(a) Non-smoker's lungs
(b) Exposed to second-hand smoke
(c) Smoker's lungs
The chief researcher said:
"Almost one-third of nonsmokers who had been exposed to secondhand cigarette smoke for a long time developed these structural changes."***The researchers found that almost one-third of the non-smokers with high exposure to secondhand smoke had structural changes in their lungs similar to those found in the smokers. "We interpreted those changes as early signs of lung damage, representing very mild forms of emphysema," said [researcher] Wang.
Restaurant workers exposed to tobacco smoke on the job were more likely to have a detectable level of NNK, a carcinogen implicated in the development of lung cancer, than those who worked in tobacco-free environments.http://www.scienceda...
Bar workers in Scotland showed significant improvements in respiratory symptoms and lung function within 2 months following a ban on smoking in confined public places, according to a study in the October 11 issue of JAMA.***The researchers found that a total of 79.2 percent (n = 61) of the bar workers experienced respiratory or sensory symptoms before the introduction of the smoke-free policy, whereas 1 month afterward, 53.2 percent (n = 41) reported these symptoms, a decline of 26 percent. At 2 months after introduction of the smoke-free policy, this improvement was maintained, with 46.8 percent of participants reporting any symptom (a decrease of 32.4 percent from baseline). There were also improvements on certain measurements of lung function and reductions in serum cotinine (metabolized nicotine) levels. Asthmatic bar workers also had less airway inflammation and an increase in quality of life scores.
Additional studies show:
ScienceDaily (Jun. 27, 2006) - U.S. Surgeon General Richard H. Carmona today issued a comprehensive scientific report which concludes that there is no risk-free level of exposure to secondhand smoke. Nonsmokers exposed to secondhand smoke at home or work increase their risk of developing heart disease by 25 to 30 percent and lung cancer by 20 to 30 percent.
Based on preliminary results, the study authors found that elderly people with high lifetime exposure to secondhand smoke were approximately 30 percent more likely to develop dementia than those with no lifetime secondhand smoke exposure. High exposure was defined as more than 30 years of exposure to secondhand smoke.
Incidentally, the researchers in the lead story all have some sort of UVA connection - to that institution's Department of Radiology. And, in the interests of fair reporting, one article quoted a spokeswoman/assistant professor at Johns Hopkins who said more study is needed. http://www.webmd.com...