Tobacco - Health

By Jerry Price - Mar 13, 2006

Secondhand smoke is a serious problem. Scientists have established that it is a cause of disease in nonsmokers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that secondhand smoke causes 3,000 adult nonsmokers to die each year of lung cancer. Some experts point to secondhand smoke as a contributing factor in cardiovascular disease, which also results in many deaths each year. It is also known that in children younger than 18 months, “secondhand smoke causes 150,000 to 300,000 respiratory tract infections a year.” Children exposed to secondhand smoke are also more likely to experience asthma and ear infections. It has also been linked to about 60 of all cases of Sudden Infant Death syndrome.

A new product on the market is now revealing that people who thought they were safe from the effects of secondhand smoke may not be so safe after all. One woman with asthma had convinced her husband to smoke outside the house, thinking that made her safe. But when she tried TobacAlert, a simple home test that measures the level of cotinine—a by-product of the body’s reaction to nicotine—in the urine, she found that she registered a 2 on a scale of 6, only one notch below the level of a regular smoker. One possible explanation is that, while her husband did agree to smoke outside when they were home, there were times when she was exposed while they were in the same places together, such as the car socializing with friends or in local restaurants.

Deborah Marion of the Wellness Council of West Virginia uses a similar test, available to medical professionals, about 40 times per day. She says that it is sobering for smokers to see a numerical value of the exposure to their spouse or child.

“New Home Test Boosts Case Against Smoking,” http://www.washingtonpost.com , January 19, 2004 [Access fee required]

“Since 1964, 28 Surgeon General’s reports on smoking and health have concluded that tobacco use is the single most avoidable cause of disease, disability, and death in the United States. Over the past four decades, cigarette smoking has caused an estimated 12 million deaths, including 4.1 million deaths from cancer, 5.5 million deaths from cardiovascular diseases, 2.1 million deaths from respiratory diseases, and 94,000 infant deaths related to mothers smoking during pregnancy.

“Smokeless tobacco, cigars, and pipes also have deadly consequences, including lung, larynx, esophageal, and oral cancers. Low-tar cigarettes and other tobacco products are not safe alternatives.

“The harmful effects of smoking do not end with the smoker. Babies of women who smoke during pregnancy are more likely to have lower birth weights, an increased risk of death from sudden infant death syndrome, and respiratory distress. In addition, secondhand smoke has harmful effects on nonsmokers. Each year, primarily because of exposure to secondhand smoke, an estimated 3,000 nonsmoking Americans die of lung cancer, and more than 35,000 die of heart disease.

“An estimated 150,000-300,000 children younger than 18 months of age have lower respiratory tract infections because of exposure to secondhand smoke.”

The Burden of Tobacco Use in Targeting Tobacco Use: The Nation’s Leading Cause of Death, (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) [Accessed December 6, 2005]

Tobacco smoke contains around 4,000 different chemicals. Many of them are poisonous and some can cause cancer. Some of the main components are:

  • Nicotine—a powerful, addictive drug. It increases the heart rate and blood pressure, and affects mood and behavior. Nicotine is also an insecticide.
  • Tar—many of the substances in tar are known to cause cancer. It can also damage the lungs.
  • Carbon monoxide—a gas that takes the place of oxygen in the bloody, making the lungs less efficient and stopping cells and tissues from getting the oxygen they need to work properly. Carbon monoxide is the poisonous gas found in car exhaust fumes.
  • Benzine—a poisonous gas found in petrol fumes, known to cause leukemia
  • Ethanol—used in anti-freeze
  • Ammonia—used in anti-personnel spray and cleaning products
  • Formaldehyde—an embalming fluid
  • Hydrogen cyanide—an industrial pollutant
  • Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)—a cancer-causing chemical also found in diesel exhaust and other combustion products.

Adapted from What’s In Second-Hand Smoke? (Giving Up Smoking) [Accessed November 1, 2005]

Quitting for good takes preparation and commitment. Maybe even several tries. Experts offer these tips:

  • Think about why you want to quit. Decide for sure that you want to quit and promise yourself you will do it—no matter what.
  • Find reasons that are important to you, such as your health, obligations to others, saving time now used for cigarette breaks, saving money, or setting a better example for your children. Make a list. Keep it where you will see it often.
  • Knowing what triggers you to smoke will help you fight the urge when tempted.
  • Talk to your doctor or go to your local pharmacy for over-the-counter medicines such as the nicotine patch, nicotine gum, or nicotine lozenges.
  • Consider a smoking cessation program.
  • Set a date. Make a commitment.

“Smoke That Habit for Good,” Living Healthy, (AAA Going Places Magazine) [Accessed October 31, 2005]

Further Learning

Learn more about: Family, Addictions, Substance Abuse