Exposure
To Secondhand Smoke Widespread
According to a study conducted by the Department of
Health and Human Services' Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that was
released on April 23, 1996, nearly 9 out of 10 nonsmoking Americans are exposed to
environmental tobacco smoke (ETS, or secondhand smoke), as measured by the levels of
cotinine in their blood.
The data, reported by the CDC in the Journal of the
American Medical Association, shows measurable levels of cotinine in the blood of 88%
of all nontobacco users. The presence of cotinine, a chemical the body metabolizes from
nicotine, is documentation that a person has been exposed to tobacco smoke. Serum cotinine
levels can be used to estimate nicotine exposure over the last 2 to 3 days.
"This study documents for the first time the
widespread exposure of people in the United States to environmental tobacco smoke. This
new information will be critical in estimating the extent of related disease and
developing effective public health strategies," said David Satcher, M.D., Ph.D.,
Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Although this study itself did not address the health
effects of environmental tobacco smoke, the 1993 report from the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA), a comprehensive analysis of many respiratory studies on the health effects
of ETS, concluded that ETS caused lung cancer in adult nonsmokers and serious respiratory
problems in children. On the basis of health hazards of ETS, EPA has classified secondhand
smoke as a Group A carcinogen (known to cause cancer in humans).
Blood samples used in this study were taken from more
than 10,000 participants in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
(NHANES III) from 1988-1991. This survey, conducted by CDC's National Center for Health
Statistics, provides nationally representative data on the health status of the U. S.
population through physical examinations and medical interviews.
NHANES collected data to estimate the extent of exposure
of the U.S. population to ETS and to examine the contribution of the home and workplace
environment to ETS exposure. CDC's National Center for Environmental Health conducted the
laboratory analysis of the serum samples and analysis of the data.
Questionnaire data from NHANES III on reported exposure
to ETS show that 43% of U.S. children (aged 2 months - 11 years) lived in a home with at
least one smoker, and that 37% of adult nontobacco users lived in a home with a smoker or
reported exposure to ETS at work.
Both the number of smokers in the household and the hours
exposed at work were associated with increased serum cotinine levels. Data from NHANES III
also revealed that the cotinine levels, and, therefore, exposure to ETS was higher among
children, non-Hispanic blacks, and men.
Related Links
Taking Action Against Secondhand
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