Lorillard
Passive Smoking Mortality A Review and Preliminary Risk Assessment
Fields
- Author
- Wells, A.J.
- Area
- EXECUTIVE FILE ROOM
- Alias
- 92757010/92757027
- Type
- SCRT, SCIENTIFIC REPORT
- BIBL, BIBLIOGRAPHY
- CHAR, CHART/GRAPH/MAPS
- BIBL, BIBLIOGRAPHY
- Site
- N105
- Recipient (Organization)
- Air Pollution Control Assn
- Named Person
- Blot, W.J.
- Brown
- Buckley
- Cantor, K.P.
- Chan
- Colditz, G.A.
- Correa
- Edelman, N.H.
- Fisher, E.B.
- Friedman
- Garfinkel, L.
- Garland
- Gillis
- Hammond
- Hiller, F.C.
- Hirayama
- Kabat
- Knoth
- Koo
- Miller
- Repace, J.L.
- Samet, J.M.
- Sandler
- Sandler, D.P.
- Speizer, F.E.
- Svendsen
- Trichopoulos
- Vandenbroucke
- Wu
- Wynder
- Brown
- Date Loaded
- 05 Jun 1998
- Document File
- 92756800/92757104/Ets - Indoor Air Quality@ 92756801/92757074/Environmental Tobacco Smoke
- Request
- R1-003
- R1-004
- Litigation
- Stmn/Produced
- Master ID
- 92756991/7027
Related Documents:- 92756991-6993 Taxes / Indoor Air Quality
- 92756994 Subcommittee on Natural Resources, Agriculture Research and Environment Hearing on Residential Radon Contamination and Indoor Air Quality Research Needs Witness List
- 92756995-7009 Testimony on Passive Smoking Mortality A Review and Preliminary Risk Assessment by A. Judson Wells, Ph.D. Vice Chairman National Council for Clean Indoor Air Before the Natural Resources, Agriculture Research and Environment Subcommittee of the Committee on Science and Technology U. S. House of Representatives
- Named Organization
- American Lung Assn
- Office of Smoking + Health
- UCSF Legacy ID
- iyh70e00
Document Images
A PPt-AJ ~ j X
PASSIVE SMOKING MORTALITY
A REVIEW AND PRELIMINARY RISK ASSESSMENT
A. Judson Wells, Ph.D.
Presented at the 79th Annual Meeting
Air Pollution Control Association
Minneapolis, Minnesota
June 24, 1986
Includes minor updatino
through September 16,1986

86-80.6
INTRODUCTION
In 1981 when Hirayamal and Trichopoulas, et al.2, first published
their studies associating passive smoking with lung cancer, and
in the years immediately following, there was considerable
controversy and skepticism that such an effect could indeed be
real. However, as more papers appeared and many of the earlier
issues were resolved, there now appears to be a growing concensus
among epidemiologists that passive smoking does indeed cause lung
cancer, or at least that there is a strong association. 't.awrence
Garfinkel, who was one of the most quoted early skeptics, and his
coworkers have recently published a paper3 In which they find a
statistically significant doubling of lung cancer risks for women
married to smokers of 40 or more cigarettes per day compared to
women married to nonsmokers. A dose response relationship was
confirmed. Also there is now little disagreement that the number
of U.S. deaths from lung cancer associated with passive smoking
probab l y l i es w i th i n the 500 to 5000 range suggested by Repace
and Lowrey's risk assessment4.
In 1983 papers started to appear associating passive smoking with
deaths from other cancers, chronic bronchitis, emphysema and
heart disease. These papers, like the earlier lung cancer
papers, have attracted debate, but more recent papers support
rather than refute the earlier ones, indicating that a consensus
eventually may be reached in this broader area as well.
I t i s the purpose of th i s paper to present a summary of the
epidemiological literature on passive smoking for four major
disease categories, namely, lung cancer, other cancer, emphysema,
and heart disease, to discuss differences in disease patterns
observed between direct and passive smoking and the probable
reasons therefor, and to assess at least in a preliminary way the
significance of these findings on expected deaths from passive
smoking If the underlying epidemiological results turn out to be
correct. Because of the many specialties involved in such a
calculation, namely, epidemiology, statistics, population
estifiates of passive smokers, aerosol deposition theory, lung
structure, chemistry and carcinogenesis, it is not possible In a
paper of this scope to give a detailed and sophisticated
explanation of each step. Nonetheless, the estimates made Lre
believed to be the most probable numbers considering the data now
available although it must be realized that the confidence limits
are still broad because of the uncertainties that exist at every
step. The objective here is to determine the probable future
extent of the public health risk from passive smoking if the
trend in the epidemiological results continues along the lines it
has taken since 1981.
METH00§
The epidemiological literature was searched primarily through the
2

