There is some
evidence that reducing exposure to tobacco smoke cuts the risk
of heart attack. When Helena, MT implemented a 100% smokefree
law, heart attack admissions in the local hospital dropped by
40%, and rebounded when a court suspended the law Rapid drops in
heart attack admissions, averaging about 25%, were also seen in
Pueblo, CO, Bowling Green, OH, New York State, Piedmont, Italy,
Ireland, and Scotland when they implemented such laws.
Adults or children with asthma can experience attacks brought on
by passive smoking.
Tobacco smoke is an irritant, and allergy sufferers can
experience stuffy or runny noses, watery or burning eyes,
sneezing, coughing, wheezing, a feeling of suffocation, and
other typical allergy symptoms within minutes of exposure. Some
people with no known allergies and without asthma may cough in
smoke-filled rooms, get headaches, feel nauseated, feel sleepy,
and experience other ill effects, when they would not normally
exhibit these symptoms without the presence of smoke.
Many former smokers, and those who are trying to quit prefer to
not be around smoke as it can cause them to have cravings. Some
people simply do not like the odor, which clings to hair, skin,
teeth, fingernails, clothing, furniture, and rugs.
Many of these short-term effects terminate after the exposure
ends. Repeated exposure, however, is believed to cause more
serious long-term effects.
Causal
mechanisms >>
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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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