A New Zealand cancer doctor has decided to take up smoking "as a protest against radiation therapists who are harming his patients with a series of strikes seeking pay hikes", Playfuls.com reports.

Chris Wynne, clinical director of radiation oncology at Christchurch Hospital, told The Press: "I've tried everything sensible, so now I am doing something stupid. Appealing to common sense hasn't solved these strikes."

The offending radiologists are threatening another three-day strike beginning on 9 January, which gives Wynne plenty of time to develop a full-blown nicotine habit. Campaigning organisation Action on Smoking and Health not unreasonably said that "every cigarette was harmful and urged Wynne to find another way to express his concern". ®

Related stories

• Skin cancer claims sun bed 'addict' (6 July 2007)

  http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/07/06/sun_bed_death/

• Winning the (propaganda) war on cancer (15 June 2007)

  http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/06/15/cancer_survival_and_mortality/

• Employers should follow the Scots' lead on vehicle smoking ban (7 June 2007)

  http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/06/07/smoking_law_compliance/

• Cigarette break saves US woman's life (19 April 2007)

  http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/04/19/smoking_saves_lives/

• Folding@home comes to the PS3 (15 March 2007)

  http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/03/15/ps3_folding_at_home/

• UN rebrands radiation (15 February 2007)

  http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/02/15/new_radiation_sign/

• Mobile phones cause cancer...or not (25 January 2007)

  http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/01/25/phones_not_safe_says_telegraph/

• Scotland takes big stick to smokers (10 November 2004)

  http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/11/10/scottish_smoking_ban/

• Internet frees nicotine addicts from life of penury (7 August 2001)

  http://www.theregister.co.uk/2001/08/07/internet_frees_nicotine_addicts/

• Quit smoking with your mobile phone (10 January 2001)

  http://www.theregister.co.uk/2001/01/10/quit_smoking_with_your_mobile/