Tobacco Documents Online

r I c Environmental Tobacco Smoke A Brief Guide N 0 va l I

INTRODUCTION Although there has been much publicity around the world about the effects of tobacco smoke on the quality of indoor air, scientists do not agree about its impact on indoor air qualih'. Environmental tobacco smoke, or E'!"S' for short, is a mixture of sidestream and exhaled mainstream smoke. Sidestream smoke is wisps of smoke from the burning end of the cigarette, cigar or pipe. Immediately after sidestream and exhaled mainstream smoke are released into an indoor environment, they become greatly diluted and dispersed. As they do, they change both quantitatively and qualitatively. ETS becomes quite distinct from ei*.hPr mainstream or sidestrearn smoke. The Air We Breathe Seeing Smoke ETS is one of very few constituents of a.ir thm can be easily seen and smelt. However, even where ETS is absent because smoking is banned, air quality problems often exist. The i hings You Can't See Indoor air contains significant quantities of many invisible gases from a number of sources: carbon dioxide fioiu people breathing out; nitrogen dioxide and carbcri monoxide from vehicle exhaust, cookers and heaters; aait formaideiryde and othei gases from furnishings, carpets and insulation materials. In addition to gases, indoor air can contain minute particles of household dust and dust mites; fibres f:oir. :'_cthir,g, ca_p-e;ts, i nsulation or furnishings; bacteria; and the spores from various fungi. Other indoor air constituents may include vapours from cleaning products, insecticides and photocopyir:e fluid, to name but a few: Any of these, in sufficient ouantities, can make people feel unwell.. Indoor Air Quality A7 Intensive research into indoor air quality over recent years, conducted N with sophisticated measuring equipment, has confirmed that chetnicals u from a iarge numoer of sources are present in indoor air. Against thi ~.as background, research has demonstratea that ETS contributes very little ~ to the overali' air quality. The preside:itof Healthy iiuildings International in the United States, O has said that in his exhe;-ience, inadCyuate ventilation and poorly ~ 0 I

functioning air conditioning systems are the major indoor air quality problems im modern buildings. He also stated that visible ETS in a building is an indication of inadequate ventilation, and not the cause of poor indoor air quality. He believes that ETS is often used as a scapegoat, drawing attention away from the real causes of poor indoor air quality: inadequate ventilation. Whilst it is not at all valid to compare exposure to ETS with that of active smoking it is possible to give an impression of the amounts of exposure involved (based on measurements of nicotine and particulate matter) as illustrated by the following examples: A number of surveys conducted in the United States and Canada collected samples in a cross-section of more than 80 different restaurants, none of which had smoking restrictions. The samples included both adult-oriented and fast-food establishments, and were conducted during times when dining typically occurred. It was reported that non-smokers were typically exposed to only minimal amounts of ETS. For example, it would take a marathon eating session of hundreds of hours at the table to be exposed to the "equivalent" of one cigarette. These results were consistent with results previously reported by Japanese scientists who measured nicotine in restaurants. The same group of surveys conducted in the United States and Canada also collected samples from over 100 different offices, none of which had smoking restrictions. Testing was conducted only in offices where the workplace was shared by two or more persons, at least one of whom smoked. Results again shciwed'that non-smokers were exposed to minimal amounts of ETS. For example, a non-smoker working in a typical office would have to work hundreds of hours to be exposed to the "equivalent" of one cigarette. ETS And Claimed Health Effects Several government and advisory bodies around the world have produced reports claiming that ETS is a cause of disease in non-smokers. One often-repor;ed claim is that non-smoking women married to smoking men are more likely to de velop diseases such as lung cancer than women whose husbands don't smoke. Another approach is to base the calculation of risks& from ETS on those claimed from active smoking. Many scientists have examined this evidence: some say it is implausible that there could be an increase in risk at all; others say tliatif there is an increase in~ risk, it is so small as to be unmeasurable. The qualitative and quantitative differences among mainstream smoke, sidestream smoke, and ETS illustrate the fallacy of attempting to estimate the risk of the non-smoker exposed to ETS based on reported risks of active smoking. However, it is a complex subject and one where scientists do not agree. r N O - N F+ F+ W ~

How Should ETS Be Tackled? First of all, it has to be noted that, on the basis of scientific evidence, ETS has not been shown to be a significant contributor to poor indoor air quality, or proven scientifically to be a cause of disease in non-smokers. However, ETS can, in certain siiuations, be a source of annoyance to some non-smokers. Given that substantial expert opinion and much of the research do not provide any conclusive scientific justification for banning smoking in public places, what measures can be recommended for those who do find~ ETS annoying?  Banning smoking in buildings merely removes the most visible substances in the air. It will not affect any of the substances commonly found in indoor air, which are invisible, but which are believed to be the major source of complaints about indoor air quality. A more effective strategy would be to improve ventilation and air-conditioning systems. • Compared to the chemicals present in public transport vehicles, from exhaust fumes ar.3 other chemicals found outdoors, ETS is a minor contributor to the total mix. Rather than banning smoking from public transport, governments and companies should consider ways in which air quality, as a whole on their vehicles might be improved.  Improved ventilation in buildings and vehicles will remove the ETS that some non-smokers, in certain situations, can find annoying. Annoyance can also be effectively tackled if non-smokers and smokers alike display common sense, tolerance and courtesyy towards each other. Regulations and legislation should not be necessary. • Many of the chemicals found in indoor air seep in from outside. If governments continue to place the reduction of environmental pollution high on their priority list, levels of some of these chemicals may also be reduced. r L