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| Effects Of Second Hand Smoking |
Question:
What are the effects of second hand smoking on non-smokers?
Answer:
A Japanese study on the effects of second-hand smoke suggests that
inhaling smoke from someone else's cigarette for just 30 minutes can
impair normal blood flow to the heart.
The study found that smokers, whose heart arteries already showed
damage, were not affected by second-hand smoke.
However, heart arteries in non-smokers had difficulty dilating -- a
condition that previous research suggests leads to hardening of the
arteries.
The illnesses caused by second hand smoke are the same ones as those
caused by primary smoke. Additionally, smokers are exposed to second
hand smoke as well as primary smoke. So, you will probably have trouble
finding reliable data about second hand smoke.
Another problem is that some of the illnesses caused by both types of
smoke take a long time to manifest themselves. Due to the general
increase in average lifespans in the last century, more of these slowly
developing illnesses are now having an opportunity to cause deaths.
Even, Philip Morris says ...
"We also believe that the conclusions of public health officials
concerning environmental tobacco smoke are sufficient to warrant
measures that regulate smoking in public places. We also believe that
where smoking is permitted, the government should require the posting of
warning notices that communicate public health officials' conclusions
that secondhand smoke causes disease in non-smokers."
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