U.S. report promotes smoke-free buildings

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U.S. report promotes smoke-free buildings

Updated Tue. Jun. 27 2006 11:36 PM ET

 

CTV.ca News Staff

 

There is no risk-free level of exposure to second-hand smoke -- and the only

way to protect nonsmokers is to ban smoking completely in office buildings

and public places, concludes a report by the U.S. Surgeon-General.

 

"The scientific evidence is now indisputable: second-hand smoke is not a

mere annoyance," Surgeon-General Richard Carmona told a news conference

Tuesday in Washington.

 

"It is a serious health hazard that can lead to disease and premature death

in children and nonsmoking adults."

 

Carmona's long-awaited report estimates that 126 million non-smoking

Americans are at an increased risk of death from lung cancer, heart disease

and other illnesses due to their exposure to second-hand smoke.

 

The report said designated smoking areas don't work -- and that a workplace

ban is necessary.

 

Carmona has been a longtime opponent of smoking who endorsed banning tobacco

products during congressional testimony in 2003.

 

Children

 

But Carmona is especially concerned about young children who can't escape

the drifting smoke from their parents' habits.

 

Just over one in five children is exposed to second-hand smoke at home. The

report finds those children are at increased risk of:

 

SIDS, or sudden infant death syndrome;

lung infections such as pneumonia;

ear infections; and

more severe asthma.

In a preface to the report, Carmona wrote that at least 60 percent of U.S.

nonsmokers show signs of exposure to second-hand smoke.

 

"Nonsmokers need protection through the restriction of smoking in public

places and workplaces and by a voluntary adherence to policies at home,

particularly to eliminate exposures of children," he wrote.

 

The report reinforces the 1964 Surgeon General's report that resulted in

mandatory cigarette warnings and restrictions on advertising, forcing

tobacco companies to detail the health effects of second-hand smoke on

labels.

 

The report isn't a new study -- rather a compilation of what's considered

the best research on secondhand smoke.

 

Doctors call for smoke-free Canada

 

On the heels of the report's release, Canadian health and labour

organizations called on the federal minister of labour to ban smoking in all

public workplaces.

 

Several Canadian provinces have passed such laws, but Canadians who work for

the federal government, for banks, telecommunications or other

federally-regulated sectors are not covered by these laws.

 

"The only federal law governing smoking in the workplace, the 1989

Non-Smokers' Health Act, is now badly out of date and needs to be replaced

with a complete ban on smoking in all workplaces under federal jurisdiction

-- with no ifs, ands or butts," said Neil Collishaw, research director at

Physicians for a Smoke-Free Canada.

 

"As a result, many federally regulated workers continue to be exposed to

second hand smoke on a regular basis."

 

Ontario is the latest province to ban smoking in public spaces, joining

eight other provinces and territories.

 

Dubbed the "Smoke-Free Ontario Act," legislation that went into effect in

May bans smoking in public places -- including offices, restaurants, bars

and covered patios -- and supersedes a patchwork of local bylaws in cities

such as Toronto and Ottawa.

 

B.C., Alberta, PEI and the Yukon are the only provinces and territories that

don't have a comprehensive or territory-wide ban.

 

"Fewer Canadians are starting to smoke, rates of smoking among all Canadians

are going down, and it's harder and harder for people to smoke in public

places and be exposed to second-hand smoke," said Stephen Samis, director of

health policy for the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada.

 

"I think we are a world leader in this area, both in terms of smoke and

second-hand smoke, " said Murray Gibson of the Manitoba Tobacco Reduction

Alliance.

 

In the U.S., 17 states have passed what are considered comprehensive

smoke-free workplace laws, those that include restaurants and bars.

 

Hospitality industry

 

Many bar and restaurant owners cried foul when the Ontario law came into

effect, calling the restrictions extreme and saying they will cost

businesses millions of dollars and infringe on the rights of smokers.

 

But Tuesday's report also says there's good evidence that comprehensive

smoking bans don't economically hurt the hospitality industry.

 

In fact, they study cites an in-depth analysis of California tax revenue

data from 1990 to 2002, which found that the 1995 stateRwide smoke-free

restaurant law was associated with an increase in restaurant revenues.

 

The study also found that the 1998 statewide smoke-free bar law was

associated with an increase in bar revenues.

 

Among other findings:

 

Second-hand smoke can act so quickly on the arteries that even brief

exposure can endanger people at high risk of heart disease. Carmona advises

to never smoke around a sick relative.

Living with a smoker increases a nonsmoker's risk of lung cancer and heart

disease by up to 30 percent.

Homes and workplaces are the predominant locations for exposure to

second-hand smoke.

Workplace smoking restrictions are effective in reducing secondhand smoke

exposure.

With a report from CTV's Jill Macyshon and files from The Associated Press