Secondhand Smoke

Research

Secondhand smoke can double risk of fatal heart disease: Study
New research shows that exposure to high levels of secondhand smoke is associated with excess risk of death related to cardiovascular disease. Researchers measured salivary cotinine and C-reactive protein (CRP, a cardiovascular disease biomarker) in 13,443 participants at baseline and then followed them for an average of eight years to determine risk of cardiovascular disease death. They found that high secondhand smoke exposure was associated with a 21% increase in the risk of cardiovascular disease related death after controlling for age. Elevated CRP in this population is estimated to explain 48% of the cardiovascular disease deaths. Click here to read more. Click here to read the abstract of the study, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Infant morbidity and mortality attributable to prenatal smoking in the U.S.
A new study indicates that even though smoking rates among pregnant women have decreased continuously, smoking still contributes significantly to preterm deliveries, low birth weight deliveries, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), and preterm-related deaths among infants born in the United States. Data from the 2002 U.S. Linked Birth/Infant Death Data Set were used to estimate the associations between prenatal smoking and the aforementioned outcomes. The results suggest that prenatal smoking was associated 1.2 to 1.5 times the risk of preterm delivery, 2.3 times the risk of low birth weight delivery, 2.7 times the risk of SIDS, and 1.5 times the risk of preterm-related death. Overall, the study suggests that prenatal smoking is still a significant cause of infant morbidity and mortality in the U.S. Click here to read the study abstract in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

Recent trends in exposure to secondhand smoke in the United States population
New research indicates that the downward trend in secondhand smoke exposure seen from 1988 to 2002 may have leveled off, although exposure levels among some demographic groups are still higher than others. Researchers analyzed data provided by 19,890 participants in the 2001-2006 National Health and Nutrition Surveys (NHANES), determining overall serum cotinine levels, as well as cotinine levels among different age, gender, and racial/ethnic groups. The results show that the average serum cotinine levels did not differ over time from 2001-2006, suggesting that recent declines in the prevalence of secondhand smoke exposure have leveled off. Additionally, children and adolescents aged 4-19, males, and non-Hispanic blacks were found to experience higher levels of secondhand smoke exposure than adults, females, non-Hispanic whites, and Mexican-Americans. Download the full article, published in BMC Public Health, here.

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Reports

Sault Tribe Housing Authority offers smoke-free housing (MI)
Recently, the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of the Chippewa Nation established smokefree housing units for its members, becoming the first tribe to do so in the state of Michigan and the fifth nationwide. Several tribal, community, and state organizations came together over the course of two years to develop the smokefree policy that would provide tribal members with a healthy living environment. Four duplexes housing eight families were the first smokefree housing units to open, with additional units to be established in upcoming years. Tobacco control advocates hope that the move will encourage other tribal and non-tribal housing officials to create similar policies. Read more here.

Summer recreation draws public attention to outdoor smoking policies
Results from the Social Climate Survey of Tobacco Control show that Americans are increasingly supporting measures that would make more outdoor areas smokefree. The annual survey is designed to measure Americans’ attitudes and behaviors related to tobacco use, secondhand smoke, and policies that protect people from smoke exposure. This year’s survey focused on smoking in outdoor areas. Based on the survey results, 67.3% of Americans feel that smoking should not be allowed within twenty feet of a doorway, 43% support smoke-free beaches, and 36.5% are in favor of smoke-free parks. Currently, the state of Maine and 100 municipalities nationwide have laws prohibiting smoking on public beaches and 464 have smokefree city parks. Read more here.

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