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Secondhand Smoke
Tobacco smoke is a cocktail of 4000 chemicals, almost 70 of which are toxic and known to cause cancer.(1) The Government’s Scientific Committee on Tobacco and Health (SCOTH) reports that there is no safe level of secondhand smoke (2) and numerous international reports have established that secondhand smoke exposure is a serious public health risk.
The immediate effects of secondhand smoke exposure include eye irritation, headaches, dizziness and nausea. However in the longer term secondhand smoke exposure can result in a premature death from cancer, cardiovascular disease and respiratory disease.
How does secondhand smoke affect the heart?
Secondhand smoke has a significant impact on cardiovascular disease. SCOTH reported in 1998 that non-smokers exposed to secondhand smoke compared with those who were not were at a 23% increased risk of heart disease. More recently research suggests this may be under estimated as non-smokers who are exposed to secondhand smoke in the home are at a 30% greater risk of fatal coronary disease.(3)
As smokefree legislation is becoming increasingly widespread across the world, a corresponding fall in incidence of heart attacks have been found in Ireland, Italy, Scotland and the USA.
These results are encouraging as it suggests the immediate health benefits from eliminating secondhand smoke are far greater than originally expected.
Does secondhand smoke increase the chances of developing lung cancer?
Non-smokers who are exposed to secondhand smoke are at a 20 – 30% greater risk of developing lung cancer.(2) The International Agency on Cancer (IARC) has concluded that “the evidence is sufficient to conclude that involuntary smoking is a cause of lung cancer in never smokers.”
How does secondhand smoke effect respiratory health?
Approximately 5.1million people suffer asthma in the United Kingdom. For someone with asthma just one hours exposure to second-hand smoke can cause a 20% deterioration in lung function. Include estimated number of asthma suffers exposed to secondhand smoke in the home.
What are the risks of secondhand smoke smoke during pregnancy?
Non-smoking women who are exposed to secondhand smoke during their pregnancy are more likely to have babies with lower birth weight and increase their likelihood of miscarriage. The BMA report, Breaking the cycle of children’s exposure to tobacco smoke maintains that no safe level of exposure to tobacco smoke during pregnancy has been identified.(4)
Babies born at a lower weight are at an increased risk of serious illness and health complications during infancy which include added risk of developing infections.
What are the risks of childhood exposure to secondhand smoke?
Childhood exposure to secondhand smoke has consistently been associated with serious illness during childhood and lifelong health effects which continue during adult life. With children’s immune systems and bodies still developing they face a greater risk of respiratory disease, asthma, cancer and sudden infant death syndrome.
The home is the most common environment where children are exposed to secondhand smoke. With 17,000 children admitted to hospital each year in the United Kingdom as a result of secondhand smoke exposure it is imperative that parents are actively encouraged to make homes smokefree.
What have people told us about Smokefree places?
The July 2007 smokefree legislation witnessed a 95% drop in hospitality staff’s exposure to secondhand smoke.
A recent YouGov poll in February 2008, commissioned by ASH found that 13% of people still come into contact with secondhand smoke in the workplace.(5) The legislation allowed designated areas and smoking rooms in prisons and care homes, leaving a large number of the workforce exposed to the harmful effects of secondhand smoke.
YouGov Poll commissioned by ASH February 2008 (5)
Mass media interventions are highly cost-effective on a per capita basis. Sustained mass media advertising campaigns have been fond to be an effective means of reducing smoking prevalence.(6),(7) However it is imperative that media campaigns to address the public health risks associated with secondhand smoke and create awareness to discourage smoking in the home and other private places such as cars, especially when children or people with asthma and respiratory disease are present.
However, despite the success that mass media campaigns have had in reducing smoking prevalence since 2004-5 the level of spending has fallen in recent years to £22.7 million and £13.5 million in 2006-7. The Department of Health argues that money is being allocated locally to target key groups of smokers more effectively and so tackle health inequalities, but this should be in addition to mass media spending and not as an alternative.
Robust international evidence and research has demonstrated that secondhand smoke is a threat to public health. It is vital that health campaigns are maintained, including continued education to ensure that the population is aware of the harmful effects of secondhand smoke and the encouragement of smokefree homes.
The Previous Smokefree Action website dealing with secondhand smoke can be reached by clicking the logo in the lefthand menu
ASH Facts at a glance: Smoking and Disease (pdf)
ASH Essential Information: Illness and death (pdf)
ASH Essential Information: Secondhand smoke (pdf)
BMA Breaking the cycle of children's exposure to tobacco smoke (pdf)
Scientific Committee on Tobacco and Health (SCOTH) Secondhand Smoke (pdf)
(1) Cancer Research UK, Smoking and cancer
http://info.cancerresearchuk.org/healthyliving/smokingandtobacco/(2) Scientific Committee on Tobacco and Health (SCOTH) Secondhand Smoke: Review of
evidence since 2004: Update of evidence on health effects of secondhand smoke(3) SA Glantz and WW Parmley, Passive smoking and heart disease. Epidemiology, physiology, and biochemistry, 1991;83:1-12
(6) Reid DJ, Killoran AJ, McNeill AD, Chambers JS. Choosing the most effective health promotion options for reducing a nation's smoking prevalence. Tobacco Control 1992;1:185-97.
(7) Hill DJ, White VM, Gray NJ. Australian patterns of tobacco smoking in 1989. Med J Aust. 1991;154:797-801.
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