Michigan Votes Forum

Introduced in the House on January 17, 2008

Click here to view bill details.

There shouldn't be any smoking on any school property at any time. Period. Smoking may be legal, but it doesn't have to be convenient.

you admit that it is just a control thing.

You want me to be breaking another stupid law just by walking across school property, smoking a cigarette on a Sunday morning? You need to get a life and quit trying to mold everyone into your small minded, control freak, narcissistic image.

I don't think anyone should be allowed to expectorate on or near school property at any time, either. Oh, and can we please get rid of those belly shirts, sagging pants, multiple piercings, strange haircuts/dye jobs, sexy ads on TV, beer and alcohol on the shelves of grocery stores, condoms in plain sight in convenience stores, to name just a few, too? Smoking, by adults, on school property is NOT going to lead some poor innocent kid down the wrong path to sin and degradation. Lack of adequate teaching and discipline is a heck of lot more dangerous to these young minds. Don't even get me going on the "evils" of second-hand smoke!!!

much more dangerous. Some of the government indoctrinated sheeple even want more. "Don't even get me going on the "evils" of second-hand smoke!!!

That's what the scientific literature says.

scientific literature being dismissed as 'junk science'? sort of like global warming.

is completely based on junk science.

me smoking in the schoolyard ain't gonna hurt you. You being a control freak will hurt us all.

That's what scientific research has shown.

research is that? who did it? who paid for it? why wasn't it used in the congressional hearings? all the studies used there were found to be 'faulty'. imagine that...

research is that? who did it? who paid for it? why wasn't it used in the congressional hearings? all the studies used there were found to be 'faulty'. imagine that... so how many people die each year of 'second hand smoke'? come on. you must know a figure. please back it up with facts.

second hand smoke does it take for a one hundred fifty pound person to die from it? one cigarette? two? ten? fifty? a thousand? come on, how deadly can it be if the SMOKER doesn't die from thousands of cigarettes? the average smoker smokes 14,600 cigarettes a year. how much 'second hand smoke' does it take to kill a human being? what is the 'deadly dose'? you don't know, do you?

die a year from second hand smoke? show some proof. if the research is right, it should be listed as the cause of death. come on, how many? none, right?

The same bull puckey "science" they use to control one aspect of our lives is the battle plan for the big "global baloney" scam being thrust upon us by ignorant know nothings.

