Lung cancer nurse backs smoke drive

A LUNG cancer nurse in Edinburgh has backed a campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of smoking - particularly amongst women.

The warning from the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary nurse comes as statistics last week showed a huge rise in females dying because of lung cancer.

That was put down to a 30-year "lag" from when smoking became popular among women generations after men had taken it up.

Health chiefs fear mortality rates will continue to worsen if women don't curb their use of tobacco.

Gillian Whitson, who is backing Macmillan Cancer Support's appeal, said: "Lung cancer has always been more common in men, particularly those over 40.

"However, as more women have started smoking, the number developing lung cancer has risen considerably."