European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - January 19, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 18 the stars and stripes sunday january 19, 1986 Ama s ambivalence on the tobacco Issue by Sharon Cohen associated press imagine a tobacco company setting up shop at a convention of doctors to extol the Virtues fits cigarettes. Today it might outrage. Decades ago it did t. There were no surgeon general s annual smoking reports. No dire warning labels on cigarette packs. No Groat american smoke outs. In 1942, Camel cigarettes invited doctors at the american medical association s convention to see Lor the la Rel time the dramatic visualization of nicotine absorption from cigarette smoke in the human respiratory  in fact Camel ads once boasted they were the Brand doctors smoked most. In 1940, Philip Morris invited doctors to drop by its cigarette Booth at a new York medical convention. Fourteen years later Viceroy thanked 65,000 doctors who visited its exhibits at medical conventions. The Ama and its 260,000 members have since parted company with America s tobacco producers. While 60 percent of physicians smoked in the late 1940s, today Only 15 percent of doctors Light up. The Ama says it has a Long record of opposing tobacco. The first Issue of the journal of the american medical association in 1883, carried a report on the pernicious effects of smoking on children. And in its boldest move against the health hazards of smoking the association s policy making House of delegates in december called for a ban on All cigarette advertising and promotion and a tobacco free society by the turn of the Century. But the parting of the Ama and the tobacco Industry has not been without embarrassing moments and some critics Call the Ama s commitment to ending smoking half hearted. It seems to me they have been foot dragging on tobacco for 25 to 30 years said or. Elizabeth Whelan director of the american Council on science and health. They have not Given it the priority it  for much of the last 17 years they have. Politely patted people on the head who were trying to raise the Issue said or. Alan Blum editor of the new York state journal of Medicine and founder of doctors ought to care a health promotion group. To assert now they Are leaders is a bitter irony that Sticks in my Craw added Blum an Ama member whose journal has chronicled smoking advertising campaigns and the Ama s record on the Issue. Ama critics cite evidence to support their Contention that the nation s largest organization of doctors has not been sufficiently aggressive in confronting one of the nation s top Public health questions Ama president Harrison Rogers who owned a part interest in Georgia Farmland said he sold his interest last year. He said he had Only seen the land once and was t aware that tobacco was grown on a Small Section of it. The Ama held tobacco Stock As late As 1981. It sold its $1.4 million in Stock part of a $113 million pension fund in Ama members retirement plan after the House of delegates initially rejected a motion to divest. It was t until 1972. Eight years after a landmark surgeon general s report on the hazards of smoking that smoking was discouraged at House of Delegate meetings. Cigarette machines were removed from the Ama s Headquarters in Chicago last year. The Ama initially told the Federal Trade commission warning labels on cigarette packs would t do any Good. It has since changed its stand and recommended that warnings be made even More explicit. Today smoking is blamed for 350,000 deaths each to Hoap keep Erie Ama off our eflci6euminatepifte Nichon ieans  pj0m year. It is the leading cause of preventable death in America. As much As 30 percent of All coronary heart disease deaths and 30 percent of All cancer deaths Are linked to smoking according to the Federal office on smoking and health. The 17thannual surgeon general s report on smoking and health released in december said cigarette smoking causes More death and disability among american workers than exposure to hazardous substances in the workplace. Some contend real leaders in the anti smoking movement have been groups like the american heart association the american cancer society and the american lung association. But unlike those associations the Ama has a Broad Agenda concerned with doctors fees malpractice research and accreditation of medical schools. The Ama is a scientific professional and democratic organization said or. M. Roy Schwarz Ama assistant executive vice president for medical education and me to inhere flavor is. Science. It takes a while for a consensus to emerge. Often we pay a Price for  today the Ama probably has the most aggressive anti smoking policies of any health organization Schwarz declared. Ama officials Point to a 32-year ban on advertising of tobacco in Ama publications. Congressional testimony opposing Federal subsidies for tobacco growers and support of a 32 cent cigarette tax. A House of delegates statement in 1964 recognizing a significant relationship Between cigarette smoking and lung cancer and other diseases and a recognition that smoking is a serious health  Calls for no smoking sections on airlines and for health education programs. Jam a and Ama specially journals have published More than 600 references on the subject since the late 1950s. Each of the past two years entire issues have been devoted to the subject. In the mid-1960s, an Ama committee was authorized to seek funds for smoking research. Over 10 years six major tobacco companies donated $15 million which was distributed to hundreds of researchers said or. Ron Davis sole resident trustee on the Ama Board. The committee in 1978 summarized the research in a 365-Page report tobacco and health. One major conclusion cigarette smoking plays an important role in the development of chronic lung disease. Both critics and Ama officials agree that a new anti smoking push has emerged within the association in recent years largely due to an infusion of Young non smokers. Davis noted that Many of the newer anti smoking proposals presented at association meetings came from students and residents. Blum says a ban in t enough. Counter advertising is necessary. And for now he is reserving judgment. If the Ama is willing at Long last to Call a Spade a Spade and Point the Finger where it belongs he said then this movement will have some