Centers For Disease Control and Prevention U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Fact Sheet Secondhand Smoke (updated September 2006) Definition of Secondhand Smoke: * Secondhand smoke, also known as environmental tobacco smoke, is a complex mixture of gases and particles that includes smoke from the burning cigarette, cigar, or pipe tip (sidestream smoke) and exhaled mainstream smoke.1 * Secondhand smoke contains at least 250 chemicals known to be toxic, including more than 50 that can cause cancer.1 Health Effects of Secondhand Smoke Exposure: * Secondhand smoke exposure causes heart disease and lung cancer in nonsmoking adults.2 * Nonsmokers who are exposed to secondhand smoke at home or work increase their heart disease risk by 25–30% and their lung cancer risk by 20–30%.2 * Breathing secondhand smoke has immediate harmful effects on the cardiovascular system that can increase the risk of heart attack. People who already have heart disease are at especially high risk.2 * Secondhand smoke exposure causes respiratory symptoms in children and slows their lung growth.2 * Secondhand smoke causes sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), acute respiratory infections, ear problems, and more frequent and severe asthma attacks in children.2 * There is no risk-free level of secondhand smoke exposure. Even brief exposure can be dangerous.2 Current Estimates of Secondhand Smoke Exposure: * Exposure to nicotine and secondhand smoke is measured by testing the saliva, urine, or blood for the presence of a chemical called cotinine. Cotinine is a byproduct of nicotine metabolization, and tobacco is the only source of this marker.2 * From 1988–91 to 2001–02, the proportion of nonsmokers with detectable levels cotinine was halved (from 88% to 43%).3 * Over that same time period, cotinine levels in those who were exposed to secondhand smoke fell by 70%.3 * More than 126 million nonsmoking Americans continue to be exposed to secondhand smoke in homes, vehicles, workplaces, and public places.2 * Most exposure to tobacco smoke occurs in homes and workplaces.2 * Almost 60% of U.S. children aged 3–11 years—or almost 22 million children—are exposed to secondhand smoke.2 * About 25% of children aged 3–11 years live with at least one smoker, compared to only about 7% of nonsmoking adults.2 * The California Environmental Protection Agency estimates that secondhand smoke exposure causes approximately 3,400 lung cancer deaths and 22,700–69,600 heart disease deaths annually among adult nonsmokers in the United States.4 * Each year in the United States, secondhand smoke exposure is responsible for 150,000–300,000 new cases of bronchitis and pneumonia in children aged less than 18 months. This results in 7,500–15,000 hospitalizations, annually.5 References 1. National Toxicology Program. 11th Report on Carcinogens, 2005. Research Triangle Park, NC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Sciences, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, 2000 [cited 2006 Sep 27]. 2. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta, Georgia: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Coordinating Center for Health Promotion, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 2006 [cited 2006 Sep 27]. 3. Pirkle JL, Bernert JT, Caudill SP, Sosnoff CS, Pechacek TF. Trends in the Exposure of Nonsmokers in the U.S. Population to Secondhand Smoke: 1988–2002. Environmental Health Perspectives. 2006;114(6):853–858 [cited 2006 Sep 27]. 4. California Environmental Protection Agency. Proposed Identification of Environmental Tobacco Smoke as a Toxic Air Contaminant. Final report, September 29, 2005, approved by Scientific Review Panel on June 24, 2005 [cited 2006 Sep 27]. 5. United States Environmental Protection Agency. Respiratory Health Effects of Passive Smoking: Lung Cancer and Other Disorders.* Office of Research and Development, EPA/600/6-90/006F, Washington, D.C., December 1992 [cited 2006 Sep 27]. (Also published as: National Institutes of Health. National Cancer Institute. Respiratory Health Effects of Passive Smoking: Lung Cancer and Other Disorders: The Report of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Smoking and Tobacco Control Monograph Number 4. NIH Publication No. 93-3605, Washington, D.C., August 1993.)

