scholarly journals Health Risk of Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS)

Author(s):  
Dewan Raja ◽  
Bahar Sultana

Environmental tobacco smoke is a preventable cause of significant morbidity and mortality among non-smokers. Reducing exposure to tobacco smoke is an essential community and public health objective. This report documents the substantial evidence characterizing the health risks caused by exposure to passive smoking. Multiple major reviews of evidence have concluded that environmental tobacco smoke is a known human carcinogen and that exposure to passive smoke causes adverse effects like SIDS, congenital birth defects, lead poisoning, and lung cancer. Regrettably, reductions in exposure have been slower among small children than among adults, as growing workplace restriction protects the majority of adults while the homes remain the most important source of exposure for children. The relationship between passive smoking exposure and potential health hazards to all ages of population were researched. We analyzed and systematically reviewed information from multiple literature sources. We found that everyone from the fetus to the elderly is significantly affected by passive smoking. Like firsthand smoking, secondhand smoking is also hazardous. Health education and regulations regarding secondhand smoking in both the office and home area can improve public health. This paper indicates a critical need for second hand smoke reduction interventions especially among vulnerable populations.

2009 ◽  
Vol 24 (8) ◽  
pp. 529-532 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Vorspan ◽  
V. Bloch ◽  
E. Guillem ◽  
G. Dupuy ◽  
S. Pirnay ◽  
...  

AbstractStaff members of psychiatric facilities are at high risk of secondhand smoking. Smoking exposure was assessed in 41 nonsmoking employees of a psychiatry department before and after a ban. Subjective exposure measures decreased in 76% of the subjects. Salivary cotinine decreased in the subsample of seven subjects with high pre-ban levels (32 ±8 vs 40 ± 17 ng/ml, p = .045).


2002 ◽  
Vol 08 (01) ◽  
pp. 74-87
Author(s):  
W. El Ansari

This study measured cotinine/creatinine ratios among 60 children in Alexandria, Egypt whose parent [s] smoked and 20 control children whose parents reported not smoking to show that passive smoker children were more exposed than controls. Among the passive smoker children, girls were more exposed, 35% of the population burden of cotinine was among those aged 0-2 years, and exposure significantly decreased with the child’s age. Passive smoker children whose fathers smoked “lighter” cigarettes had higher exposure levels than those whose fathers smoked regular brands. Educational programmes should increase awareness of the ill-effects of environmental tobacco smoke, and health professionals should advise parents who smoke on quitting smoking rather than switching to a “lighter” cigarette brand.


2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
François-Xavier Lesage ◽  
Frédéric Deschamps ◽  
Denisa Jurca

Introduction. Exposure to passive smoking at work has been forbidden for few years in France. This study's aim is to estimate the prevalence of passive smoking at work (PSW), the characteristics of illegal passive smoking and to identify eventual respiratory effects.Methods. Occupational practitioners (OPs) of a French county of 320,000 wage earners were contacted by mail. Then OP answered questions from a standardized questionnaire. These questions concerned the practised job, exposure features linked to PSW and health effects in relationship with second-hand smoke in workplace, and the focus on nonsmoker encountered by OP during the most recent occupational medical examination.Results. Ninety-five percent of a total group of 172 OP of Champagne county filled the postal questionnaire. More than 80% of OP's replies identified illegal PSW. The average prevalence of PSW exposure was 0.7% of the total working population. Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) levels were considered between low and medium for most passive smokers (71%). Main features exposure to ETS at work for non-smokers was associated with female gender (69.5%), age between 40 and 49 years (41.2%) and belonging to tertiary sector (75.6%). Environmental tobacco smoke exposures at work was firstly in the office for 49.7% of the subjects and secondly in the restroom for 18% of them. Main medical symptoms encountered by non-smokers were respiratory tractus irritation (81.7%). Eighty-three percent of OPs indicated solution to eradicate PSW. Illegal PSW is really weaker than fifteen years ago. However, the findings support a real ban on smoking in the workplace in order to protect all workers.


1994 ◽  
Vol 47 (4) ◽  
pp. 335-337 ◽  
Author(s):  
William Farland ◽  
Steven Bayard ◽  
Jennifer Jinot

Author(s):  
Sydne DiGiacomo ◽  
Mohammad-Ali Jazayeri ◽  
Rajat Barua ◽  
John Ambrose

Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) and its sequelae are among the largest economic and healthcare burdens in the United States and worldwide. The relationship between active smoking and atherosclerosis is well-described in the literature. However, the specific mechanisms by which ETS influences atherosclerosis are incompletely understood. In this paper, we highlight the definition and chemical constituents of ETS, review the existing literature outlining the effects of ETS on atherogenesis and thrombosis in both animal and human models, and briefly outline the public health implications of ETS based on these data.


