Second hand smoking came to the lime-light in the early 1980s when a Japanese researcher noticed that people who lived with smokers also suffered from smoking related illnesses and disorders. Since then numerous other studies have been completed which soundly point to these initial Japanese findings.
The wide acceptance of the effects and dangers of second had smoke has largely encouraged most measures that limit smoking in public places. This acknowledgment of the dangers of second hand smoke made the problem and concern not only that of the smoker but a society wide problem. In as much as pro-tobacco groups cry human rights violations of smokers rights, the counter argument is that smokers violate the right to health and right to life of the general public.
Recently the CDC released a report that showed a decline in second hand smoke compared to the 80s and 90s levels. The decline is in the region of 70% and is arrived at by comparing study results from cotinine tests done in the 80s to those done recently. Cotinine is a metabolite of nicotine. Nicotine does not stay long in the body in its original form. Once inhaled and in the bloodstream it changes after a short period of time to cotinine. Researchers do blood tests to test the presence of cotinine which is a tell-tell sign of the presence of nicotine.
The announcement by the CDC of the decline of second hand smoke even though still showing that a significant number of people especially young children are still affected by second hand smoke is a cause for celebration. It clear shows that anti-smoking laws and regulations preventing public place smoking have been well hided. Children remain vulnerable because they often live with smoking parents or siblings. What then is required is to extend the laws banning public smoking into homes in order to once and for all protect children from smoking parents and siblings.
The success of stop smoking laws leading to second hand smoke decline is sadly confined to the developed world. In poorer developing countries such as China with 350 million smokers, second hand smoke is still affecting millions of innocent people on a daily basis. The problem is not only at the smokers level but also at the government level which is not keen to tamper with lucrative tobacco tax dollars. More pressure and campaigning is needed to convince these particular governments of medium to long term health costs of a sick population.
The decline is second hand smoking in western countries shows that it is possible to bring into control second hand smoking even in the developing countries when the right policies and willingness is established.
The wide acceptance of the effects and dangers of second had smoke has largely encouraged most measures that limit smoking in public places. This acknowledgment of the dangers of second hand smoke made the problem and concern not only that of the smoker but a society wide problem. In as much as pro-tobacco groups cry human rights violations of smokers rights, the counter argument is that smokers violate the right to health and right to life of the general public.
Recently the CDC released a report that showed a decline in second hand smoke compared to the 80s and 90s levels. The decline is in the region of 70% and is arrived at by comparing study results from cotinine tests done in the 80s to those done recently. Cotinine is a metabolite of nicotine. Nicotine does not stay long in the body in its original form. Once inhaled and in the bloodstream it changes after a short period of time to cotinine. Researchers do blood tests to test the presence of cotinine which is a tell-tell sign of the presence of nicotine.
The announcement by the CDC of the decline of second hand smoke even though still showing that a significant number of people especially young children are still affected by second hand smoke is a cause for celebration. It clear shows that anti-smoking laws and regulations preventing public place smoking have been well hided. Children remain vulnerable because they often live with smoking parents or siblings. What then is required is to extend the laws banning public smoking into homes in order to once and for all protect children from smoking parents and siblings.
The success of stop smoking laws leading to second hand smoke decline is sadly confined to the developed world. In poorer developing countries such as China with 350 million smokers, second hand smoke is still affecting millions of innocent people on a daily basis. The problem is not only at the smokers level but also at the government level which is not keen to tamper with lucrative tobacco tax dollars. More pressure and campaigning is needed to convince these particular governments of medium to long term health costs of a sick population.
The decline is second hand smoking in western countries shows that it is possible to bring into control second hand smoking even in the developing countries when the right policies and willingness is established.
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