86-80.6
publications of the U.S. Government's Office of Smoking and
Health5,6 which also provided a printout of all of its documents
on passive smoking from 1970 through 1982. In addition many
references were received directly from workers In the field. The
scope of the Inquiry included all papers that contained original
data on adult, nonsmoker mortality or cancer morbidity from
passive smoking. All of these papers are iisted'in the
subsequent tables or text. From these papers those pertaining to
lung cancer, other cancer, emphysema and heart diseRse were
selected for analysis and calculation of death rates. "
Because some of the papers have rather glaring weaknesses, four
criteria were used to admit data to the death rate calculations:
1. Retrospective studies should have controls.
2. Observations should be based on exposure beyond five years.
3. A study should not have serious Internal inconsistencies.
4. Sufficient data should be presented to allow the calculation
of a variance.
For the eleven studies that met these criteria a relative risk
for each disease and sex was estimated (to the extent data were
available) by averaging over all exposures Including exposure to
ex-smokers, light, medium and heavy smokers. Combined relative
risks for each disease category were calculated by a meta-
analysis technique which weights the individual relative risks by
the Inverse of the variances7. No other. weighting of the
accepted studies was attempted. Some of the cancer papers
reported morbidity relative risks rather than mortality relative
risks. However, an estimate based on published data8 indicates
that five year survival rates for both exposed and unexposed
cases are similar. Therefore, the incidence ratios were used as
good approximations to the mortality ratios. The method used to
calculate possible deaths from the combined relative risks in the
preliminary risk assessment Is described under that heading.
RESULTS
Epidemioloav
There are eighteen studies now available that bear on adult
mortality or cancer morbidity from passive smoking.
Luna Cancer - Female. Table Ia lists the papers on female lung
cancer. Shown Is the lead author on the paper, the locale of the
study, the number of cases, the relative risk for the highest
exposure (in most cases 20 or more cigarettes per day smoked by a
spouse) and the two-tail p-value for that exposure, a relative
risk for all exposures combined, including exposure to ex-smokers
if those data are available, and a two-tail p-value for that
exposure. A one-tail p-value for a Mantel extension test for
trend is shown if available.
3

J
TABLE i a
RELATIVE RISKS: LUNG CANCER FROM PASSIVE SMOKING
Exposed Highest
Exposure
All Exposures
Mantel'Trend
F
l Locale Cases R/R 2-Tail p R/R 95% C.L. 1-Tail p
ema
es
Cohort Studies:
Hirayama20
Japan
163
1.9
0.002
1.6
1.1- 2.2
0.002
Garfinkelll U. S. 88 1.1 - 1.2 0. 8- 1.6 -
Gillis, et al.13 Scotland 6 - - 1.1 0.2-5.6 -
Combined Cohort 257 1.34 1.1-1.7
Case Control:
Trichopculos, et al10Greece 53 2.6 0.19 2.1 1.2 - 3.6 0.005
Correa, et a1.12 Louisiana 14 3.5 0.017 2.1 0.8 - 5.2
~ 14
Koo
et a1 Hon
Kon 64 - - 1.3 0.7-2.3 -
w .
,
Sandler, et a1.15 g
g
N. Carolina
2
-
-
inf.
Garfinkel, et al.3 U. S. 73 2.0 0.05 1.3 0.8-1.9 0.025
Combined C/C 206 1.54 1. 2- 2.0
Combined Cohort & C/C 463 1.44 1.2 - 1.7
Males
Cohort Studies:
Hirayama 20
Japan
~
2.3
0.16
2.2
1.1- 4.8
0.023
Gillis, et a1.13
Scotland 33 07-164
.
Combined Cohort 11 2.5 1.2 - 5.2
Case Control:
Correa, et al. 12
Louisiana
2
-
-
2.0
0.4-10.0
Combined Cohort & C/C 13 2.5 1.3 - 4.7
Ej0LStZ6

TABLE Ib
RELATIVE RISKS: LUNG CANCER FROM PASSIVE SMOKING
Highest
d Exposure
E
All Exposures
Mantel Trend
Locale xpose
Cases R/R 2-Tail p R/R 95% C.L. 1-Tail p
Rejected Studies
Case Control:
Knoth, et a1.16
W. Germany
24 - -
2.5
1.0- 6.4
(no controls)
Chan, et a1.17
Hong Kong
34 - -
0.8
0.4 - 1.3
~ (current exp. only)
Kabat and Wynderl8
Cr
Females
U.S.
33 - -
0.5
0.2 - 1.2
Males U.S. 20 - - 3.7 1.1-12.7
(current exp. only)
Wu, et a1.19
California
? - -
1.2
?
(insufficient data)
Data from Dr. Kabat re Kabat and Wynder18
Females Males
Exposure Cases Controls Cases Controls
Never 20 13 5 12
Work only 17 23 14 10
Home only 7 9 2 2
Work & home 9 8 4 1
Total Exposed n + 2U 13
ViaZscZb

