Smoking other people's may do harm

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 4, Issue 44, 21 April 1987, Page 9

Smoking other people's may do harm

When you smoke cigarettes you may harm not only yourself but also those you love. The is the conclusion of an Australian governmental report which suggests that passive or enforced smoking, that is breathing in cigarette smoke produced by others, may be harmful. The Health Department's Principal Medical Officer for health promotion, Dr Murray Laugesen said recently, that the evidence of the dangers of passive smoking is now weighty enough for official action to be taken to protect the public's health. The Canberra report from the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council reviewed research on passive or enforced smoking, he said.

"Some of the 2000 chemicals found in tobacco smoke are known to cause cancer; chemicals can be found in the bodies of non-smokers after breathing secondhand smoke; and the risk increases with amount of smoke exposure," Dr Laugesen said. "The Council finds that many chemicals are found in greater concentration in sidestream or second-hand smoke than in mainstream smoke. The effects of second-hand smoke are best documented for children. Enforced or passive smoke lowers a baby's birthweight, increases infancy death risks and the risk of lung disease in infancy," he said. "Evidence of the effects on adults is not yet as comprehensive as with mainstream active smoking, but is now "strongly suggestive"

that passive or enforced smoking causes lung cancer. " The report concluded that the evidence was now weighty enough to recommend that the authorities educate and regulate to protect the public health, particularly in the workplace, and in enclosed public places such as hospitals, restaurants and transport. "In New Zealand the Toxic Substances Board may be approached to rule on the dangers of secondhand smoking. The Board can recommend restrictions under the Toxic Substances Act, which specifically includes tobacco," Dr Laugesen said. "The Australian report is one more coffin nail in a dying habit. The SmokeFree Week helped smokers; this report helps nonsmokers to also become smoke-free. It will encourage more people to ask for smoke-free eating places,

working conditions and transport." Passive or enforced smoking did not carry risks as great as for ordinary mainstream smoking, but secondhand smoke affected more people, smokers and nonsmokers, and particiilarly babies and toddlers. "The department is circulating this report for the information of public health and consumer agencies," said Dr Laugesen