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stated "Cigarette smoking is a cause of lung cancer and bronchitis, and
probably contributes to the development of coronary heart disease and
various less common diseases," One of the principal recommendations was
that there should be more education of the public, and especially schoolchildren,
concerning the hazards of smoking.
On 12th March, 1962, the Ministry of Health issued Circular
6/62 in which reference was made to this report, and Councils were asked
to take immediate steps to achieve a general discouragement of smoking.
The Circular stated "the Minister considers that health education should
increasingly emphasise the hazards of smoking. He accordingly asked
Councils to use all their channels of health education to make the
conclusions of the Report widely known, and to bring home to the public
the dangers to health of smoking, particularly of cigarettes."
The Ministry of Health published a series of posters, copies
of which were obtained and exhibited on the poster boards in the borough
The London County Council, as the education authority, were
concerned with young people and were taking anti-smoking propaganda
measures. This Council agreed to co-operate in any anti-smoking
campaign undertaken by the County Council and steps were taken to
arrange health education measures in March, 1963.
CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT. 1961
This Act empowers the Secretary of State to make regulations
imposing, in respect of any prescribed class of goods, requirements to
prevent or reduce risk of death or personal injury.
The Oil Heaters Regulations, 1962, came into force on 1st
June, 1962, and prescribe certain standards of construction, design
and performance with which all unflued domestic oil heaters must
comply. It is an offence to sell any oil heater after that date
which does not comply with the Regulations.
The Heating Appliances (Fireguards) Regulations, 1953,
continue to operate and make it an offence to sell any gas or electric
fire, or oil heater, suitable for use in residential premises, unless
it is fitted with an adequate guard-
Generally speaking, traders do not commit offences under
these Regulations., but it is necessary to keep a careful watch on the
sale of second-hand appliances from stalls in public markets.
HOME SAFETY
The Home Safety Act, 1961, empowers local authorities to
make arrangements for the dissemination of information and advice
relating to the prevention of accidents in the home, and activities
under this heading are combined with the work of health education.
The majority of home accidents, when analysed, show clearly
that human ignorance and carelessness were basic causes. The
prevention of home accidents depends on an individual having the
necessary knowledge for his or her personal and domestic safety.
In November, the Council supported the "Home Safety Training
Year" campaign of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents,
the object of which was to reduce the number of home accidents
through the knowledge and skill which come from practical training.
Posters, leaflets and information were sent to youth clubs, old
people's clubs, large business and industrial concerns, voluntary