you have found the flawed, biased and non peer revued study we were talking about. Look a little further and you will find that they had to change all sorts of normalk rules to get the outcome they wanted. First consider the 1993 EPA study that began the passive smoking crusade. It declared such smoke a carcinogen based on a combined analysis (meta-analysis) of 11 mostly tiny studies. The media quickly fell into line, with headlines blaring: “Passive Smoking Kills Thousands” and editorials demanding: “Ban Hazardous Smoking; Report Shows It’s a Killer.” But the EPA’s report had more holes than a spaghetti strainer. Its greatest weakness was the agency’s refusal to use the gold standard in epidemiology, the 95 percent confidence interval. This simply means there are only five chances in 100 that the conclusion came about just by chance, even if the study itself was done correctly. Curiously, the EPA decided to use a 90 percent level, effectively doubling the likelihood of getting its result by sheer luck of the draw. Why would it do such a strange thing? You guessed it. Its results weren't significant at the 95 percent level. Essentially, it moved the goal posts back because the football had fallen short. In scientific terminology this is known as “dishonesty.” A much larger meta-analysis has appeared since the EPA’s. Published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) in 2002, it found slight statistical significance when 48 studies were combined. Looked at separately, though, only seven showed significant excesses of lung cancer. Thus 41 did not. Meta-analysis, though, suffer from such problems as different studies having been conducted in different ways – the apples and oranges conundrum. What was really needed was one study involving a huge number of participants over a long period of time using the same evaluation. The World Health Organization authorized such a study, which covered seven countries over seven years and appeared in 1998. It actually showed a statistically significant reduced risk for children of smokers, though we can assume that was a fluke. Put otherwise, please don’t puff in your kids’ faces on the basis of one study. But it also showed no increase for spouses and co-workers of smokers. Published in the prestigious British Medical Journal in 2003, this 39-year analysis of 35,561 Californians found no “causal relationship between exposure to [passive smoke] and tobacco-related mortality, Passive smokers inhale six cigarettes a year By Robert Matthews and Victoria Macdonald PASSIVE smokers inhale the equivalent of just six cigarettes a year from other people's smoke, according to the largest ever study of actual exposure levels of non-smokers. The figure, which undermines previous warnings about the dangers of passive smoking, is a thousand times lower than that faced by direct smokers, and so tiny that it could not be measured statistically. Results from personal air monitors carried by more that 1,000 people in cities across Europe reveal that even the most highly-exposed passive smoker inhales the equivalent of 0.02 of a cigarette a day - 10 times lower than Government-backed estimates. The findings, published by an internationally respected UK-based team of air monitoring experts, are the biggest blow yet to the credibility of the Government's insistence that passive smoking causes fatal diseases. Until now, ministers have based calls for action on claims that those living with smokers face a 20 to 30 per cent increased risk of lung cancer. The reliability of such claims has now been thrown into doubt by the measurements of real-life levels of cancer-causing substances inhaled by passive smokers. A team led by Dr Keith Phillips of Covance Laboratories, an independent consultancy in Harrogate, has found that even passive smokers who live and work with smokers are typically exposed to just 0.1 per cent of the dangerous components of cigarette smoke inhaled by smokers. Critics of the Government's stance on passive smoking will seize on these findings as proof that the risk estimates based on statistics and indirect chemical markers are unreliable. Dr Phillips said he had encountered considerable reluctance by some scientists even to consider the new evidence.

