Editorial

摘要

At the end of 2017, threats to both the physical and political environment can appear somewhat overwhelming. We would nevertheless like to wish all our readers a happy and peaceful 2018 and highlight both some encouraging signs that peace is possible, and some inspiring work aimed at preventing and mitigating the devastating health consequences of conflict. The award of the Nobel Peace Prize to the International Campaign for the Abolition of Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) was a bright light at the end of the year, and extracts from the speeches are published in this issue. When Beatrice Fihn, the Executive Director of ICAN, said in her acceptance speech: 'The only rational course of action is to cease living under the conditions where our mutual destruction is only one impulsive tantrum away' she reflected the view of members of ICAN's 468 partner organisations. In 2017, Neil Arya's article Renewing the Call for Public Health Advocacy against Nuclear Weapons (MCS 33.2) highlighted the role of health professionals in the drive for abolition, and the review of A Safer World (MCS 33.3) drew attention to Medact's report on the urgent need for a change in UK nuclear policy. In 2018 it will be essential to continue to highlight the devastating humanitarian consequences of these weapons, which in a rational world should convince states to abandon them.