Secondhand Smoke
World No Tobacco Day – May 31st, 2007
World No Tobacco Day is being celebrated world wide on May 31st. Sponsored by the World Health Organization (WHO), this year’s World No Tobacco Day focuses on 100% smoke-free environments as the only effective strategy to minimize the harms of secondhand smoke. For more information, click here. Click here to see how World No Tobacco Day is being celebrated around the world.
The impact of a smoking ban on hospital admissions for coronary heart disease
A recent study assessed the impact of a 2002 clean indoor air ordinance in Bowling Green, Ohio and the number of hospital admissions for smoking-related conditions. Researchers used a quasi-experimental interrupted time series design and a matched control city with no clean indoor air ordinance. They examined hospital admission records in both cities from 1999 to 2005 and observed lower admission rates in Bowling Green compared to the control city. The greatest reduction was for coronary heart disease admissions, dropping 39% one year after implementation of the ban and 47% three years after implementation. To read the study abstract published in Preventive Medicine, click here.
Secondhand smoke boosts risk for Alzheimer’s
New research reveals that prolonged exposure to secondhand smoke increases the risk of developing Alzheimer’s by thirty percent. Researchers compared 985 never-smokers with neither cardiovascular disease (CVD) nor dementia to 495 people who reported an average of 28 years of exposure to secondhand smoke. They found that long-term exposure to secondhand smoke and the presence of CVD doubled the risk of dementia, while exposure to secondhand smoke alone increased the risk by one-third. While other studies have demonstrated the pathway between secondhand smoke, CVD and dementia, this is the first study to demonstrate the independent, direct effects of tobacco on the nervous system. To read more about the University of California, Berkeley study, click here.
Study confirms the risk of secondhand smoke exposure in outdoor settings
A new study, the first of its kind to be published in a peer-reviewed journal, examined the effect of outdoor exposure to secondhand smoke. Researchers used electronic monitors to measure particulate matter at ten sites on the Stanford campus. Laboratory tests were used to more precisely measure particulate matter at various distances from a lit cigarette. They conclude that a person sitting or standing in close proximity to a smoker outdoors breathes in substantial levels of secondhand smoke, which are comparable to those found inside taverns where smoking is allowed. Moreover, they found that exposure to outdoor secondhand smoke can be dramatically reduced by sitting at a distance of six feet or more from a smoker. To read more about the study published in the Journal of the Air and Waste Management Association, click here.
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Policy
Casino fight goes up in smoke
The American Gambling Association is officially easing its position on fighting smoking bans at the national level. Lobbying against the bans has become increasingly difficult as more and more states have passed statewide bans to minimize exposure to secondhand smoke. This article also includes a discussion about the possibility of a national smoking ban and the short-term economic effects of bans in casinos. To read more, click here.
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International
Secondhand smoke levels in Scottish pubs: The effect of smoke-free legislation
A recent study assessed the levels of particulate matter in Scottish pubs before and after the implementation of the ban on smoking in enclosed public places. Fine particulate matter was measured in 41 randomly selected pubs in two Scottish cities during the two week period prior to implementation of the ban and again two months after the ban took effect. Levels of secondhand smoke were reduced at all post-ban pub visits, with an average reduction of 86%. To read the study abstract published in Tobacco Control, click here.
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Resources
SmokefreeOregon.com offers resources for tenants and landlords
This website offers a variety of information and resources for tenants and landlords interested in smoke free policies for multi-unit housing developments. For landlords, the website includes market research results, educational articles, signs and stickers for properties, and tools such as a sample tenant survey. Tenants can access a fact sheet about secondhand smoke, information about renters’ rights, and tips for communicating with a landlord. Click here to visit the website.
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