Circulation Journal
Official Journal of the Japanese Circulation Society
http://www. j-circ.or.jp

JCS STATEMENT

Anti-Smoking Declaration 2013
– A Message From the Japanese Circulation Society –The Anti-Smoking Promotion Committee of the Japanese Circulation Society

Smoking has been identified as a preventable risk factor for disease, and it has been established that the discontinuationof smoking reduces the incidence and mortality of serious diseases. The relative risk associated with smoking is extremely high in coronary artery disease (CAD) (1.7–3.0), stroke (1.7–8.0), and sudden cardiac death (1.4–10), while
continued smoking after these events reduces exercise tolerance, leads to disease recurrence, and worsens the prognosis of the disease. In addition, smoking affects not only the smoker, but also increases the incidence of CAD and strokein non-smokers through passive smoking. Recently, it has been reported that protection from exposure to second-handsmoke, through smoke-free legislation and bans on smoking, has clearly reduced the number of hospitalizations foracute coronary syndrome (ACS) in Western countries, although no data are available for Japan. The adverse effects ofsmoking are not confined only to cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), but also involve almost all organs, thereby increasing mortality. Thus, all health care providers are encouraged to participate in campaigns to promote smoking cessationand prevent passive smoking. The Japanese Circulation Society (JCS), as a professional society that seeks to reducethe incidence and impact of CVDs, is actively involved in anti-smoking campaigns. In 2002, we promulgated an‘Anti-Smoking Declaration’. This year, recognizing the results of 10 years of experience and evidence, we renew thisDeclaration. Here, we again affirm that we (all JCS members) recognize the importance of campaigns for smoking
cessation and prevention of passive smoking in preventing CVDs and improving their prognosis, with the aim of asmoke-free society.

Anti-Smoking Promotion: 3 Basic Principles and10 Specific Targets Based on 10 Years of EvidenceI.

 he JCS and its membership: JCS members should be non-smokers, and weT
support smoking cessation by health care providers and patients.

1. Our goal is that all members of the JCS and its staff should be smoke-free.
The smoking rate was 14.0% in 2002, 6.9% in 2005, 4.4% in 2009, 2.9% in 2011 (questionnaires for JCSmembers), and 4.85% in 2012 (questionnaire from the 76th JCS Scientific Meeting, 2012). While theproportion of smokers has decreased, further work is needed.

2. All JCS directors, councilors, board-certified members, and office staff should be non-smokers.
Non-smoking is now a condition for qualifying for a board certificate from the JCS.

3. Our smoke-free policy will be in force in all meeting halls, including lobbies and offices, during
annual and regional meetings of the JCS, and during all educational and public lectures sponsoredby the Society.
100% compliance since 2011.

4. All JCS-approved hospitals (including training facilities), cardiovascular outpatient clinics, wards
and hospital grounds should be smoke-free.
Smoke-free hospitals: 0% in 2002, 22.7% in 2005, 62.0% in 2009, and 70.5% in 2011.

5. We will train specialists in smoking cessation methods, and establish smoking cessation clinics
in all JCS member facilities.
Smoking cessation clinics were found in 24.2% of member facilities in 2002, 35.6% in 2005, 52.4% in
2009, and 58.9% in 2011.

Circulation Journal Vol.77, March 2013

560

The Anti-Smoking Promotion Committee of the Japanese Circulation SocietyII.

 e call on hospitals, medical schools, and health care providers to support
Wa smoke-free society.

6. We will help make hospitals and facilities in all parts of all hospitals nationwide smoke-free environments.
7. We will help make medical schools and schools of allied health professions, such as dentistry,
pharmacy, and nursing, smoke-free environments.
8. We will work to include information on smoking and its negative health effects in the medicalcurriculum.

III.

 e will promote the education of patients and the general public on theWhealth hazards of smoking, and advocate smoke-free legislation.

9. We will conduct anti-smoking lectures and classes for patients, and educate the public about thetoxicity of tobacco, the hazards of passive smoking, and the risks related to CVDs and cancer, andprovide tools for smoking cessation.
10. We will actively collaborate with other anti-smoking promotion groups, and advocate a smoke-freesociety.
The Japanese Circulation Society    URL: http://www.j-circ.or.jp/kinen/    E-mail: nonsmoking@j-circ.or.jp
January 25, 2013

Chairman: Keijiro Saku, MD
Mami Iida, MD
Yoshinari Uehara, MD
Toshiaki Ebina, MD
Toyoaki Murohara, MD
Keiko Takihara, MD
Jitsuo Higaki, MD
Yuko Takahashi, MD
Hisayoshi Fujiwara, MD
The Anti-Smoking Promotion Committee ofthe Japanese Circulation Society(Released online February 19, 2013)

Circulation Journal Vol.77, March 2013