'Role model' plea to celeb smokers

From the archive, first published Thursday 15th Mar 2001.

Pioneering Oxford scientist Sir Richard Doll has revealed that he is ashamed of celebrities who smoke.

The 88-year-old professor, who first linked cigarettes to lung cancer, said pop and movie stars influenced younger people and they should think before they lit up.

Sir Richard was campaigning in Oxford on Wednesday in his capacity as President of Action on Smoking and Health (Ash).

Together with OxAsh, the Oxfordshire branch of Ash, he was marking National No Smoking Day.

He said: "What we have to do now is persuade media role models that young people look up to them and they need to set an example. They are setting an example that children are likely to follow. It's a pity and I'm ashamed of these people."

Sir Richard said statistics showed that 70 per cent of smokers really wanted to give up cigarettes - and even elderly people would find quitting beneficial to their health.

He said: "I smoked for 19 years, but gave up in the middle of my research, when I realised what tobacco could do to you.

"One of the most devastating things that happens is chronic bronchitis. I had one or two friends with it. They used to gasp for breath and couldn't even climb a couple of stairs and that's really pathetic."