| Anti-smoking ads dropped over Polonium claim |
 Health officials have halted the airing of an anti-smoking advert because it warned cigarettes contain the radioactive substance that killed Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko, it was disclosed last night. The Smoke is Poison campaign was launched today but health chiefs decided it would be “inappropriate” to air a television commercial that reveals that cigarettes contain Polonium. Investigative journalist Donal MacIntyre created a series of adverts, one of which featured the controversial claim. They are designed to reveal how little people know about what is actually in a cigarette. The campaign has been funded by the Department of Health and public health minister Caroline Flint was due to attend the launch at Cancer Research UK’s offices. Sara Hiom, the health charity's deputy director of cancer information, said the decision to withhold that particular advert was taken jointly with the Department of Health. "We had filmed a selection of TV ads for the Smoke Is Poison campaign, one of which mentioned polonium-210," Ms Hiom said. "In light of recent unforeseen events and in consultation with the Department of Health, we took the decision not to air the polonium advert at this time."
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