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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Is NICE going too far?

430 replies

Sal321 · 24/06/2010 09:49

This BBC news story is about a suggestion by NICE (national institute for clinical excellence) that all pregnant women should be breath tested for smoking at their first MW appointment. I know I don't smoke, why should I be tested? I appreciate that I could refuse, but isn't this a bit of a weird recommendation?

OP posts:
TheCoalitionNeedsYou · 29/06/2010 14:46

CakeansRoses - Then this isn't about you. It's about the 25% of smokers who do lie about their smoking. So if we want to test, is it more confrontational to test everyone, or just the ones we reckon are lieing?

LadyRabbit · 29/06/2010 16:22

I've loved reading through this thread. When I first heard about the tests I didn't think too much about it, other than perhaps it was another pointless attempt to nanny people and send them off doing precisely what it is you don't want them to do. But I dunno, a lot more of you on here who are anti the test are non-smokers. Fair enough. You should be taken at your word, you haven't done anything wrong, and you have the good sense not to endanger your unborn child.

I was a confirmed smoker for years. Kidded myself that I smoked only 5 a day when it was really closer to 15 or 20. I made an effort to cut down drinking before conceiving, but somehow thought the smoking would take care of itself in pregnancy and while I would give up immediately upon finding out I was pregnant, I suffered a few miscarriages on the way to being currently pregnant. (28 weeks). Before falling pregnant this time, I gave up well before - and while I will never know for sure that it was a contributing factor, I do wonder if smoking before and in the early days of pregnancies before caused my miscarriages.

For that reason, if I hadn't stopped smoking by now, I would take that test and insist they kept testing me to shame me into giving up. Smoking is fucking horrible, I should know, I did it for nearly 20 years and hated every minute of it but STILL DID IT!! Anything, I mean, ANYTHING that gets someone to stop should be tried. Especially because I have a little human being on board who has no choice if his mother is a complete fuckwit like I was. In fact, I'm half tempted to ask the midwife to test me once my baby arrives to make sure I don't start again.

Also, and this is radical - maybe I'm still too new to non smoking and am a bit of a born again as a result - but at a time when the NHS is under increasing strain - why shouldn't we be hard arsed about allocating funds to people who continue to treat their bodies like cesspits? If I get lung cancer when I'm older, I shouldn't be surprised. I knew what I was doing. I watched my gran die of cancer and would nip out of the hospital for a fag break during the worst of it. It's perverse, and frankly it's so perverse that maybe we should just be extremely tough. What's the difference between breathalyzing people for drink driving (which can be fatal) and testing them for smoking while carrying another human being who is entirely dependent upon them? Even if it means only 1 out of every 10 person tested is guilted into giving up, it's a result. And if you didn't smoke in the first place, you can fully allow yourself to be smug and say 'I told you I didn't smoke .'

Just my (rather long - sorry!) twopence worth.

NestaFiesta · 29/06/2010 17:24

I agree Ladyrabbit and Coalition. If blanket testing helps other unborn babies, then its no skin off my nose.

I'm surprised its non smokers who are objecting. Nobody will be arrested for not taking the test, but they may think you are a closet smoker!

noyoucant · 29/06/2010 18:24

"Also, and this is radical - maybe I'm still too new to non smoking and am a bit of a born again as a result - but at a time when the NHS is under increasing strain - why shouldn't we be hard arsed about allocating funds to people who continue to treat their bodies like cesspits? If I get lung cancer when I'm older, I shouldn't be surprised. I knew what I was doing."

Because those who wish to avail of the NHS in such circumstances have likely already contributed to the NHS via their taxes, both in general (via Income Tax, via the Corporation Tax of the businesses they help make profitable, via VAT, quite possibly via Stamp Duty/Fuel Duty/insurance tax, aeroplane ticket tax/etc...) and via the tax on cigarettes themselves.

"What's the difference between breathalyzing people for drink driving (which can be fatal) and testing them for smoking while carrying another human being who is entirely dependent upon them?"

The former (drink-driving) is illegal; the latter is not. Whether or not it should be is an entirely different debate.

I'm a non-smoker FWIW.

CakeandRoses · 30/06/2010 00:40

Interesting post, Laddyrabbit.

Whilst, my gut reaction to the thought of being asked (do they ask or tell?) to take the test is still 'WTF? I'm a responsible adult!' your post has given me pause for thought. Maybe the end does justify the means.

Out of interest would it make any difference to you if the test was compulsory or optional?

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