| A study issued in
2002 by the International Agency for Research on Cancer of the
World Health Organization concluded that nonsmokers are exposed
to the same carcinogens as active smokers. Sidestream smoke
contains more than 4000 chemicals, including 69 known
carcinogens such as formaldehyde, lead, arsenic, benzene, and
radioactive polonium 210, and several well-established
carcinogens have been shown by the tobacco companies' own
research to be present at higher concentrations in sidestream
smoke than in mainstream smoke.
Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) has been shown to be a much
higher source of pollution than an idling ecodiesel engine in
regard to particulate matter (PM) emission. In an experiment
conducted by the Tobacco Control Unit of the National Cancer
Institute, three cigarettes were left smouldering, one after the
other, in a 60 m³ garage with a limited air exchange. The
cigarettes produced PM indoor pollution exceeding outdoor
limits, as well as PM concentrations up to 10-fold that of the
idling engine.
Tobacco smoke exposure has immediate and substantial effects on
blood and blood vessels in a way that increases the risk of a
heart attack, particularly in people already at risk. Exposure
to tobacco smoke for 30 minutes significantly reduces coronary
flow velocity reserve in healthy nonsmokers.
Epidemiological studies of passive smoking >>
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Second Hand Smoke Passive smoking
Long-term
effects
Short-term
effects
Causal
mechanisms
Epidemiological studies of passive smoking
1. Studies of passive smoking in animals
2.
Risk level of passive smoking
Current state of scientific opinion
1. Public
opinion
Controversy over harms of passive smoking
1. Critique of individual studies and epidemiology
2. World Health Organization controversy
3. EPA lawsuit
4. Tobacco-industry funding of research
Tobacco industry response
1. Position of major tobacco companies
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