Secondhand Smoke
Research
Assessment of exposure to secondhand smoke at outdoor bars and family restaurants in Athens, Georgia, using salivary cotinine
Research published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene examines exposure to secondhand smoke in outdoor settings, a growing concern as the number of indoor smoking bans increases. Nonsmokers’ saliva was analyzed before and after exposure to outdoor areas of bars and restaurants where smoking is banned indoors but permitted outdoors. There was a significant increase in salivary cotinine levels of nonsmokers spending time at the outdoor bars and restaurants compared to control sites with no smokers, indicating secondhand smoke exposure among this population. Click here to read more, or click here to read the abstract.
Secondhand smoke worst for toddlers, obese kids
A recent study suggests that toddlers aged 2-5 and obese children are at a higher risk for vascular damage due to secondhand smoke, compared to other children. This damage during childhood could advance their risk for heart disease later in life. It is believed that toddlers were at greater risk than older children because they tend to be in closer range of their smoking parents. Also, the researchers hypothesize that there is an interaction between secondhand smoke exposure and obesity that further amplifies the risk for obese toddlers. Read more here. This study was presented at the American Heart Association scientific meeting in November.
Exposure to secondhand smoke increases risk for Type 2 diabetes
A study of elderly Mediterranean men and women suggests that chronic secondhand smoke exposure increases the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. Former smoking, active smoking or a combination of the two showed less significant correlations than passive smoking alone. Each year of exposure to secondhand smoke was associated with a 2% increased chance of developing diabetes; a 63% increase was observed among those who were chronically exposed. The article is published in the journal Diabetic Medicine; click here for an article summarizing the experiment and the findings.
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Reports
Smoke-free apartments in FL, NY, and PA
New York: New York City’s first 100% smoke-free apartment building will be opening its doors to tenants in early 2010. Smoking will be prohibited everywhere at the East Harlem property, both inside and outside, and tenants must sign a lease that requires them and their guests to abide by the policy. Click here to read more. A recent New York Times article discussed differing views about the growing availability of smokefree apartments in New York City. Click here to read the article. Florida and Pennsylvania: Property management company Korman Residential recently issued a press release highlighting its eleven smoke-free apartment communities in Philadelphia and Florida. The company’s first smoke-free property was introduced in 2008, and the company has continued to meet residents’ requests for smoke-free housing. Click here for more details.
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International
New research shows more than 4 in 10 smokers still smoke around kids (Australia)
A survey conducted by the Cancer Council Victoria reveals that 44% of smokers still smoke in the presence of children, and nearly one in ten do not change their smoking behavior at all around children, demonstrating the importance of continuously reminding smokers of the health risks secondhand smoke pose to children. However, the data indicate that 82% of Victorian smokers who live with a child go outside to smoke, reducing children’s exposure to smoking. Click here for a summary of the Cancer Council Victoria report.
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