Tobacco Documents Online

Second - Hand Smoke: The Myth and The Reality. Many non-smokers are annoyed by cigarette smoke. This is a reality that's been with us for a long time. Lately, however, many non-smokers have come to believe that cigarette smoke in the air can actually cause disease. But, in fact, there is little evidence---and certainly nothing which proves scientifically---that cigarette smoke causes disease in non smokers. We Know this statement may seem biased. But is supported by findings and views of independent scientists---including some of the tobacco industry's biggest critics. Lawrence Garfinkel, who is the Society's chief statistician, published a study in 1981 covering over 175,000 people, and reported that "passive smoking" had very "very little, if any" effect on lung cancer rates among non-smokers. You may have seen reports stating that in the course of an evening, a non-smoker could breathe in an amount of smoke equivalent to several cigarettes or more. But a scientific study by the Harvard School of Public Health, conducted in various public places, found that non-smokers might inhale anywhere from 1/1000th to 1/100th of one filter cigarette per hour. At that rate, it would take you at least 4 days to inhale the equivalent of a single cigarette. Often our own concerns about our health can take an unproven claim and magnify it out of all proportion; so, what begins as a misconception turns into a frightening myth. Is "second-hand smoke" one of these myths? We hope the information we've offered will help you sort out some of the realities.