Tobacco.org

• Veteran entitled to compo for smoke 'peer pressure' 

AN army veteran with colorectal cancer is entitled to government compensation.

This is because he was pressured by peers into smoking during his 24-year stint in the military, the Administrative Appeals Tribunal has ruled.

The former 40-a-day smoker, John Arnold, served in the regular army between 1963 and 1987, rising to the rank of warrant officer, class 2. He now uses a colostomy bag and requires continuing treatment for colorectal cancer.

He initially was refused compensation under the Department of Veterans Affairs' Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Scheme. But last Wednesday, the tribunal overturned the decision, ruling Mr Arnold's service had contributed directly to his taking up smoking.

In the army, the tribunal said, "it was common for there to be rest breaks which were referred to as 'cigarette breaks'.

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