New Surgeon General’s
Report Focuses on the Effects of Secondhand Smoke
U.S. Surgeon
General Richard H. Carmona today issued a comprehensive
scientific report which concludes that there is no risk-free
level of exposure to secondhand smoke. Nonsmokers exposed to
secondhand smoke at home or work increase their risk of
developing heart disease by 25 to 30 percent and lung cancer
by 20 to 30 percent. The finding is of major public health
concern due to the fact that nearly half of all nonsmoking
Americans are still regularly exposed to secondhand smoke.
The report, The
Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke,
finds that even brief secondhand smoke exposure can cause
immediate harm. The report says the only way to protect
nonsmokers from the dangerous chemicals in secondhand smoke is
to eliminate smoking indoors.
“The report
is a crucial warning sign to nonsmokers and smokers alike,”
HHS Secretary Michael Leavitt said. "Smoking can sicken
and kill, and even people who do not smoke can be harmed by
smoke from those who do.”
Secondhand
smoke exposure can cause heart disease and lung cancer in
nonsmoking adults and is a known cause of sudden infant death
syndrome (SIDS), respiratory problems, ear infections, and
asthma attacks in infants and children, the report finds.
“The health
effects of secondhand smoke exposure are more pervasive than
we previously thought,” said Surgeon General Carmona, vice
admiral of the U.S. Public Health Service. “The scientific
evidence is now indisputable: secondhand smoke is not a mere
annoyance. It is a serious health hazard that can lead to
disease and premature death in children and nonsmoking
adults.” Secondhand smoke contains more than 50
cancer-causing chemicals, and is itself a known human
carcinogen. Nonsmokers who are exposed to secondhand smoke
inhale many of the same toxins as smokers. Even brief exposure
to secondhand smoke has immediate adverse effects on the
cardiovascular system and increases risk for heart disease and
lung cancer, the report says. In addition, the report notes
that because the bodies of infants and children are still
developing, they are especially vulnerable to the poisons in
secondhand smoke.
“The good
news is that, unlike some public health hazards, secondhand
smoke exposure is easily prevented,” Surgeon General Carmona
said. “Smoke-free indoor environments are proven, simple
approaches that prevent exposure and harm.” The report finds
that even the most sophisticated ventilation systems cannot
completely eliminate secondhand smoke exposure and that only
smoke-free environments afford full protection.
Surgeon General
Carmona noted that levels of cotinine -- a biological marker
for secondhand smoke exposure -- measured in nonsmokers have
fallen by 70 percent since the late 1980s, and the proportion
of nonsmokers with detectable cotinine levels has been halved
from 88 percent in 1988-91 to 43 percent in 2001-02.
“Our progress
over the past 20 years in clearing the air of tobacco smoke is
a major public health success story,” Surgeon General
Carmona said. “We have averted many thousands of cases of
disease and early death and saved millions of dollars in
health care costs.” He emphasized, however, that sustained
efforts are required to protect the more than 126 million
Americans who continue to be regularly exposed to secondhand
smoke in the home, at work, and in enclosed public spaces.
To help
communicate the report findings as widely as possible, the
Surgeon General unveiled an easy-to-read guide with practical
information on the dangers of secondhand smoke and steps
people can take to protect themselves.
Copies of The
Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke:
A Report of the Surgeon General and related materials are
available on the Surgeon General’s Web site at www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/secondhandsmoke/.
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