Eliminating secondhand smoke is something to celebrate
By: David Luehr, M.D.
As of June 1, all work sites and other indoor public spaces in Carlton County will be smoke-free. The State of Minnesota will enact The Freedom to Breathe Act, which also covers all work sites on October 1, 2007. Minnesota joins 19 other states that have already gone smoke-free. The smoke-free ordinance will eliminate secondhand smoke in restaurants, bars and other public places. This will have a positive impact on the health of many people. The dangers of secondhand smoke are well documented. There have been literally hundreds of scientific studies showing that cigarettes are toxic to bystanders as well as to smokers. According to the American Heart Association, secondhand smoke contains more than 4,000 chemicals and at least 40 known carcinogens. These chemicals linger in the air hours after cigarettes have been extinguished. In a 2006 report, the U.S. Surgeon General concluded that scientific evidence indicates that there is no safe amount of exposure to secondhand smoke. It is harmful, even in the smallest amounts. Lung cancer Coronary disease and heart attack Breathing secondhand smoke has immediate harmful effects on the cardiovascular system that can increase the risk of heart attack. People who already have heart disease are at especially high risk. Children are affected by secondhand smoke Asthma is the leading chronic childhood illness in the United States. According to the American heart Association, children under the age of five who are exposed to maternal smoking are more than twice as likely to develop asthma when compared to children who are not exposed to secondhand smoke. Exposure to secondhand smoke can increase the frequency and severity of symptoms in a child with asthma. Secondhand smoke also increases a baby's risk for respiratory diseases such as bronchitis and pneumonia. It may cause fluid build-up in the middle ear. Babies whose mothers smoke while pregnant and babies who are exposed to secondhand smoke are at increased risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Mothers who smoke or who are exposed to secondhand smoke while pregnant have a greater risk of having a low-birth weight baby. Babies with low birth weight are weaker and more susceptible to health problems. Secondhand smoke appears to have a negative impact on brain development. A 2005 study published by the National Institute of Health in its “Environmental Health Perspectives,” found that exposure to secondhand smoke in children six to 16 years old was strongly associated with decreased cognitive ability. The study's findings showed that children exposed to even low levels of tobacco smoke within the last five days scored lower on standardized tests than children not exposed to secondhand smoke. There is no disputing that fact that secondhand smoke – in any amount – is harmful. Eliminating secondhand smoke from work places and other public buildings will have a positive impact on the health of our community. This will be a cumulative effect. The longer people are free from breathing secondhand smoke, the fewer incidents we will see of the harmful, health-related illnesses associated with it. Going smoke-free in Carlton County is something worth celebrating.
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