BE WELL COLUMN: Dispelling the myths about secondhand smoke
In light of the controversy over a no smoking policy here at USU, maybe now is as good a time as any to dispel some of the myths and rumors about what secondhand smoke is and what it isn’t. Myth #1: Secondhand smoke is not dangerous. The Truth: Secondhand smoke (SHS) is a complex mixture of gases and particles emitted from a burning cigarette, cigar or pipe tip. These gases and particlescontain more than 40 known cancer causing agents. Secondhand smoke also has twice as much nicotine and tar compared to the smoke that a smoker inhales. In 2006, the Surgeon General stated that there is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke is the third-leading cause of preventable death in the U.S., killing 53,000 non-smokers each year. Myth #2: Secondhand smoke outdoors is not dangerous. The Truth: Regardless of whether or not a person is exposed to SHS indoors or outdoors, it is still an increased risk to their health. Scientific studies have shown that concentrations of SHS in many outdoor areas are often as high as or higher than in some indoor areas. A study from the British Medical Journal reported that exposure to SHS for as few as 30 minutes (less than the time it takes to eat lunch on theTaggart Student Center patio or wait at a bus stop) can raise a non-smoker’s risk of heart attack to that of a smoker’s. Myth #3: Air pollution is more harmful than secondhand smoke. The Truth: Multiple studies have been conducted that prove this argument wrong. Here are just two. One study concluded that air pollution emitted by cigarettes is 10 times greater than diesel car exhaust. Another study conducted at outdoor cafes reported that air pollution at the outdoor cafes with many smokers were 5 to 20 times higher than on sidewalks of busy streets polluted by bus, truck and auto traffic. Both of these studies can be found at www.repace.com. Myth #4: Smoking is a Constitutional Right. The Truth: The following information is quoted from “There is no Constitutional Right to Smoke” handout produced by the Public Health Institute: Technical Assistance Legal Center. “Proponents of the right to smoke often claim that smoking falls within the fundamental right to privacy, by arguing that the act of smoking is an individual and private act that government cannot invade. Courts consistently reject this argument. The privacy interest protected by the U.S. Constitution includes only marriage, contraception, family relationships and the rearing and educating of children. Very few private acts by individuals qualify as fundamental privacy interests, and smoking is not one of them. Generally, the Supreme Court requires a protected group to have “an immutable characteristic determined solely by the accident of birth.” Smoking is not an “immutable characteristic” because people are not born as smokers, and smoking is a behavior that people can stop. Because smokers are not a protected group, laws limiting smoking usually will be judged only on whether the law is rational, or plausibly justified.” Hopefully, dispelling these myths will make it easier for everyone here at Utah State to have an educated opinion about a tobacco policy. To voice your opinion about the tobacco policy, attend the debate, March 20 at 12:30 p.m. in the TSC Auditorium.
Jescee Bennett graduated from Utah State University with her Master’s in community health education. She is currently the Tobacco Coordinator for the Bear River Health Department. Co-author, Ryan Barfuss is the prevention specialist in the Student Health and Wellness Center, and contributor to the Be Well health column.