Pipe smoking

Ischaemic heart disease - Pipe smoking Factor

If there is a history of pipe smoking it will be necessary to obtain information about:

• the quantity smoked (ascertain tobacco smoked per week in grams or ounces; 1 ounce = 28 grams);
• when this took place; and
•  the reasons for smoking.

The evidence gathered should be as complete and accurate as possible. Information already held in departmental files, eg in previous statements and clinical notes, should not be overlooked. Conflicting evidence should be resolved.

Before a causal link between a smoking habit and service may be established, consideration must be given to Repatriation Commission Guideline CM5030 - Guideline for claims assessors on smoking and alcohol related conditions and military service.

NB The SOP factor dealing with pipe smoking covers only the smoking of tobacco. It does not include non-tobacco products such as marijuana or hashish. This is because the RMA SOP factors refer to "cigarettes or the equivalent thereof in other tobacco products".

Last reviewed for CCPS 27 April 2010.

Investigative Documents

Preliminary questions [7884]

26927 there is some evidence that pipe smoking may be a factor in the development or worsening of the condition under consideration.

9198     the veteran has established the causal connection between the pipe smoking and VEA service for ischaemic heart disease.

7951     the veteran has established the causal connection between the pipe smoking and VEA service for the clinical onset of ischaemic heart disease.

7952     the veteran has established the causal connection between the pipe smoking and operational service for the clinical onset of ischaemic heart disease.

4911     the veteran has some period or periods of pipe smoking that are causally related to operational service.

or

7953     the veteran has established the causal connection between the pipe smoking and eligible service for the clinical onset of ischaemic heart disease.

4913     the veteran has some period or periods of pipe smoking that are causally related to eligible service.

or

7334     the clinical onset of the condition under consideration occurred after the end of the veteran's last period of VEA service.

7335     the condition under consideration permanently worsened.

9199     the veteran has established the causal connection between the pipe smoking and VEA service for the clinical worsening of ischaemic heart disease.

9200     the veteran has established the causal connection between the pipe smoking and operational service for the clinical worsening of ischaemic heart disease.

33483 the clinical onset of the condition under consideration occurred prior to that part of operational service to which the pipe smoking is causally related.

or

9201     the veteran has established the causal connection between the pipe smoking and eligible service for the clinical worsening of ischaemic heart disease.

33488 the clinical onset of the condition under consideration occurred prior to that part of eligible service to which the pipe smoking is causally related.

Clinical onset and operational service [7952]

26928 the veteran had ceased smoking pipe tobacco at the time of the clinical onset of the condition under consideration.

27828  the veteran has established the causal connection between the pipe smoking which had ceased prior to the clinical onset of ischaemic heart disease and operational service for the clinical onset of ischaemic heart disease.

26933   the veteran smoked at least 20 pack years of operational service pipe tobacco before the clinical onset of the condition under consideration.

or

26931   the veteran smoked 5 or more, but less than 20, pack years of operational service pipe tobacco and the clinical onset of the condition under consideration occurred within fifteen years of smoking cessation.

or

27861   the veteran smoked 5 pack years of operational service pipe tobacco before the clinical onset of ischaemic heart disease.

27860   the veteran smoked 1 or more, but less than 5, pack years of pipe tobacco and the clinical onset of ischaemic heart disease occurred within five years of smoking cessation.

or

27858  the veteran has established the causal connection between the pipe smoking which had not ceased prior to the clinical onset of ischaemic heart disease and operational service for the clinical onset of ischaemic heart disease.

27862   the veteran smoked an average of at least 5 grams of pipe tobacco per day for at least the 1 year before the clinical onset of the condition under consideration.

or

27863   the veteran smoked at least 1 pack year of operational service pipe tobacco before the clinical onset of the condition under consideration.

Clinical onset and eligible service [7953]

26928 the veteran had ceased smoking pipe tobacco at the time of the clinical onset of the condition under consideration.

27830  the veteran has established the causal connection between the pipe smoking which had ceased prior to the clinical onset of ischaemic heart disease and eligible service for the clinical onset of ischaemic heart disease.

27304   the veteran smoked at least 5 pack years of pipe tobacco and the clinical onset of the condition under consideration occurred within five years of smoking cessation.

or

26930   the veteran smoked 5 pack years of pipe tobacco before the clinical onset of ischaemic heart disease.

26929   the veteran smoked 1 or more, but less than 5, pack years of pipe tobacco and the clinical onset of ischaemic heart disease occurred within three years of smoking cessation.

or

27829  the veteran has established the causal connection between the pipe smoking which had not ceased prior to the clinical onset of ischaemic heart disease and eligible service for the clinical onset of ischaemic heart disease.

7954     the veteran smoked an average of at least 5 grams of pipe tobacco per day for at least the 1 year before the clinical onset of ischaemic heart disease.

or

27834   the veteran smoked at least 1 pack year of pipe tobacco before the clinical onset of ischaemic heart disease.

Clinical worsening and operational service [9200]

26934 the veteran had ceased smoking pipe tobacco at the time of the clinical worsening of the condition under consideration.

27831  the veteran has established the causal connection between the pipe smoking which had ceased prior to the clinical worsening of ischaemic heart disease and operational service for the clinical worsening of ischaemic heart disease.

27052   the veteran smoked at least 20 pack years of pipe tobacco before the clinical worsening of the condition under consideration.

or

26936   the veteran smoked 5 or more, but less than 20, pack years of pipe tobacco and the clinical worsening of ischaemic heart disease occurred within fifteen years of smoking cessation.

or

27865   the veteran smoked 5 pack years of operational service pipe tobacco before the clinical worsening of ischaemic heart disease.

27864   the veteran smoked 1 or more, but less than 5, pack years of pipe tobacco and the clinical worsening of the condition under consideration occurred within five years of smoking cessation.

or

27859  the veteran has established the causal connection between the pipe smoking which had not ceased prior to the clinical worsening of ischaemic heart disease and operational service for the clinical worsening of ischaemic heart disease.

27866   the veteran smoked an average of at least 5 grams of operational service pipe tobacco per day for at least the 1 year before the clinical worsening of the condition under consideration.

or

27867   the veteran smoked at least 1 pack year of operational service pipe tobacco before the clinical worsening of the condition under consideration.

Clinical worsening and eligible service [9201]

26934 the veteran had ceased smoking pipe tobacco at the time of the clinical worsening of the condition under consideration.

27833  the veteran has established the causal connection between the pipe smoking which had ceased prior to the clinical worsening of ischaemic heart disease and eligible service for the clinical worsening of ischaemic heart disease.

27305   the veteran smoked at least 5 pack years of pipe tobacco and the clinical worsening of the condition under consideration occurred within five years of smoking cessation.

or

27836   the veteran smoked 5 pack years of pipe tobacco before the clinical worsening of ischaemic heart disease.

26935   the veteran smoked 1 or more, but less than 5, pack years of pipe tobacco and the clinical worsening of the condition under consideration occurred within three years of smoking cessation.

or

27832  the veteran has established the causal connection between the pipe smoking which had not ceased prior to the clinical worsening of ischaemic heart disease and eligible service for the clinical worsening of ischaemic heart disease.

9202     the veteran smoked an average of at least 5 grams of pipe tobacco per day for at least the 1 year before the clinical worsening of ischaemic heart disease.

or

27837   the veteran smoked at least 1 pack year of pipe tobacco before the clinical worsening of ischaemic heart disease.