There are many sources that claim that secondhand smoke exposure isn't much to worry about. These sources say that occasional exposure is okay, because it won't kill a person.
In spite of continuing studies that prove that "passive smoking" is bad for people's health, there are just as many naysayers trying to refute the evidence. New studies are conducted routinely, and recently a new study was conducted by Dr. Ronald Crystal at Weill Cornell Medical College.
Secondhand Smoke Causes Genetic Changes
According to this study, exposure to secondhand smoke causes changes at a genetic level. These changes in cells are what ultimately lead to smoking-related diseases, such as lung cancer. The study did not determine if genes ultimately returned to normal after exposure to secondhand smoke had ended, but it did conclude that even minimal exposure can be harmful.
Few today would argue that smoking is bad. In fact, long-term smoking has been linked not only to lung cancer and emphysema but also to various other cancers and pregnancy-related problems. Cigarettes contain not only tobacco but also carbon monoxide and other dangerous carcinogenic chemicals such as ammonia and formaldehyde. Not many people would consider saying that smoking is okay to do, knowing these facts.
But the jury is once again out when it comes to secondhand smoke. Many people argue that there is no conclusive evidence that exposure to secondhand smoke is harmful, but studies continue to prove that it is bad for people. The United States Surgeon General in 2006 published a document entitled The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke: A Report of the Surgeon General, outlining the adverse health effects of exposure. Some people think that these risks aren't that important. But Crystal's study may lead people to now believe that any exposure - no matter how infrequent, no matter how limited - is bad for one's health.
Benefits of Quitting Smoking and Reducing Exposure to Secondhand Smoke
However, smokers are told time and time again that there are benefits, both short-term and long-term, to quitting smoking, and these benefits make it worth the effort. For example, quitting smoking significantly reduces a person's risks of suffering from heart disease, stroke, and lung cancer.
It is a fair conclusion to draw, therefore, that "quitting" secondhand exposure will probably also offer the same benefits to those exposed. In other words, reducing exposure to secondhand smoke would certainly be a benefit to people. But people first need to be convinced that secondhand smoke is indeed bad for their health.
Cynthia Jones-Shoeman - Cynthia (“Cindy”) Jones-Shoeman earned her MA in English from Colorado State University in 2007; her thesis was "Toni ...
