Secondhand Smoke

Research

Effects of environmental tobacco smoke on perinatal outcomes: A retrospective cohort study
New research published in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology shows that environmental tobacco smoke exposure in women is an independent risk factor for adverse perinatal outcomes. Researchers used a retrospective cohort study design to examine women with and without self-reported environmental tobacco exposure who delivered babies between 2001 and 2009. The results indicated that environmental tobacco smoke exposure is associated with lower mean birth weight, smaller head circumference, shorter birth length, and stillbirths. The authors suggest that this study illustrates the importance for increased public policy and education on the prevention of exposure to environmental tobacco smoke. Click here to read the study abstract.

Moderate levels of secondhand smoke deliver nicotine to the brain
A new study indicates that exposure to secondhand smoke causes enough nicotine to reach the brain to bind to nicotine receptors normally targeted through direct exposure to tobacco smoke. Researchers used positron emission tomography (PET) to visualize nicotine binding to nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR) among 11 smokers and 13 nonsmokers, with and without secondhand smoke exposure. They found that secondhand smoke exposure was associated with nicotine binding to nAChRs, and the amount of occupied receptors did not differ between smokers and nonsmokers. In addition, smokers reported a 23% increase in cravings following secondhand smoke exposure. This study may help explain why secondhand smoke exposure increases children’s likelihood of becoming smokers and makes it harder for smokers to quit; it also lends support to policies that prohibit smoking in public places. Click here to read more, or click here to view the abstract of the study, published in The Archives of General Psychiatry.

Secondhand smoke and periodontal disease: Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study
According to a new study published in the American Journal of Public Health, second hand smoke exposure is associated with severe periodontal disease. Researchers used survey and periodontal examination data from 2,739 participants in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study to assess the relationship between secondhand smoke exposure and periodontal disease. They found that those exposed to secondhand smoke 1-25 hours per week had 29% increased odds of having severe periodontitis compared to unexposed individuals; the odds among those exposed to more than 25 hours per week were doubled compared to those who were unexposed. Because of this dose-dependent relationship, the authors suggest that future research focusing on periodontal disease should consider secondhand smoke exposure. Click here to read the study abstract.

A second reporter matters: Agreement between parents' and children's reports of smoking bans in families
According to a study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, family members may disagree on the presence of private smoking bans. Researchers interviewed 386 pairs of preteens and their parents to determine if they agreed on the presence of home and car smoking bans, and tested the subjects’ urine for a biomarker of secondhand smoke exposure. The results showed that 19% of families disagreed on whether a home smoking ban was in place, and 30% disagreed on car smoking policies. Families that agreed on the presence of a ban had the lowest secondhand smoke exposure and those agreeing on an absence of a ban had the highest exposure. This study suggests a potential for misclassification in studies of the presence of smoking bans; more research should be done to determine the circumstances under which reporters disagree. Read the study abstract here.

Tobacco use by male prisoners under an indoor smoking ban
A new study examining 200 males’ tobacco use prior to and during incarceration in a facility with an indoor smoke-free policy was recently published in Nicotine and Tobacco Research. The analysis of the survey data shows that 77.5% of men smoked prior to incarceration, and despite the facility’s restrictions on tobacco use, the prevalence of smoking increased to 81.0% during incarceration. The majority of participants knew that smoking is a cause of lung cancer (96.0%) and heart disease (75.4%), and that it can be an addicting habit (97.5%). Seventy percent of tobacco users reported wanting to quit and 63.0% said they were planning to try to quit within the year. Because of the high interest in quitting, the researchers suggest that prisons are an ideal place for smoking cessation interventions, and that cessation services should be freely available to those who want to participate. Read the study abstract here.

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International

Secondhand smoke (SHS) exposures: Workplace exposures, related perceptions of SHS risk, and reactions to smoking in catering workers in smoking and nonsmoking premises (China)
According to a new study published in Nicotine and Tobacco Research, workplace smoking restrictions can predict secondhand smoke exposure, exposure-related risk perception, and protective behaviors. Researchers surveyed 204 nonsmoking catering workers from 67 smoking-permitted premises and 36 nonsmoking premises in Hong Kong to determine perceptions of risk and behavioral responses to secondhand smoke. Workers in smoking-permitted sites perceived poorer air quality at their worksite with higher associated risks than workers in nonsmoking premises. Those study participants who worked at nonsmoking premises were more bothered by nearby smoking, were more likely to take protective action against secondhand smoke exposure, and were at higher odds of discouraging smoking at home than those who worked in smoking permitted premises. These results suggest that restricting smoking in workplaces is important in decreasing occupational secondhand smoke exposure, improving workers’ health awareness, and encouraging them to protect themselves against secondhand smoke. Read more here.

Impact of smoke-free legislation on children's exposure to secondhand smoke: Cotinine data from the Health Survey for England (England)
A new study published in Tobacco Control shows that England’s 2007 ban on smoking in enclosed public spaces did not have adverse effects on children’s exposure to tobacco smoke despite predictions made by those opposed to the ban. Researchers used data from The Health Survey for England, a repeated cross-sectional survey, to assess children’s secondhand smoke exposure from 2006 to 2008. Results showed that 48% of children lived in smoke-free homes in 2008 compared to 35.5% in 2006 and 30.5% in 2007, prior to the implementation of the law. Researchers suggest that instead of displacing smoking into the home, the ban may have influenced some parents to create smoke-free homes. Read the abstract here.

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