Secondhand Smoke

Research

Clean indoor air ordinance coverage in the Appalachian Region of the United States
A new study investigating patterns of the implementation of clean air ordinances in Appalachia has found that the majority of people living in this region are not protected from secondhand smoke. Researchers reviewed clean indoor air laws in communities in six states, rating them on the completeness of coverage in workplaces, restaurants, and bars, and comparing socioeconomic information among the communities. Among the 332 communities analyzed, less than 20% had adopted comprehensive smoke-free laws, and the policies that were in place offered weak protection. Communities with high unemployment rates were less likely to have strong ordinances, while those with higher education levels were more likely to have them in place. The authors suggest that state-level laws, as opposed to community-level ordinances, may better protect residents from secondhand smoke. Read the abstract of the study, published in the American Journal of Public Health, or click here to read a press release from Ohio State University.

Prenatal exposure to maternal cigarette smoking and accumulation of intra-abdominal fat during adolescence
A new study published in the journal Obesity has found a link between prenatal exposure to maternal cigarette smoking and the accumulation of abdominal fat in late puberty. Researchers used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to measure subcutaneous and intra-abdominal fat in 508 adolescents aged 12-18, 237 whose mothers had smoked during pregnancy. They found that there was no difference in fat accumulation among the smoke-exposed and non-exposed in early puberty, but there was a significant difference in late puberty. Adolescents in late puberty that had been exposed to maternal cigarette smoking had 26% more subcutaneous fat and 33% more intra-abdominal fat than those that were not exposed, suggesting that prenatal exposure to maternal smoking could be a risk factor for abdominal obesity during late puberty. Read the abstract of the study here.

Air quality in and around airport enclosed smoking rooms
Researchers examining air quality in and around designated smoking rooms have found that fine particles from secondhand smoke can leak outside of the smoking rooms into public indoor spaces. Particulate matter concentrations were measured inside and outside four smoking rooms and in a public lobby of a medium-sized regional commercial airport. The particulate concentrations inside the smoking rooms were significantly higher than the National Ambient Air Quality Standard, and fine particles from secondhand smoke leaked outside of three of the four smoking rooms, despite their having properly-functioning ventilation systems. These findings support the U.S. Surgeon General’s recommendation that indoor spaces should be completely smoke-free. Read the abstract of the study, published in Nicotine & Tobacco Research.

Transgenerational tobacco smoke exposure and childhood cancer: An observational study
New research suggests that parental smoking could be associated with childhood cancer. Researchers compared exposure to tobacco smoke for three generations among 128 children with cancer and 128 healthy controls. They found that maternal grandmother smoking was associated with more than double the odds of childhood cancer, and maternal smoking was associated with a 1.8 times greater chance of childhood cancer. This implies that tobacco smoke exposure during the grandmother’s and mother’s pregnancies could increase the risk of pediatric cancer in their offspring. Click here to read the abstract of the study, published in the Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health.

Smoking moms tied to lasting kids' sleep woes
A new study has found that prenatal exposure to nicotine is associated with childhood sleeping problems lasting through age twelve. Researchers analyzed data from 808 participants in the Maternal Lifestyle multisite study to examine the relationship between sleep problems and prenatal exposure to cocaine, opiates, marijuana, alcohol, and nicotine. Reports were provided by the children’s mothers or caregivers about difficulties falling and staying asleep during three age periods: one to four months, five to eight years, and nine to twelve years. The results show that of the five substance exposures, nicotine was the only predictor of sleep problems; the researchers note that smoking and nonsmoking mothers may be different from each other in ways not accounted for in the study, so a causal relationship cannot be established. Read more here, or read the abstract, published in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.

Hospital admissions found to decline since AZ public-smoking ban
Researchers at the University of Arizona have found that there was a 10% reduction in hospitalizations for asthma, stroke, heart attacks, and angina in the year following the implementation of a statewide smoking ban in Arizona. Hospital admissions data were analyzed from 87 hospitals, counting only state residents, from January 2004 to May 2008. In the year following the 2007 implementation of the ban, admissions dropped 22% for asthma, 14% for stroke, 13% for heart attack, and 33% for angina. The total estimated savings from the reduction in hospitalizations is $17 million. The authors say that this study adds to the evidence of the benefits of eliminating secondhand smoke. Click here to read more, or click here to read the abstract, published in the American Journal of Public Health.

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Reports

Arkansas press events raise awareness of smoke-free cars law (AR)
This May, the Arkansas Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Program (TPCP) partnered with state law enforcement agencies and tobacco control coalitions to increase awareness and enforcement of Act 13, also known as the Arkansas Protection from Secondhand Smoke for Children. The Act was passed in 2006, making it a primary offense to smoke in a car carrying children under the age of six and weighing less than 60 pounds. To demonstrate the harmful effects of secondhand smoke on children, three press events were held simultaneously in Fayetteville, Jonesboro and Little Rock, Arkansas. The demonstrations showed that smoking in a car makes dangerous particle levels rise within seconds of a cigarette being lit. Click here to read the full report from the Arkansas Tobacco Prevention and Control Program (TPCP), or click here to read a local news story.

Smoking ban clears air in N.C. restaurants (NC)
State public health officials have announced that the indoor smoking ban that went into effect in North Carolina this January has resulted in an 89% improvement in air quality in restaurants and bars. Air quality was measured using a machine that measures the number of particles in the air smaller than 2.5 micrograms, as is done by the Environmental Protection Agency. Air samples collected from 152 restaurants and bars from 2005-2007 were compared with samples collected from 78 establishments between January and March 2010 in order to determine whether there was a decrease in particle levels, which would be indicative of an improvement in air quality. According to public health officials, the improvement demonstrates the effectiveness of the smoking ban and its ability to protect residents from secondhand smoke. Click here to read more.

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International

Association of environmental tobacco smoke exposure with elevated home blood pressure in Japanese women: The Ohasama Study (Japan)
A new Japanese study shows that women exposed to secondhand tobacco smoke had home blood pressure levels three to four mmHg higher than those who were not exposed. Researchers analyzed self-administered questionnaires from 579 non-smoking women to determine their morning and evening blood pressure readings, and to classify their exposure to tobacco smoke. Among women not taking hypertensive medication, systolic morning blood pressure was 4mmHg higher in those that were exposed to secondhand smoke at home and at work than those who were not exposed at all. Additionally, the morning blood pressure for those exposed at home and evening blood pressure for those exposed in both venues were 3mmHg higher, on average, than that of those who were unexposed. These relationships were not observed among women taking hypertensive medication. Read the abstract of the study, published in the Journal of Hypertension.

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