Children who grow up with smokers in their homes are three times
more likely to develop lung cancer in their later years than those
children who come from non-smoking homes.
A study was done that followed the progress of over 123,000 participants
over the course of seven years. Some of the participants had never
smoked and others had stopped smoking, but all of the participants
had been exposed to second-hand smoke during their childhood.
Consequences of Second-Hand Smoke: Anything
But Passive
The study results pointed to a definite link between lung cancer
and passive smoking:
- 97 people developed lung cancer
- 20 more had related cancers such as cancer of the larynx
- 14 died from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- Ex-smokers faced up to twice the risk of respiratory diseases
from passive smoke than those who had never smoked
Researchers stated that the findings of this study serve as proof
that we as a society need to do more to protect the most vulnerable
of non-smokers -- children. Some suggestions on accomplishing this
were calling for a smoking ban in all public places and encouraging
parents to give up smoking for their own health and the health of
their children.
The director of a smoker's lobby group tried to diminish the results
of the study by claiming that the effects of passive smoking are
very difficult to measure and described the above study as, "a
preposterous pretence of precise measurement, which immediately
arouses suspicion." He also went on to say that this was just
another way to create anti-smoking hysteria and further ostracize
smokers for their habit.
BBC
News January 28, 2004
| 