Secondhand Smoke
Research
Forty years of secondhand smoke research: the gap between discovery and delivery
A review of the research on secondhand smoke has identified a gap between research to discover the effects of secondhand smoke (“discovery”) and research on the delivery of interventions to reduce secondhand smoke exposure (“delivery”). Researchers analyzed citation patterns in secondhand smoke research published from 1965 to 2005, and found that discovery and delivery were two distinct areas of research with few connections in the scientific literature. Further analysis showed that research summaries, such as Surgeon General’s reports, often serve as a bridge between the two fields. The researchers note that translation from discovery to delivery could be faster if scientists and practitioners were encouraged to seek out current research being published in primary empirical scientific journals. Click here to access the article, which was published in the June 2009 issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
Childhood smoke exposure could initiate atherosclerosis early on in life
A recent German study surveyed parents to assess their children’s exposure to secondhand smoke, then performed lab tests to determine whether smoke exposure was associated with cardiovascular and metabolic effects in the children. The study suggests that children exposed to cigarette smoke have a low-grade inflammatory response and altered markers of lipid metabolism that may initiate a buildup of fatty deposits in the arteries, or atherosclerosis, early in life. The researchers suggest that avoiding exposure to environmental tobacco smoke during childhood may reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease later in life. For more information, click here, or read the abstract of the journal article here in the European Heart Journal.
Study: MT Clean Air Act expansion to bars won’t hurt business (MT)
On October 1, Montana’s bars and casinos are required to post “no smoking” signs as part of the state’s Clean Indoor Air Act. Critics expressed concerns that the ban would hurt businesses and lead to job losses, but a study of clean indoor air (CIA) laws in Minnesota suggests that these worries are unfounded. Researchers reviewed staffing levels at bars and restaurants in ten cities where CIA laws had been implemented. The data indicate that CIA laws had no significant effects on employment in bars and restaurants. The study did not consider the impacts of CIA laws on profits because profits may differ widely by region. Click here to read more. The study is published here in the June issue of Prevention Science.
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Reports
How children are affected when parents smoke at home (NY)
As part of a new campaign to promote awareness of the dangers of secondhand smoke, the New York City Health Department will be launching an ad campaign aimed at parents about the importance of having a smoke-free home. The new ad campaign delivers the message that secondhand smoke is unsafe at any dose. Around 400,000 New York City smokers are adults who live with children. Although a growing proportion of adults have barred smoking in their homes, a recent survey suggests that still more than half of adult smokers do not have smoke-free homes. Read more here, or click here to view the advertisement on the NYC Department of Health website.
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International
7 cities join in to kick killer butt (China)
Seven Chinese cities have launched the "Tobacco Free Cities" campaign to educate parents on the dangers of secondhand smoke for their children. The five-year program, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, will provide the cities with funds to implement anti-smoking policies. Most of the cities involved in the campaign already have smokefree laws in place, and hope to increase compliance with the laws and raise awareness about the harmful effects of smoking. According to a leader of the initiative, the seven cities have been picked from a pool of 34 cities, and the program is expected to expand to more regions next year. Click here to read more.
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