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Is there conclusive evidence that exposure to second-hand smoke causes heart disease or cancer?
Wiki User
∙ 7y ago
OPINION (see facts below) There is absolutely no proven evidence that cigarette smoking alone causes cancer or that secondhand smoke causes cancer. There are more environmental issues (car exhaust, pollution of the air in general) that can cause lung cancer and not all people get lung cancer or die from smoking or pollution of the air). Some people have worked in mining (dust from coal or other type of mines can cause lung cancer) and asbestos was another cancer causing agent as well as lead paint. People don't realize that the glues and yes, even the fabrics in some new carpets can lead to cancer, Allergies, etc., in SOME people. I phoned the B.C. Lung Assoc., and asked for their stats on cigarette related deaths and also stats linked to cancer. They were eager to give me the stats, but when I asked where they got their stats they said (I have it on tape) "Oh, these are just guesstimates." Not good enough! This was a prime time for "secondhand smoke" to come into the picture. Think! For years people smoked around others and there were no repercussions from this. Someone planted a seed in non-smokers minds and if the non-smokers and instead of the non-smokers looking at the whole picture and took on the total environment as a whole and spent more time on it instead of going after the smokers our environment would be almost pristine by now. Then I phoned MADD (Mother's Against Drunk Driving) and asked for their stats to related deaths due to drunk drivers and they came up with the perfect proven stats (get it from the police departments) with no nonsense. If we want a smoke-free society (will never happen in this generation) then we need to tell the truth and not give guesstimates. Is cigarette smoking good for you? No! Is drinking or over-eating good for you? No! I say, everything in moderation.
THE ABOVE IS OPINION NOT FACT (I have not edited it to avoid accusations of censorship). Please read on, then judge for yourself whether such opinions are responsible.
While I agree that everything should be taken in moderation and that we should do much more about environmental pollution, the defence of tobacco puts forward dangerously biased and wrong opinions about smoking and secondhand smoke.
There is a lot of evidence (decades worth) that smoking causes cancer and a lot of evidence that secondhand smoke is also dangerous. I have put a tiny fraction of well known research below just to emphasise this point.
In my opinion, it is irresponsible to suggest that there is NO evidence when clearly there is an overwhelming amount, all pointing to the many dangers of tobacco with regard to cancers (many types of cancer) Heart disease, eye problems, joint problems, respiratory disorders, throat disorders, sudden infant death, etc etc etc
- Doll, R. and R. Peto, Epidemiology of Cancer. Oxford Textbook of Medicine, ed. D. Warrell, et al. 2003, Oxford: OUP.
- IARC, IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans: Tobacco smoke and involuntary smoking. . Vol. 83. 2004, Lyon: IARCPress.
- Sasco, A., et al., Tobacco smoking and cancer: a brief review of the epidemiological evidence. Lung Cancer, 2004. 45: p. S3-S9.
- Peto, R., et al., Mortality from smoking in developed countries, 1950-2000. . 2nd ed. 2005, Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Vollset, S. E., et al., Smoking and deaths between 40 and 70 years of age in women and men. Ann Intern Med, 2006. 144(6): p. 381-9.
- A study by the Royal College of Physicians showed that about 17,000 children in the UK are admitted to hospital every year because of illnesses caused by second-hand smoke: Royal College of Physicians, Smoking and the Young. 1992.
- A thorough overview of the dangers is published here: Department of Health, Secondhand smoke: Review of evidence since 1998. Scientific Committee on Tobacco and Health 2004.
I could cite about 200 more but stop here because I hope the point is made.
Wiki User
∙ 7y ago
Wiki User
∙ 14y agoIt is possible for secondhand smoke to harm people. Usually, smoke can damage a person's lungs.
Wiki User
∙ 13y agoYes,it can.:(:):(
Yes, stay away from smoking people, if you can't, use a ventilator to disperse the smoke.
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoyes because smoking only 1 person inhales the smoke but second hand smoking is more dangerous because people around inhales the smoke aswell which affects their health also .
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Does passive smoking cause respiratory problems and increase the risk of heart disease and lung cancer in nonsmokers?
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Inhaling secondhand smoke increases a person's risk of developing heart disease by what percent?
25 to 30 %
What is Inhaling secondhand smoke increases a person's risk of developing heart disease by what percent?
25% to 30%
What year did the surgeon general link secondhand smoke to lung cancer and respiratory disease in nonsmokers?
1975
