Download Secondhand Smoke - Minnesota Department of Health

Alcohol and Tobacco Prevention and Control
PO Box 64882
St. Paul, MN 55164-0882
651-201-3535
www.health.mn.gov/secondhandsmoke
Secondhand Smoke
What is secondhand smoke?
Secondhand smoke is a complex mixture of chemicals
from smoke exhaled by someone who is smoking, as
well as smoke emitted from the lit end of tobacco
products, such as cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos or pipes.
Is secondhand smoke harmful?
Secondhand smoke causes early death and disease in
both children and adults who do not smoke.1 There is no
safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke; even brief
exposure can be harmful.1 Secondhand smoke contains
more than 7,000 chemicals, many of which are toxic,
and about 70 of which cause cancer.2
What are the health effects of secondhand
smoke exposure?
Adults exposed to secondhand smoke may experience:
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A greater risk for heart attack.2
Heart disease; secondhand smoke causes nearly
34,000 nonsmoker heart disease deaths annually.2
Lung cancer; secondhand smoke causes more than
7,300 nonsmoker lung cancer deaths annually.2
Stroke.2
While secondhand smoke harms both children and
adults, there is increased concern for children.
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Children are particularly vulnerable to the risks of
secondhand smoke as they are still growing.1
Children may have little control over their
surroundings and may not be able to avoid exposure
to secondhand smoke.
Children whose parent or guardian smokes in the
home or vehicle may be at increased risk for
secondhand smoke-related disease and illness.1
What is the impact of Freedom to Breathe?
The Freedom to Breathe provisions, which were added
to the Minnesota Clean Indoor Air Act on October 1,
2007, help protect workers and the public from the
health risks of secondhand smoke by prohibiting
smoking in nearly all indoor public places and places of
employment, including offices, restaurants and bars.
Locati on
Bar or tavern
Restaurant serving al cohol
Park or somewhere outdoors
Building e ntrance
Another pers on's home
Gambling Ve nue
Outdoor shoppi ng mall
Another pers on's car
Most rece nt exposure of Mi nnes otans to s econdhand s moke in community settings, by type of s etting
2007
2010
20.7%
7%
18.1%
4.7%
14.8%
20%
10.8%
19.5%
7.8%
15%
6.1%
9.9%
3.3%
5.4%
2.9%
6%
Children and infants exposed to secondhand smoke may
experience:
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A greater risk for sudden infant death syndrome
(SIDS);2 an estimated 430 babies die each year of
SIDS due to secondhand smoke.3
Frequent and severe asthma attacks.2
Respiratory infections, like pneumonia or
bronchitis.2
Respiratory symptoms like coughing, sneezing,
wheezing, and shortness of breath.2
Ear infections.2
Minnesota Adult Tobacco Survey, 2007 & 2010
The chart above shows in 2007, the most commonly
reported locations for community exposure to
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secondhand smoke were bars or taverns and restaurants
serving alcohol.4 The most commonly reported locations
in 2010 were parks or somewhere outdoors, followed by
a building entrances and another person’s home.5 The
changes from 2007 to 2010 likely reflect the addition of
Minnesota’s Freedom to Breathe provisions.5
Since enactment of Freedom to Breathe, Minnesotans
are more likely to be exposed to secondhand smoke in
community settings; the most commonly reported
location for community exposure is a park or somewhere
outdoors, followed by building entrances and another
person’s home.5
How many Minnesotans are still exposed to
secondhand smoke?
Progress in reducing youth secondhand smoke exposure
has slowed considerably in recent years; as shown
below, almost 30 percent of 5th graders, and nearly 40
percent of 11th graders report secondhand smoke
exposure within the last seven days.6 Youth with asthma
are also more likely than those without asthma to report
exposure to secondhand smoke.7
How can someone avoid secondhand smoke?
Despite smoke-free laws, such as the Minnesota Clean
Indoor Air Act, many children and families are still
exposed to secondhand smoke in homes, cars, outdoor
public places such as college campuses or parks, or
anytime they are around someone who is smoking.
Students
5th Grade
8th Grade
9th Grade
11th Grade
Any secondha nd s moke e xposure in la st seven days
27.5%
32.3%
35.4%
39.6%
Eliminating smoking indoors is the only way to fully
protect nonsmokers from secondhand smoke.1 Separate
“no smoking” sections, filtering air, or opening doors
and windows does not protect people from secondhand
smoke.1
What is secondhand aerosol?
Secondhand aerosol is a mixture of chemicals exhaled
by the user of an electronic cigarette (e-cigarette).
Minnesota Student Survey, 2013
More than one-third of Minnesota non-smoking adults
report secondhand smoke exposure within the last 7
days, and adults aged 18-24 are more likely to be
exposed to secondhand smoke in any location than any
other age group.8
Aerosols from some e-cigarettes contain harmful
chemicals known to cause cancer, as well as nicotine.9
Nicotine is highly addictive and known to harm the
developing adolescent brain.2 No amount of nicotine is
safe for youth.
E-cigarettes are not regulated by the FDA and the longterm health risks are unknown.
1
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke: A Report of the Surgeon
General. 2006.
2
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Smoking - 50 Years of Progress. A Report of the Surgeon General,
2014.
3 Minnesota Department of Health. Teens and Tobacco in Minnesota, 2011 Update, December 2011.
4 ClearWay Minnesota, Minnesota Department of Health, and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota. Creating a Healthier Minnesota: Progress in
Reducing Tobacco Use. Minneapolis, MN, September 2008.
5 ClearWay Minnesota, and Minnesota Department of Health. Tobacco Use in Minnesota: 2010 Update. Minneapolis, MN, February 2011.
6 Minnesota Student Survey, 2013
7 Minnesota Department of Health. Asthma in Minnesota: 2012 Epidemiology Report. St. Paul, MN, June 2012.
8 ClearWay Minnesota, and Minnesota Department of Health. Tobacco Use in Minnesota: 2014 Update. Minneapolis, MN, January 2015.
9 U.S. Food and Drug Administration - Division of Pharmaceutical Analysis. "Evaluation of e-cigarettes." May 4, 2009.
http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Drugs/scien-ceResearch/ucM173250.pdf (accessed December 6, 2013).
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