86-80.6
There are eight studies that pass the aforementioned criteria.
Trichopoulos, et al. 10, have a numerical error In the calculation
of relative risks. The values for 1-20 and 21+ cigarettes per
day should be 1.95 and 2.55 instead of 2.4 and 3.4, respectively.
The value in Tabiela-of 2.1 Is a weighted average of exposure to
ex-smokers as well as to the two categories of smokers. Koo, et
al. 14, report on exposures both at home and at work. The work
exposures for nonsmokers average only 2.0 years so these data
were rejected for being less than five years. Data for exposures
at home and at home plus work are combined here to"*.give the
relative risk of 1. 3 shown in Table Ia. The Sandler, et a1.15 ,
paper was directed largely at total cancer, but they did pick up
two lung cancer cases among nonsmokers. These were determined to
be female per private communication from Dr. Sandier.
Four of the eight lung cancer studies (Trichopoulos, et al.10_,
Correa, et al. 12, Koo, et al. 14, and Sandier, et al.15 ) are
dise se Incidence studies; Hirayama4, Garfinkelll and Gillis, at
al.~3, are mortal ity studies. Garfinkel, et ai.3 , is mixed.
Since there is no reason to believe that the very low survival
rate from lung cancer is significantly different for nonexposed
and exposed cases, the incidence relative risks were used as
mortality relative risks.
There are four studies that do not pass the criteria, namely,
Knoth et al.16, which is a case study with no controls, Chan, et
a l. 1~, and Kabat and Mlynder 1g wh i ch are for current exposure
only, and Wu, et al. 19, which does not report the number of cases
and hence does not ai low the calculation of a variance. The
relative risks and significance data for Knoth, Chan and Kabat
and Wynder were calculated from data In the papers and from data
In a private communication from Dr. Kabat.
L uno Cancer - Ma l e. As shown i n Tab l e Ia there are three
acceptable passive smoking studies of nonsmoking males with lung
cancer. The total of exposed cases is small but the data are
consistent. Combined relative risk is 2.5 and p=0.009.
Inclusion of the three rejected female studies for which
variances can be calculated and the one rejected male study would
raise the combined male relative risk for lung cancer to about
2.7 and would lower the female relative risk to about 1.42.
These changes would change the overall death date for lung cancer
from passive smoking only slightly and In an upward direction.
Other Cancer - Female. There are now four studies relating
passive smoking to cancer other than lung or to total cancer In
females (see Table IIa). This relatively new area is more
important in terms of potential number of deaths from passive
smoking than is lung cancer because the relative risks are In the
same range while the underlying death rates for non-smokers are
many times higher. The relative risk shown for Hirayama in
5

TABLE IIa
RELATIVE RISKS: CANCER OTHER THAN LUNG FROM PASSIVE SMOKING
Highest
Exposed Exposure
All Exposures
Mantel Trend
l Locale Cases R/R 2-Tail p R/R 95% C.L. 1-Tail p
Fema
es
Cohort Studies:
Hirayama 9 Japan 1879 1.11 0.055 1.08 1.0 - 1.2 0.05
Gillis, et al.13 Scotland 33 - - 1.2 0.6-2.5 -
Combined Cohort 1912 1.1 1.0 - 1.2
Case Control:
Miller 21
Penna.
66
1.9
1.1 - 3.4
et al.15
Sandler N. Carolina 113 2.0 1.3 - 3.0
rn
0 ,
Combined C/C
179
2.0
1.4-2.7
Combined Cohort & C/C 2091 1.56 1.3 - 1.9
Males
Gillis, et a1.13 Scotland 2 0.6 0.1 - 2.7
Sandler, et a1.15 N. Carolina 5 1.5 0.4-5.7
Combined Cohort & C/C 7 0.9
9t0LSL46

TABLE IIb
RELATIVE RISKS FROM PASSIVE SMOKING
ISCHEMIC HEART DISEASE, EMPHYSEMA AND CHRONIC BRONCHITIS
Highest
osed Exposure
Ex
All Exposures
Mantel Trend
p
Locale Cases R/R 2-Tail p R/R 95% C.L. 1-Tail p
Heart Dis. - Female
Cohort Studies:
Hirayama9
Japan
240 1.3
0.038
1.16
0.9 - 1.4
0.02
Gillis, et a1.13 Scotland 19 - - 3.6 0.9-13.8
Garland, et al.22 California 17 - - 3.5 0.9-13.6
rn Combined 276 1.27 1.0 - 1.6
Heart Dis. - Male
Cohort Studies:
Gillis, et al.13
Scotland
14 -
-
1.3
0.7 - 2.6
Svendsen, et al.23 U.S. (MRFIT) 5 - - 2.1 0.7 - 6.2
Emphysema and Chr.
Bronc it s - Female
Cohort Study:
Hirayama9
Japan
102 1.6
0.08
1.4
0.9 - 2.1
0.05
LTOLSLZ6