Author(s):  
Markus Braun ◽  
Friedemann Koger ◽  
Doris Klingelhöfer ◽  
Ruth Müller ◽  
David Groneberg

The inhalation of particulate matter (PM) in second-hand smoke (SHS) is hazardous to health of smokers and non-smokers. Tobacco strength (amount of tar, nicotine, and carbon monoxide) and different additives might have an effect on the amount of PM. This study aimed to investigate the influence of tobacco strength or additives on PM. Four cigarette types of the brand Marlboro with different strengths and with or without additives were analyzed in comparison to the 3R4F reference cigarette. SHS was generated by an automatic environmental tobacco smoke emitter (AETSE) in an enclosed space with a volume of 2.88 m³. PM concentrations (PM10, PM2.5, PM1) were measured with a laser aerosol spectrometer followed by statistical analysis. The two strongest Marlboro brands (Red and Red without additives) showed the highest PM concentrations of all tested cigarettes. The measured mean concentrations Cmean of PM10 increased up to 1458 µg/m³ for the Marlboro Red without additives (PM2.5: 1452 µg/m³, PM1: 1263 µg/m³). The similarly strong Marlboro Red showed very similar PM values. The second strongest type Marlboro Gold showed 36% (PM10, PM2.5) and 32% (PM1) lower values, respectively. The “lightest” type Marlboro Silver Blue showed 54% (PM10, PM2.5) or 50% (PM1) lower PM values. The results indicate that the lower the tar, nicotine, and carbon monoxide amounts, as well as the longer the cigarette filter, the lower are the PM levels. An influence of additives could not be determined.


1999 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 229-232 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kersti Piirna

1 The objective ofthis study was to assess prevalence and patterns of passive smoking in Estonia and to describe how environmental tobacco smoke is likely to initiate the desire in adolescents to start active smoking. 2 A population sample of 2170 students within the age groups of 13-14,15-16 and 17-18 of school grades 8, 10 and 12, respectively, at Tallinn High Schools participated in this study. The data w,ere collected using questionnaires which mainly consisted of structured multiple-choice and a few open questions. 3 Every fourth adolescent in Tallinn was either an occasional or a habitual smoker. 4 Nearly half (48%) of the respondents had no daily exposure to cigarette smoke. Almost one third (31%) was exposed daily for less than 1 h, 15% for 1-5 h and 6% for over 5 h a day. 5 The number of adolescent smokers was higher than non-smokers among those daily inhaling tobacco sidestream smoke. 6 In conclusion, environment gives considerable impact to the development of smoking habits among adolescents. Passive smoking as an inducing factor is associated with higher prevalence of smoking among the adolescents studied.


Author(s):  
Lubica Argalasova ◽  
Ingrid Zitnanova ◽  
Diana Vondrova ◽  
Monika Dvorakova ◽  
Lucia Laubertova ◽  
...  

Background: Exposure to ETS (environmental tobacco smoke) is one of the most toxic environmental exposures. Objective: To investigate the association of ETS with physiological, biochemical, and psychological indicators, as well as with urine antioxidant capacity (AC) and oxidative damage to lipids in a pilot sample of healthy pregnant women. Methods: Exposure to ETS was investigated via a validated questionnaire, and urine cotinine and the marker of oxidative damage to lipids via 8-isoprostane concentrations using an ELISA kit. Urine AC was determined by the spectrophotometric Trolox-equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) method. From a sample of pregnant women (n = 319, average age 30.84 ± 5.09 years) in 80, the levels of cotinine and oxidative stress markers were analyzed. Results: Among the 80 pregnant women, 5% (7.4% confirmed by cotinine) reported being current smokers and 25% reported passive smoking in the household (18.8% confirmed by cotinine). The Kappa was 0.78 for smokers and 0.22 for ETS-exposed nonsmokers. Pregnant women in the ETS-exposed group had significantly reduced AC compared to both the nonsmoker (ETS−) and the smoker groups (p < 0.05). Nonsmokers had significantly lower levels of 8-isoprostane than smokers (p < 0.01) and ETS-exposed nonsmokers (p < 0.05). Correlations between urine levels of cotinine and AC were positive in ETS-exposed nonsmokers. Conclusion: A harmful association of active and passive smoking and oxidative stress parameters among pregnant women has been indicated.


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