find the names of those who have died from it in the last year.

a poster writes... "Centers For Disease Control and Prevention U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Fact Sheet Secondhand Smoke (updated September 2006) Definition of Secondhand Smoke: * Secondhand smoke, also known as environmental tobacco smoke, is a complex mixture of gases and particles that includes smoke from the burning cigarette, cigar, or pipe tip (sidestream smoke) and exhaled mainstream smoke.1 [okay, so far, so good. the only REAL truth in this study.] * Secondhand smoke contains at least 250 chemicals known to be toxic, including more than 50 that can cause cancer.1 [so, why doesn't every person who get's blown smoke in their face get cancer? why doesn't every person who is exposed to second hand smoke DIE FROM IT?] Health Effects of Secondhand Smoke Exposure: * Secondhand smoke exposure causes heart disease and lung cancer in nonsmoking adults.2 [WAIT A MINUTE... you said it was lethal... why don't they just die? do each and every one exposed to cigarette smoke get cancer? the report said it caused cancer. i still don't see where it's lethal in all cases. THAT IS WHAT DEADLY IS ALL ABOUT, ISN'T IT???] * Nonsmokers who are exposed to secondhand smoke at home or work increase their heart disease risk by 25–30% and their lung cancer risk by 20–30%.2 [you mean the DON'T DIE FROM SECOND HAND SMOKE? BUT YOU SAID IT WAS DEADLY. you didn't say there was a RISK of death, you said it was deadly.] * Breathing secondhand smoke has immediate harmful effects on the cardiovascular system that can increase the risk of heart attack. People who already have heart disease are at especially high risk.2 [how much does it take to kill them? that was the question. not HOW MUCH RISK there is.] * Secondhand smoke exposure causes respiratory symptoms in children and slows their lung growth.2 [and that kills them immediately HOW??? you DID say it was DEADLY, didn't you???] * Secondhand smoke causes sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), acute respiratory infections, ear problems, and more frequent and severe asthma attacks in children.2 [does it do this in EVERY CHILD EXPOSED TO SECOND HAND SMOKE??? obviously not... maybe it's not as DEADLY as you think.] * There is no risk-free level of secondhand smoke exposure. Even brief exposure can be dangerous.2 [DANGEROUS???? YOU SAID IT WAS deadly... I DON'T SEE ANY DEADLY AROUND HERE, WHERE DID YOU GET IT FROM????] Current Estimates of Secondhand Smoke Exposure: * Exposure to nicotine and secondhand smoke is measured by testing the saliva, urine, or blood for the presence of a chemical called cotinine. Cotinine is a byproduct of nicotine metabolization, and tobacco is the only source of this marker.2 [OKAY, now we're getting somewhere... how much of this is necessary to cause death???] * From 1988–91 to 2001–02, the proportion of nonsmokers with detectable levels cotinine was halved (from 88% to 43%).3 [okay, how many autopsies are we talking about? none??? you said it was deadly. so... this stuff DOESN'T KILL YOU????] * Over that same time period, cotinine levels in those who were exposed to secondhand smoke fell by 70%.3 [how long are we talking about? seconds? minutes? hours? days? months? years? decades?] * More than 126 million nonsmoking Americans continue to be exposed to secondhand smoke in homes, vehicles, workplaces, and public places.2 [and HOW MANY of them drop dead IMMEDIATELY? NONE???] * Most exposure to tobacco smoke occurs in homes and workplaces.2 [is that where all the bodies are found? no?] * Almost 60% of U.S. children aged 3–11 years—or almost 22 million children—are exposed to secondhand smoke.2 [and i take it none of them are falling over dead either...} * About 25% of children aged 3–11 years live with at least one smoker, compared to only about 7% of nonsmoking adults.2 [and none of them are falling over dead from it either???? how do you figure it's so deadly???] * The California Environmental Protection Agency estimates that secondhand smoke exposure causes approximately 3,400 lung cancer deaths and 22,700–69,600 heart disease deaths annually among adult nonsmokers in the United States.4 [so, all these guys are just standing there, exposed to second hand smoke, grab their chests and die, right??? no??] * Each year in the United States, secondhand smoke exposure is responsible for 150,000–300,000 new cases of bronchitis and pneumonia in children aged less than 18 months. This results in 7,500–15,000 hospitalizations, annually.5 [if it's so deadly... how come they are hospitalized... just call the meat wagon. they're gonna die in minutes anyway... isn't that what happens???] References 1. National Toxicology Program. 11th Report on Carcinogens, 2005. Research Triangle Park, NC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Sciences, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, 2000 [cited 2006 Sep 27]. 2. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta, Georgia: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Coordinating Center for Health Promotion, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 2006 [cited 2006 Sep 27]. 3. Pirkle JL, Bernert JT, Caudill SP, Sosnoff CS, Pechacek TF. Trends in the Exposure of Nonsmokers in the U.S. Population to Secondhand Smoke: 1988–2002. Environmental Health Perspectives. 2006;114(6):853–858 [cited 2006 Sep 27]. 4. California Environmental Protection Agency. Proposed Identification of Environmental Tobacco Smoke as a Toxic Air Contaminant. Final report, September 29, 2005, approved by Scientific Review Panel on June 24, 2005 [cited 2006 Sep 27]. 5. United States Environmental Protection Agency. Respiratory Health Effects of Passive Smoking: Lung Cancer and Other Disorders.* Office of Research and Development, EPA/600/6-90/006F, Washington, D.C., December 1992 [cited 2006 Sep 27]. (Also published as: National Institutes of Health. National Cancer Institute. Respiratory Health Effects of Passive Smoking: Lung Cancer and Other Disorders: The Report of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Smoking and Tobacco Control Monograph Number 4. NIH Publication No. 93-3605, Washington, D.C., August 1993.)

... for reposting the CDC fact sheet on second hand smoke. You're helping get the word out. The more people who know about the adverse health effects of second hand smoke, the better.

it was DEADLY... LETHAL... POISON... not just dangerous... not just hazardous... DEADLY. come on... how many people die a day from cigarette smoke? how many people die a day from second hand smoke? there MUST be SOMEBODY who has been killed by second hand smoke for you to say it's deadly. come on. prove your case.

