May 20, 2003 – You can stop worrying about that smoker at the next table in the restaurant: the second-hand smoke you breathe is less harmful to your health than previously believed.
American researchers come to this surprising conclusion1 after studying the 118,094 people who participated, between 1959 and 1998, in a cancer prevention study conducted by the American Cancer Society. They paid special attention to the 35,561 participants who had never smoked, but who lived with a smoking spouse.
They claim that exposure to second-hand smoke does not lead to increased smoking-related deaths. They even go so far as to say that the association between second-hand smoke and diseases like lung cancer or cardiovascular disorders may have been greatly exaggerated.
The results of their research are published in the prestigious British Medical Journal. However, an editorial2 accompanying their study noted that their criterion for exposure to second-hand smoke (the presence of a smoking spouse) is unreliable, since there is no guarantee that this spouse smokes at home.
In addition, the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control was adopted by the General Assembly of the World Health Organization. It will now need to be ratified by the governments of at least 40 of WHO’s 192 member countries to take effect. The agreement imposes severe restrictions on several facets of the tobacco trade (see article from PasseportSanté.net, dated March 7, 2003)
Earlier this week, to everyone’s surprise, the US government announced its intention to sign the deal, even though it did not get the desired waivers. Washington had recently hinted that it would only sign the treaty if it was allowed to evade some of the harsher measures, including those that limit tobacco advertising (see the PasseportSanté.net article, dated April 30, 2003). There can be no assurance, however, that the treaty will now be ratified by the US Congress or President Bush.
The game is not won either in Europe, where Germany, in particular, has reservations about the agreement. If Germany refuses to sign, it could lead in its wake all the other member countries of the European Union. The British Medical Association has therefore written to all European health ministers asking them to put pressure on the German government.
Jean-Benoit Legault – PasseportSanté.net
According to British Medical Journal, CBSNews.com, BBCNews.com; May 7 and 20, 2003.
1. Enstrom JE, Kabat GC. Environmental tobacco smoke and tobacco related mortality in a prospective study of Californians, 1960-98.BMJ 2003 May 17; 326 (7398): 1057. [Consulté le 20 mai 2003].
2. Davey Smith G. Effect of passive smoking on health.BMJ 2003 May 17; 326 (7398): 1048-9. [Consulté le 20 mai 2003].