86-80.6
Table IIa of 1.08 is obtained by combinfng his values for higher
and lower exposures. The Mtller'1 result is for total cancer.
bur interest here is in a relative risk for cancer other than
lung, not total cancer. However, according to the calculation
described later, less than 3% of Miller's total cancer cases
should be lung cancer, and the relative risks for lung and total
cancer are similar. Therefore, his total cancer relative risk Is
a good approximation to the relative risk for cancer other than
lung. The paper by Sandier, et al.t5 , is also directed at total
cancer. Here the number of lung cancer cases is known to be two.
Therefore, again the total cancer relative risk 14 a good
approximation to other cancer relative risk.
Other Cancer - Male. The data for cancer other than lung for
males (See Table IIa) are much scarcer 13hrn for females. The
results from the two available papers are conflicting,
neither result Is statistically significant nor is the combined
relative risk. Therefore. a value of 1.0, indicating no
association, Is assumed for the death rate caiculations until
more data become available.
Heart Disease - Female. There are now three papers associating
passive smoking with heart disease among females (see Table IIl).
Htrayama's paper9 contains data for ischemic heart disease in
women by smoking habit of the husbands for two levels of
exposure. The relative risk for all exposures of 1.16 Is a
weighted average of the two exposure levels. Gillis, et al. 13,
report data for myocardial Infarction (M1-410) and for other
ischemic heart disease (1H0-411-414). These have been combined
to yield the ischemic heart disease relative risk of 3.6 shown In
Table IIb. Garland, et al. 22, report data for nonsmoking women
who were married either to nonsmokers, ex-smokers, or current
smokers. The overal t relative risk of 3.5 In Table IIb is
ca l cu l ated from a we i ghted average of thei r age adjusted
mortality rates for exposure to ex-smokers and smokers.
Heart Disease - Male. There are two papers associating passive
smoking with heart disease In males. One, shown In Table IIb is
Gillis, et al. 13 Their relative risk of 1.3, although not
statistically significant, is reinforced by Svendsen, et a1.23 ,
who found a relative risk of 2.12 (p=0.19) for the MRFIT cohort
of relatively high risk individuals. Since the two papers concur
and there are no negative or neutral results, the Gillis, et ai.
result, 1.3, Is used as the passive smoking relative risk for
male Ischemic heart disease In the general population until
better data become available. '
Emphvsema and Chronic Bronchitis. Hlrayama9 has the only data
on these diseases, and they are for females only. As shown in
TableIIb,a relative risk of 1.4 is obtained by combining his
results for high and low exposures.
7

86-80.6
Specific Cancer Sites Other than lun9. Table III shows results
on passive smoking risks for specific cancer sites other than
lung. It Is interesting that the sites other than lung that are
normally associated with direct smoking are absent, with the
possible exception of cervix. The data on breast cancer are very
preliminary. Hirayama 20 reported that risk elevation for all
cancer sites becomes non-significant when lung, nasal sinus,
brain and breast are excluded. The Sandier, at ai. 15, relative
risk is of borderline tatistical significance. It is
interesting that Hirayama 2~ found stomach cancer, with 635 cases,
to be specifically not associated with passive smoking.
Table III. Epidemioloaical studies on aassive
Specific cancer sites other than lun9.
Cancer Site
Nasal Sinus
Brain
Breast:
Endocrine
Cervix:
Stomach
Investigators Locale
Hirayama 20
Hirayama 20 Japan
Japan
H i rayama
Sand l er,
Sandier, 20
et
et
a l.
al.
15
15 Japan
N. Carolina
N. Carolina
Buckley, et al.24
Brown, et al. 25
Sandier, et al.15
Hlrayama 20 England
Canada
N. Carolina
Japan
a Some statistical significance claimed by authors.
se R1R
23 2.1a
31 4.5a
- >1.0
32 2.0
13 4.4a
27 4.fia
30 3.7a
56 2.1a
635 1.0
All Causes of Death. There are five studies that contain data
on passive smoking and all causes of death. The relative risks
are diluted by a large number of deaths that are not related to
passive smoking at all so the results are scattered and lower.
The Miller study26 In 1978 is the pioneer study on mortality from
passive smoking. He observed a lowering of life expectancy from
78.8 years to 74.7 years for 601 non-smoking wives whose husbands
smoked compared with those whose husbands did not smoke. Gillis,
et al. 13, observed a relative risk of 1.5 (81 cases, p=0.17) for
f ema l es and 1.0 (28 cases ) for ma l es . Gar l and, et a l. 22 ,
observed a relative risk of 1.05 (57 cases) for females.
Svendsen, et al. 23, observed a relative risk of 2.0 (11 cases,
p= 0. 0 7) f or ma l es i n the MRF I T cohort. The on l y negat i ve
relative risk comes from Vandenbroucke, et al. 27, In Holland (0.8
for females; 207 cases, p=0.12). However, this study Is flawed
in that non-exposed non-smokers had a death rate 15% higher than
direct smokers so it would not pass criterion number three that a
study should not have a serious inconsistency.
Having reviewed the mortality literatures on passive smoking, what
does it ali mean? First, there is quite a bit of It. Second,
taken as a whole there is growing evidence of an association
8

