Dead smoker's funeral warning

A man who died from smoking will be using his funeral to send out a warning about the dangers of the habit.

Albert ‘Dick’ Whittamore was 85 when he died earlier this month from lung disease emphysema. The Kent resident had run a print shop for 50 years and was a heavy smoker. Before passing away he decided that while he himself had not been able to quit smoking, he wanted his funeral to encourage others to do so. He arranged through his will for hearses at the funeral to carry signs telling mourners: “Smoking killed me – please give up!”

Funeral arrangers said they had never been asked to put signs on hearses before. They insisted that they would happily carry out Mr Whittamore’s wishes.

Smoking remains the number one cause of preventable disease and death in the UK. Each year 80,000 deaths are caused by smoking. Despite the clear risks to people’s health, about 8.5 million people still smoke in England.

The government have tried and tested a number of tactics to reduce smoking levels. The most significant was the country-wide ban on smoking indoors, in public spaces. This came into force in 2007, affecting pubs, clubs and workplaces. By the middle of 2008, it was being reported that more than two billion fewer cigarettes were being smoked, compared to one year previously.

The next step

Now the government is pledging to halve smoking levels in the UK through a new anti-smoking drive. The campaign could include measures such as banning cigarette vending machines and stopping branding from being displayed on cigarette packets. Health Secretary Andy Burnham has commented: “One day we’ll look back and find it hard to remember why anyone ever smoked in the first place.”

While these plans are being rolled out on a national scale, the sad stories of individuals such as Mr Whittamore and his touching final warning to the world will hopefully make some smokers think about the potential consequences of their habit.