11/19/99

Second-Hand Smoke is Deadly

When entering a favorite restaurant for a meal patrons now are routinely asked "Smoking or nonsmoking?" Upon entering public buildings, smokers must extinguish their pipes, cigars, and cigarettes because smoking is no longer permitted inside. No-smoking legislation and policies have been adopted in response to the growing recognition that environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) poses a major health threat. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency estimates that 3000-4000 lung cancer deaths occur each year as a result of exposure to ETS. In addition, such smoke is responsible for many deaths from heart disease, as well as the development of coronary disease, impaired circulation, and asthma.

Environmental tobacco smoke is also known as second-hand smoke, involuntary smoke, and sidestream smoke. It is an aerosol similar to bug spray; it is comprised of invisible particles dispersed in gas. Tobacco smoke is classified as either main-stream or side-stream smoke. Main stream smoke is what a smoker inhales and then exhales back into the environment. Side-stream smoke is what comes from the burning end of a cigarette, cigar or pipe.

Research has shown that side-stream smoke is more dangerous than main-stream smoke for a number of reasons:

· Main-stream smoke is produced at a higher temperature than side-stream smoke, resulting in more complete combustion and fewer particles being released into the air;

· Side- stream smoke is continuous; a smoker averages 8-10 puffs on each cigarette, but the burning end emits smoke continuously;

· Main-stream smoke is filtered, sometimes twice; often, the cigarette has a filtered tip to trap some particles, and then the smoke is filtered by the smoker's lungs before it is exhaled back into the air. Side- stream smoke is not filtered at all;

· Side-stream smoke contains over 4000 chemicals, including at least 200 known poisons; 43 of those are know to cause cancer. (Some of the chemicals contained in ETS are nicotine, a deadly insecticide, carbon monoxide, found in car exhaust, cyanide, used to execute death row prisoners in gas chambers, and formaldehyde, used in embalming and preserving dead things.

Although over 2/3 of the people in the United States are non-smokers, approximately 1/3 continue to smoke. If you are a smoker, you can reduce the hazards of second-hand smoke for yourself and those around you by only smoking outdoors. If you have children, be sure to smoke away from them, because ETS carries additional risks for children, such as increased incidences of colds, ear infections, pneumonia, bronchitis, and asthma. Try not to smoke in a motor vehicle when carrying passengers. And finally, test for radon in your home. (Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, after smoking--the combination of the two is especially deadly.)

For further information on environmental tobacco smoke, contact the Central Connecticut Health District at 721-2822. Radon detection test kits are also available from the Health District at a cost of $7 each.