86-80.6
between passive smoking and fatal disease. The lung cancer data
are particularly persuasive, and there are preiiminary data that
indicate an association with total cancer, ischemic heart disease
and emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Third, the cancer patterns
in direct smoking and passive smoking appear to be different.
Cancer Sites
Table IV shows a comparison of cancer sites for direct smoking
(from reference 28), and passive smoking (from Table IIF;). It is
ev i dent that the entry s i tes are di fferent, there i s a
qualitative difference in the location of the lung cancer
sites 29,30 , and the sites elsewhere in the body (except for
cervix) are different. Possible reasons for these differences
are discussed later. One conclusion that can be drawn, however,
Is that passive smokers are not a mixture of true non-smokers and
a small percentage of misclassified direct smokers. Such a
mixture would exhibit the same pattern of excess disease rates as
direct smokers except that the Increases in relative risks would
be smaller.
Table IV. Cancer site aatterns in direct and oassive smokina
Direct Smoking Passive Smoking
Buccal Cavity -
- Nasal Sinus
Pharynx -
Larynx -
Lung - largely Lung - largely
bronchial peripheral
Esophagus -
Stomach -
Urinary Bladder -
Kidney -
Pancreas -
- Breast
- Brain
- Endocrine glands
Cervix Cervix
Particle Size Effects
Probably the most important difference between mainstream and
sidestream smoke Is the difference in effective particle size and
its effect on where the smoke particles are deposited. A careful
study of the smoke and aerosol deposition literature discloses a
number of differences which are summarized in Table V.
Direct smokers retain about 82% 31 of the inhaled particulate of
wh i ch about 37% i s reta i ned i n the bucca 1 cav i ty and 45% i n the
lower respiratory tract. Although particle size measurements
made as mainstream smoke is generated indicate a mass median
9

86-80.6
aerodynamic diameter of about 0.5}anz, the particles, in the moist,
high concentration conditions of direct smoking, apparently
Table V. Deposition patterns in direct and passive smoking.
Entry Site
Particulate inhaled per day, mg.
Effect i ve part i c l e s i ze i nha l ed, ~um.
Percent retained in mouth
Percent retained In nose
Percent retained in bronchus
Percent retained In near alveolar region
Direct P_assive
Mouth
240 a Nose
0.5 to 3.5 b
5 , 0.4
37 '` 0
0 8
20 0
21 0
Percent retained in or near alveoli -A IL
Percent retained, total 82 19
Percent exhaled IS 81
Particle size exhaled, pm 0.7 0.4
aBased on 15 mg. per ci arette and 20 cigarettes per day.
bBased on 100-700 ,ug/m ~32 and 10 1 iters/min. inhaled for S hrs.
agglomerate to a much larger effective particle size. To exhibit
deposition behavior such as that cited above the effective
particle size would have to be in the 5,um range33. This Increase
could be brought about either by direct agglomeration34, by
electrical charges generated on the particles 35, by a dense
layering effect36, or by some combination of these. Particles of
this effective size would deposit heavily in the larger bronchial
a i rways 37 , part i cu l ar l y at the b i furcat i ons, and i n the l arger
airways of the alveolar region. The exhaled smoke has a particle
s i ze of about 0. 7,um 31. On l y about one-f i fth of th i s s i ze wou i d
be deposited, being 25% of the 18% exhaled or about 4% of the
total Inhaled, and this would come down deep in the alveolar
region, in or near the alveoli themselves 33,37.
In contrast sidestream smoke is very dilute. It has a mass
med i an aerodynami c diameter of about 0.4}im3g and does not
agglomerate. This is a very difficult size to trap in the
respiratory tract because It is too large to deposit by diffusion
and too small to deposit by impaction. Some of the larger
particles in the sidestream smoke (about 8% of the amount
inhaled) would be deposited in the nose 33. The other 11% that
will deposit 38 apparently goes all the way through the bronchial
and larger alveolar airways and deposits in or near the
alveol i 33,37.
The particulate from direct smoking is either deposited in the
mouth directly, or in the bronchial region or near alveolar
region where it will be cleared into the mouth. It is then
swallowed and is either eliminated or absorbed Into the blood
stream via the gut. This is believed to result in the cancers
shown in Table IV except possibly for cervix. The particulate
l0

