NO JAMS TOMORROW

By Peter Cawston
Contact the author via Chris Johnstone by e-mail at christopher.johnstone@ntlworld.com

On the 26th March 2006 smoking in enclosed public spaces in Scotland became illegal. The global nicotine industry has too long taken shelter behind the smokescreen of freedom for the consumer. We should rightly be proud that in Scotland the defence of health has prevailed over the interests of big business.

The Scottish Parliament and Executive deserve all due credit for making this happen. During the last fifty years the medical profession has also led the way, by personal example (only a small proportion of doctors smoke), by research and by lobbying. Doctors have made full use of their social position to help make this decision politically possible.

Soon after the smoking ban took effect another important battle for Scotland's health will be fought. This time however there are no high impact television commercials drawing attention to the event. The Scottish Executive will argue, in court, that it is in our interest to spend between five and eight hundred million pounds on building five miles of motorway. The argument, interestingly, is that it cannot limit our consumer freedom to choose to travel by car. Massive investment must therefore be made to facilitate the exponential growth in car travel.

The reason this will take place in court is that the Executive has decided to ignore the findings of an Independent Inquiry and will press ahead with the long planned M74 extension in Glasgow despite clear recommendations to the contrary. Were it not for legal proceedings by Friends of the Earth Scotland and JAM74 arguing that it has not acted properly in so doing, the bulldozers would already be demolishing a swathe through the East End. The cost to public funds would be greater than that of the Scottish Parliament building.

While the lure of empty highways seems economically attractive in the short term, the evidence is that traffic circulation through city arteries soon becomes thrombosed no matter how wide the stent. Look no further than the M25! The impact of this decision on the public health should deeply concern us as doctors.

Two things have become clear after the recent Montreal conference. Firstly, there is a global scientific consensus that the single greatest long term threat to human health is not tobacco smoke but greenhouse gases. Secondly, this consensus is not reflected among the political classes who prefer political to scientific realities. The conclusions of the Independent Reporters1 on the long term impact of the M74 extension have been similarly discounted by the political process in Scotland. This is alarming in its disregard not only of health but of social justice. For example, the effect of this road will be to release CO2 to the tune of 134,800 extra tonnes annually by 2020, not unlike a huge cigar through the heart of the city. Similarly those living along the route (i.e. Glasgow's most deprived communities) will suffer from the most adverse environmental impacts, with little benefit, while the main advantages of the new road will accrue to non-resident vehicle users.

We are at a decision point. This battle will help to define the Scottish policy position towards our seemingly bottomless addiction to fossil fuels. Fine sounding environmental statements have as little impact as warning labels on cigarette packages. What we need are substantive policy decisions. Imagine the effect, not only on air pollution but on accidents, obesity and exercise levels, were half a billion pounds diverted from building this short stretch of motorway to creating a healthier environment for Glasgow's citizens through investment in public transport, cycle paths, traffic free zones and safe roads.

Yesterday it was nicotine, now it is oil that threatens our health. As doctors we need to take as firm a stand.

1; The full findings and recommendations of the Independent Reporters can be accessed at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/transport/m74r-00.asp

Competing interests: I am a member of Friends of the Earth Scotland

Other online articles by Peter Cawston can be found at:
hoolet edition 48 - No Jams Tomorrow

hoolet is the magazine of RCGP Scotland. It is supported intellectually, financially and emotionally by RCGP Scotland.

This issue maintained by Robert Hallam.