British American
Tobacco
The World Health Organisation, the United States Surgeon General
and other public health bodies have concluded that exposure to
environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), sometimes called ‘second-hand
smoke’, is a cause of various serious diseases, including lung
cancer, heart disease and respiratory illnesses in children.
They conclude that there is no known safe level of ETS exposure
and hence advise that public health policy would be best served
by bans on public smoking.
Our view of the science
The risks associated with ETS have been measured in
epidemiological studies. These mainly use questionnaires to
compare the incidence of diseases such as lung cancer in
non-smoking women whose husbands were smokers, with non-smoking
women whose husbands were non-smokers.
For lung cancer, the major studies report that relative risk
associated with prolonged non-smoker exposure to ETS is 1.3. A
relative risk of 1 means no risk, and prolonged active smoking
is typically associated with a relative risk of lung cancer of
the order of 20 or higher.
For heart disease, the major studies also report a relative risk
for ETS exposure of around 1.3. The relative risk for active
smoking and heart disease is typically of the order of 3 to 5.
Many epidemiologists say that relative risks below 2 are weak
associations and are more difficult to quantify than stronger
associations. Perhaps because the relative risks reported in
individual studies tend to be below 2, many studies do not reach
statistical significance.
Studies of respiratory illnesses in children whose parents
smoke, and research into whether ETS exposure exacerbates
symptoms for people with conditions such as asthma, suggest that
ETS can increase risks of respiratory illnesses in children and
can affect people with pre-existing conditions such as asthma.
Our approach to regulation
We support regulation that accommodates the interests of both
non-smokers and smokers and limits non-smokers’ involuntary
exposure to ETS. We favour restrictions on smoking in enclosed
public places and we accept that there needs to be regulation.
We support practical initiatives such as the creation of
smoke-free areas, combined with adequate provision for smokers.
Imperial Tobacco Group plc
Imperial Tobacco recognises that other people’s tobacco smoke
can be unpleasant or annoying, and can raise concerns leading to
calls to ban smoking . However, it is our view that the
scientific evidence, taken as a whole, is insufficient to
establish that other people’s tobacco smoke is a cause of any
disease.
The statistical population studies (epidemiology) which have led
to claims that other people’s tobacco smoke is a risk to health
are subject to some methodological flaws. Most individual
studies show no statistical effects. When study results are
combined (a process called ‘meta analysis’), at most they
indicate a very small increase in relative risk.
JT International (Japan Tobacco)
We agree that ETS can be annoying to non-smokers and that in
poorly ventilated areas ETS can cause substantial irritation of
the eyes, nose and throat. We therefore ask all smokers to be
aware of and show consideration for people with whom they come
into contact. However, we do not believe that the claim that ETS
is a cause of lung cancer, heart disease and chronic pulmonary
diseases in non-smokers has been convincingly demonstrated or
that a reliable causal link between ETS exposure and chronic
diseases has been established.
Philip Morris USA
Public health officials have concluded that secondhand smoke
from cigarettes causes disease, including lung cancer and heart
disease, in non-smoking adults, as well as causes conditions in
children such as asthma, respiratory infections, cough, wheeze,
otitis media (middle ear infection) and Sudden Infant Death
Syndrome. In addition, public health officials have concluded
that secondhand smoke can exacerbate adult asthma and cause eye,
throat and nasal irritation.
Philip Morris USA believes that the public should be guided by
the conclusions of public health officials regarding the health
effects of secondhand smoke in deciding whether to be in places
where secondhand smoke is present, or if they are smokers, when
and where to smoke around others. Particular care should be
exercised where children are concerned, and adults should avoid
smoking around them.
We also believe that the conclusions of public health officials
concerning environmental tobacco smoke are sufficient to warrant
measures that regulate smoking in public places. We also believe
that where smoking is permitted, the government should require
the posting of warning notices that communicate public health
officials' conclusions that secondhand smoke causes disease in
non-smokers.
R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
RJRT believes that individuals should rely on the conclusions of
the U.S. Surgeon General, the Centers for Disease Control and
other public health and medical officials when making decisions
regarding smoking.
|
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
|