86-80 . 6
from passive smoking deposits either in the nose, resulting In
nasal sinus cancer, or deep in the alveoli from whence it is very
difficult to clear into the mouth. It is speculated that most of
this particulate is solubilized or metabolized'directiy into the
blood or lymph system. It then circulates In these systems and
results in the cancers observed. In passive smoking the
digestive related cancers are absent.
Chemistry and Other Effects
Another difference between mainstream and sidestream smoke is the
chemistry. Side stream smoke Is formed at a lower temperature
than mainstream smoke, and, therefore, a larger fraction of the
more complex molecules is preserved. The amounts of tumorigenic
agents in sidestream and mainstream smoke have been measured 39.
The sidestream/mainstream ratios for such amounts vary from 0.7
for catechol to 39 for 2-naphthylamine. The mean value is 12.
Therefore, It would be expected that sidestream smoke
particulate, per milligram deposited, would have higher
carcinogenic potential than mainstream particulate.
Another difference between direct smoking and passive smoking is
the difference in disease susceptibility between the direct and
passive sfiokers. Deaths attributed to direct smoking constitute
about 18% of total deaths. Thus a direct smoker dying of a
smoking related disease, while perhaps more sensitive than the
average of the total population, would not be substantially more
sensitive. Passive smokers dying of passive smoking disease, on
the other hand, constitute only a very small percentage of total
deaths, in the range of 0.025 to 2.5%. This is a much smaller
proportion than in the case of direct smoking; only the very most
sensitive individuals would be dying from such an effect, and the
expected dose to achieve such a response would be less than that
for a direct smoker.
One approach to predicting the health effects of passive smoking
has been to factor down the health effects of direct smoking by
the ratio of inhaled or deposited smoke dose. As can be seen
from the data in Table V the dose ratio is quite high, being
about 70 to 500 for Inhaled dose and about 300 to 2100 for
deposited dose. However, taking into account the differences in
particle size effects, chemistry and individual susceptibility,
it Is seen that such a simplistic dose/response approach is
unlikely to yield results that are accurate even within an order
of magnitude.
Risk Assessment
Just how dangerous might passive smoking be? Table VI provides a
summary of the combined relative risks for each sex and disease.
Probably the most reliable number In the table is the 1.44
relative risik for female lung cancer, based, as it Is, on eight
11

86-80.6
stud i es i nc l ud i ng those by some of the most promi nent
investigators in the field. The least reliable numbers are those
for male other cancer, where an arbitrary relative risk of 1.0,
denoting no association, was adopted, and for male ischemic heart
disease. Clearly more work Is needed in these areas. The
relative risk for emphysema and chronic bronchitis also has poor
statistical significance, but the underlying death rates for non-
smokers from these diseases is so low that only a very few deaths
would be involved.
,
.
~
Table Vi. Combined Risk Ratios from Eeidemlological Studies
Disease Cases g
/R 2-taii p 951 conf. int.
,
Female:
Lung cancer 463 1.44 <0.001 1.2 - 1.7
Other cancer 2091 1.56 <0.001 1.3 - 1.9
ischemic heart dis. 276 1.27 0.04 1.0 - 1.6
Emphysema & chr. br. 102 1.4 0.18 0.9 - 2.1
li8.L1L=
Lung cancer 13 2.5 0.009 1.3 - 4.7
Other cancer 7 1.0 - -
Ischemic heart dls. 14 1.3 0.46 0.7 - 2.6
To calculate numbers of deaths per year from the relative risks
In Table VI it Is necessary to know the total non-smoking
population, the percent exposed to sidestream smoke and the death
rates for non-smokers by disease category. The non-smoker
population was estimated from the national health statistics.
The percent of non-smokers exposed to spouse's smoke was
estimated from the controls in the U.S. studies In Tables I and
11. Other exposure was estimated using data developed by
Friedman, et a1.40 Non-smoker death rates for each sex and
disease were obtained from Hammond ¢t. By combining these inputs
it was possible to calculate excess death rates due to passive
smoking, again by sex and disease. Applying these death rates to
the non-smoking population passively exposed, the desired number
of deaths per year in the U.S. was obtained. Details of this
calculation are In a manuscript that has been submitted for
publication elsewhere.
By this procedure deaths from passive smoking for lung cancer for
ma l es p l us fema l es came to 1800 per year, we 1 l centered i n the
range of 500 to 5000 obtained in a previous study . For other
cancer and heart disease the relative risks are in the same range
as lung cancer (Table VI), but the underlying non-smoker death
rates are much higher. Therefore, the estimated deaths are much
higher. The total deaths came to 47,000 per year of which 22,000
were from cancer (Including the 1800 lung cancer deaths) and
25,000 were from heart disease. This assumes no excess deaths
from male cancer other than lung but does include deaths from
male ischemic heart disease at a relative risk of 1.3. This
12

