaud him. I hope that stirs people up to do something. This would set a tremendous precedent and would have a major effect on world health."

Mr Wigand, a tobacco industry whistleblower who was portrayed by Russell Crowe in the film The Insider, said it was notable that such a senior public health official was so outspoken. "There are 460,000 deaths directly attributable to tobacco in the United States every year. The World Health Organisation estimates that by 2015 tobacco will be killing more than 10m a year."

He said that the US, as the leading exporter of tobacco, had a particular responsibility to regulate tobacco use.

But, representing the tobacco giant Philip Morris USA, Brendan McCormick, said yesterday he did not believe Dr Carmona's views were widely shared."We have had experience with prohibition [in the 1920s when alcohol was banned] and that turned out to be a disaster."

Dr Carmona's remarks are unlikely to lead to any radical moves by the administration. The tobacco industry is a longtime supporter of the Republican party and there have been objections by conservative and libertarian commentators to restaurant smoking bans.

The White House yesterday said that Dr Carmona's remarks represented his views as a doctor, not those of the administration, whose main focus was discouraging young people from smoking. About 45m Americans smoke, in a population of 280m.

Tobacco companies have altered their strategies on the issue of regulation. Philip Morris is running adverts urging teenagers to "think, don't smoke". They say their products are aimed at adults and the issue is one of freedom of choice.

One of the latest anti-smoking campaigns is over cigarettes in films. The public has been urged to complain by writing to actors who smoke on screen. Tobacco firms denied that they paid for actors to use their products in films.