asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many individuals in the United Kingdom are estimated to (a) die prematurely, or (b) suffer serious ill health annually as a result of smoking herbal cigarettes containing no tobacco. [HL3574]

The department is not aware of research that specifically estimates the number of deaths and/or cases of serious ill health related to smoking herbal cigarettes in the United Kingdom.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What are the constituents of the smoke from herbal cigarettes containing no tobacco which are harmful to human health; and to what extent these are also present in smoke from incinerators, bonfires and sundry industrial processes, and in the fumes emitted by motor vehicles. [HL3575]

During the passage of the Health Bill through the House of Lords, my noble friend Lord Warner wrote on 24 April 2006 to Peers who spoke during the first sitting of Grand Committee on a number of matters regarding the smoke-free aspects of the Bill, and a copy was placed in the Library. This letter included information and references to research on emissions from herbal cigarettes.

The department is not aware of any specific research comparing emissions from the smoking of herbal cigarettes with those produced by sources such as incinerators, bonfires, industrial processes or motor vehicles.