86-80.6
value, as noted eariler, Is supported by Svendsen, et a123, and
is very close to the female relative risk of 1.27. Even If these
male deaths are excluded, the total passive smoking deaths would
still calculate out to 32,000 per year.
CONCLUSIONS
The epidemiological literature on mortality from passive smoking
is growing. An association between passive smoking and lung
cancer Is becoming increasingly evident, and th_ere are
beginnings, at least, of evidence that other cancers and heart
disease are also Involved. If these trends continue, lung cancer
will become only the tip of the Iceberg with deaths from these
latter diseases amounting to ten to twenty times those from lung
cancer. Tobacco smoke is known to be carcinogenic and to produce
heart disease. Millions of non-smokers, estimated in this study
at 32 mlliion, are exposed. What we have, in other words, are
the slowly emerging shapes and dimensions of a major public
health problem. Furthermore it is an indoor problem. That means
that it is a home-oriented and workplace problem because that is
where the average passive smoker spends most of his or her time.
There may not be much that can be done about the home setting,
but officials and managers who are responsible for worksites need
to become aware of this increasingiy acknowledged threat to the
safety of Indoor air and the workers who are exposed to it. Also
this is not a traditional workplace air pollutant that emanates
from some facet of the work Itself and on the factory floor.
Rather it occurs in offices, smoke break rooms, washrooms and
other places that have always been considered safe; and the
po l l utant ar i ses not from the work i tsel f but from the other
workers. The first action required is to protect the non-smokers
from the smokers. The next thing to consider is a smoke-free
workplace.
ACKNOWLEOGEMENTS
The author wishes to acknowledge maJor assistance from Graham A.
Co l d'i t z, M. D., who d i d the stat i st i ca l meta-ana l ys i s, and very
helpful suggestions from William J. Blot, Ph.D., Kenneth P.
Cantor, Ph.D., Norman H. Edelman, M.D., Edwin B. Fisher, Ph.D.,
F. Charles Hiller, M.D., James L. Repace, Ph.D., Jonathan M.
Samet, M.D., Dale P. Sandier, Ph.D., and Frank E. Speizer, M.D.
This work was supported In part by the American Lung Association.
The opinions expressed are those of the author. No official
endorsement by the American Lung Association should be inferred.
13

86-80.6
REFERENCES
1. T. Htrayama, "Non-smoking wives of heavy smokers have a
higher risk of lung cancer: a study from Japan", Or_Med.
J.A. LU:183 (1981.).
2. D. Trichopoulos, A. Kaiandidi, L. Sparros, B. MacMahon,
"Lung cancer and pass i ve smok i ng", I nt . J. Cancer 27: 1(1981).
3. L. Garfinkel, 0. Auerbach, L. Joubert, "Involuntary smoking
and lung cancer: a case control study", J. Nat. Cander Inst.
75:463 (1985).
4. J. L. Repace, A. H. Lowrey, "A quantitative estimate of
nonsmokers' lung cancer risk from passive smoking",
E n v i ron . I n t. JL: 3(1985).
5. Biblioaraahv on smokin9 and health, Public Health Service
Bibliography Series No. 45, Public Health Service,
Rockville, M0, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984.
6. Smokina and health bulletin, Public Health Service,
Rockville, MD, 1985 Issues.
7. K. T. Halvorsen, Estimating aoaulation aarameters usin9
tnformation from several indeaendent sources, Doctoral
dissertation. Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA,
1984, P. 46.
8. Cancer Facts and Fi9ures, 1984, American Cancer Society, New
York, 1984, P. 7.
9. T. Hirayama, "Passive smoking and lung cancer", presented at
the Fifth World Conference on Smoking and Health, Winnepeg,
Canada, July, 1983.
10. 0: Trichopoulos, A. Kalandidi, L. Sparros, "Lung cancer and
passive smoking: conclusion of Greek study", Lancet ?.:677
(1983).
I1. L. Garfinkel, "Time trends in lung cancer mortality among
nonsmokers and a note on passive smoking", J. Nat. Cancer
jnst. f6:1061 (1981).
12. P. Correa, L. W. Pickle, E. Fontham, Y. Lin, W. Haenszel,
"Passive smoking and lung cao+cer", Lancet Z,:595 (1983).
13. C. R. Gillis, 0. J. Hole, V. 1!. Hawthorne, P. Boyle, "The
effect of environmental tobacco smoke In two urban
communities in the west of Scotland", Eur. J. Resa. Dis. §5
(supplement No. 133):121 (1984).
14. L. C. Koo, J. H-C. Ho, 0. Saw, "is passive smoking an added
risk factor for lupg cancer in Chinese women?"
J. Exa. Clin. Cancer Res. ).:277 (1984).
15. 0. P. Sandier, R. B. Everson, A. J. Wilcox, "Passive smoking
in adulthood and cancer risk", Am. J. Eaidemioi. _=:37
(1985).
16. A. Knoth, H. Bohn, F. Schmidt, "Passivrauchen als
Lungenkrebs-Ursache bei Nfchtraucherinnen", Medizinische
l~.tnik 78:66 (1983).
14

