Secondhand Tobacco Smoke Exposure Risks

Secondhand smoke, also referred to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), is a serious exposure issue for countless people across the globe. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), progress in reducing exposure to secondhand smoke among U.S. nonsmokers has stalled in recent years, despite longstanding declines over the past three decades.

In December of 2018, the CDC addressed this when the agency published new information about secondhand smoke. In their news release, the CDC’s director stated, “We know there’s no safe level of secondhand smoke exposure.” The news bulletin also shared the following information and figures:
• During 2011 - 2014, the percentage of nonsmokers exposed to secondhand smoke did not decline significantly across most demographic subgroups.
• Secondhand smoke contains over 7,000 chemicals including about 70 that can cause cancer. Secondhand smoke is a known cause of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS); respiratory infections; ear infections; and asthma attacks in infants and children; as well as heart disease, stroke and lung cancer in adult nonsmokers.
• According to a 2014 U.S. Surgeon General’s Report, each year exposure to secondhand smoke causes more than 41,000 deaths from lung cancer and heart disease among non-smoking adults and 400 deaths from sudden infant death syndrome.
• An estimated 58 million American nonsmokers (1 in 4) were still exposed to secondhand smoke from burning tobacco products, such as cigarettes, during 2013 - 2014.
• Exposure to secondhand smoke remains high for certain groups, including children ages 3-11 years (38%), people living in poverty (48%) and people living in rental housing (39%).
• More than 3 in 10 nonsmokers with less than a high school education are exposed to secondhand smoke.
• More than 7 in 10 nonsmokers living with someone who smokes inside the home are exposed to secondhand smoke.

This information from the CDC reinforces the importance of preventing exposure to secondhand smoke. For those concerned they may be at risk of exposure, there are indoor air quality (IAQ) tests that can identify environmental tobacco smoke as well as tests for smoke residues on surfaces that can be conducted in a home or work environment.

These are just a few things to know about many of the hazards associated with exposure to secondhand smoke. To learn more about this or other indoor air quality, environmental, health and safety issues, please visit the websites shown below.

Clark Seif Clark https://www.csceng.com
EMSL Analytical, Inc. https://www.emsl.com
LA Testing https://www.latesting.com
Zimmetry Environmental https://www.zimmetry.com
Healthy Indoors Magazine https://www.healthyindoors.com