| Recent major surveys
conducted by the U.S. National Cancer Institute and Centers for
Disease Control have found widespread public belief that
secondhand smoke is harmful. In both 1992 and 2000 surveys, more
than 80% of respondents agreed with the statement that
secondhand smoke was harmful. A 2001 study found that 95% of
adults agreed that secondhand smoke was harmful to children, and
96% considered tobacco-industry claims that secondhand smoke was
not harmful to be untruthful. A 2004 Gallup poll found that 86%
of respondents felt that secondhand smoke was "very harmful" or
"somewhat harmful", while 4% felt that it was not harmful at
all.
Smoking bans had somewhat less support; the 2004 Gallup poll
found 58% in favor of total smoking bans in workplaces,
restaurants, and bars, while 40% opposed such across-the-board
bans.
Controversy over harms 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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