86-80.6
17. M~ C. Chan, M. J. Colbourne, S. C. Fung, H.. C. Ho,
"8ronchial cancer in Hong Kong 1976-1977", Br. J. Cancer
21:182 (1979). See also W. C. Chan, S. C. Fung, "Lung
cancer in non-smokers in Hong Kong", in Cancer camaaign.
Vol. 6. Cancer Eaidemioloox, E. Grundmann, ed., Gustav
Fischer Verlag, Stuttgart, New York, 1982, pp. 199-202,
which appears to be based on the same data.
18. G. C. Kabat, E. L. Wynder, "Lung cancer in nonsmokers",
Cancer Us1214 (1984).
19. A. H. Wu, 8. E. Henderson, N. C. Pike, M. C. Yu. "I§moking
and other risk factors for lung cancer in women",
J. Nat. Cancer Inst. T4:747 (1985).
20. T. Hirayama, "Cancer mortality in nonsmoking women with
smoking husbands based on a large-scale cohort study in
Japan". Preventive Med. 11:680 (1984).
21. G. H. Miller, "Cancer, passive smoking and non-employed and
employed wives", Mest. J. Med. 14Q_:632 (1984).
22. C. Garland, E. 8arrett-Connor, L. Suarez, M. H. Criqui, 0.
L. Mingard, "Effects of passive smoking on ischemic heart
disease mortality of nonsmokers", Am. J. Eoidemiol. j2,y:645
(1985).
23. K. H. Svendsen, L. H. Kuller, J. 0. Neaton, "Effects of
passive smoking in the multiple risk factor Intervention
trial (MRFIT)", presented at American Heart Association
Meeting, washington. D.C., November, 1985.
24. J. 0. Buckley, R. M. C. Harris. R. Doll, M. P. Vessey, P. T.
Miiliams, "Case-control study of the husbands of women with
dyspiasia or carcinoma of the cervix uteri". Lancet _t:10C0
(1981).
25. 0. C. Brown, L. Pereira, J. B. Garner, "Cancer of the cervix
and the smoking husband", Can. Fam. Phvsician Zj:499 (1982).
26. G. H. Miller, "The Pennsylvania study on passive smoking",
J. Breathina. Illinois Luna Assoc. _41(5):5 (1978).
27. J. P. Vandenbroucke, J. H. H. Verheesen, A. De Bruin. B. J.
Mauritz, C. Van Oer Heide-wessel, R. M. Van Der Heide,
"Active and passive smoking in married couples: results of
_25 year foilowup", 8r. Med. J. 288:1801 (1984).
28. The health consequences of smokina, cancer, a report of the
surgeon oeneral. 1982, Pubiic Health Service, Rockville, MD,
1982, pp. 145-6.
29. L. H. Garland, R. L. Beier, W. Coulson, J. H. Heald, R. L.
Stein, "The apparent sites of origin of carcinomas of the
lung", Radioloav 78:1 (1962).
30. R. G. Vincent, J. W. Pickren, M. M. Lane, 1. Bross, H.
Takita, L. Houten, A. C. Gutierrez, T. Rzepka, "The changing
histopathology of lung cancer, a review of 1682 cases",
n r 34:1647 (1977).
31. R. J. Mitchell, "Controlled measurement of smoke-particle
retention in the respiratory tract", Am. Rev. Resair. Dis..
§1:526 (1962).
32. J. L. Repace, A. H. Lowrey, "Indoor air pollution, tobacco
smoke, and public health", Science LM:464 (1980).
IS

86-80.6
33. J. Heyder, "Studies of particie deposition and clearance In
humans", in Problems of inhalatorv toxicity studies, P.
Grosdanoff, et ai., eds., MMV-Medizin-Veriag, Munich, 1985,
pp. 155-180.
34. K. McCusker, C. Hiller, M. Mazumder, R. 8one, "Dynamic
growth of cigarette smoke particles ", (Abstract), Chest
$Qs 349 (1981).
35. C. Melandri, G. Tarroni, V. Prodi, T. De Zaiacomo, H.
Formignani, C. C. Lombardi, "Deposition of charged particles
in the human airways", J. Aerosol. Sci. jAs6S7 (1989).
36. N. A. Fuchs, The mechanics of aerosols, Macmillan, New York,
1964, pp. 46-49.
37. T. R. Gerrity, P. S. Lee, F. J. Hass. A. Marinel 1 i, P.
Merner, R. V. Lourenco, "Calculated deposition of inhaled
particles in the airway generations of normal subjects", J.,,.
A_ppl,__ Ph"i_oi a Rescirat. Enviraw.-Ex__e.ccise Phvsiol.
47( 4 ) :867 (1979).
38. F. C. Hiiler, K. T. McCusker, M. K. Mazumder, J. 0. Milson,
R. C. Bone, "Deposition of sidestream cigarette smoke in
the human respiratory tract", Am. Rev. Resp. Dis. =(4):406
(1982).
39. The health consevuences of smokin9, cancer, a report of the
suraeon aenerai, 1982, Public Health Service, Rockviile, M0,
pp. 196-214.
40. G. 0. Friedman, 0. B. Petitti, R. 0. Bawol, "Prevalence and
correlates of passive smoking", Am. J. Public Health 73s401
(1983).
41. E. C. Hammond, "Smoking in relation to the death rates of
one million men and women", in gJ2_1demtolocicai approaches to
the study of cancer and other chronic diseases, M. Haenszel,
ed., Public Health Service, Bethesda, MD, 1966, pp. 127-204.
(National Cancer Institute Monograph 19).
16