the report makes several CLAIMS but shows no science to back it up. no figures of deaths. no causes of deaths. only INFERENCES to deaths. in no case can it show that cigarette smoking, and ESPECIALLY second hand smoke is the one and only cause of anyone's death. it cannot show that cigarette smoking, especially second hand smoke is a LEADING CAUSE in anyone's death. all it CAN show is that is PROBABLY cancer causing, it can't even show that it is DEFINATELY cancer causing, as not every smoker gets cancer and not everyone who gets cancer smokes. in fact, smokers who smoke for over fifty years, and yes, there are millions of them, smoke over 730,000 cigarettes in their lives. even at THAT level of exposure, you cannot say that it was cigarettes that caused their deaths. you CAN say that IF the person get's cancer, it was PROBABLY caused by smoking. sounds like a pretty wishy-washy way to tap dance around calling something deadly. by the way, the report doesn't even state the percentage of smokers who get cancer or heart disease. they still haven't shown a positive 'CAUSE AND EFFECT' for smoking and heart disease. just a 'significant number' of people with heart disease who smoke. they won't say what that 'significant number' is. why not? inquiring minds want to know. don't you?

the CDC fact sheet? there are none. it just says it causes stuff to happen, but doesn't say how. it's like magic.

"* From 1988–91 to 2001–02, the proportion of nonsmokers with detectable levels cotinine was halved (from 88% to 43%).3" Show me where deaths dropped in half... "* Almost 60% of U.S. children aged 3–11 years—or almost 22 million children—are exposed to secondhand smoke.2' When only 25% of adults smoke this is also a bogus claim. back in the fifties most kids were living in a home with at least one smoker. Show me the studies on these folks. They don't do them because it would end their crusade. You libs need to get a grip. When you kickewd religion out so you could do whatever you want and not feel guilty you didn't look at the long term problems. Now you are all fifty or sixty, wrinkled and scared to death of dying. Instead of worshipping at church you worship your body and now the earth. You guys can all worry yourself to death but I will be enjoying a very dry martini and a good cigar.

Centers For Disease Control and Prevention U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Fact Sheet Secondhand Smoke (updated September 2006) Definition of Secondhand Smoke: * Secondhand smoke, also known as environmental tobacco smoke, is a complex mixture of gases and particles that includes smoke from the burning cigarette, cigar, or pipe tip (sidestream smoke) and exhaled mainstream smoke.1 * Secondhand smoke contains at least 250 chemicals known to be toxic, including more than 50 that can cause cancer.1 Health Effects of Secondhand Smoke Exposure: * Secondhand smoke exposure causes heart disease and lung cancer in nonsmoking adults.2 * Nonsmokers who are exposed to secondhand smoke at home or work increase their heart disease risk by 25–30% and their lung cancer risk by 20–30%.2 * Breathing secondhand smoke has immediate harmful effects on the cardiovascular system that can increase the risk of heart attack. People who already have heart disease are at especially high risk.2 * Secondhand smoke exposure causes respiratory symptoms in children and slows their lung growth.2 * Secondhand smoke causes sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), acute respiratory infections, ear problems, and more frequent and severe asthma attacks in children.2 * There is no risk-free level of secondhand smoke exposure. Even brief exposure can be dangerous.2 Current Estimates of Secondhand Smoke Exposure: * Exposure to nicotine and secondhand smoke is measured by testing the saliva, urine, or blood for the presence of a chemical called cotinine. Cotinine is a byproduct of nicotine metabolization, and tobacco is the only source of this marker.2 * From 1988–91 to 2001–02, the proportion of nonsmokers with detectable levels cotinine was halved (from 88% to 43%).3 * Over that same time period, cotinine levels in those who were exposed to secondhand smoke fell by 70%.3 * More than 126 million nonsmoking Americans continue to be exposed to secondhand smoke in homes, vehicles, workplaces, and public places.2 * Most exposure to tobacco smoke occurs in homes and workplaces.2 * Almost 60% of U.S. children aged 3–11 years—or almost 22 million children—are exposed to secondhand smoke.2 * About 25% of children aged 3–11 years live with at least one smoker, compared to only about 7% of nonsmoking adults.2 * The California Environmental Protection Agency estimates that secondhand smoke exposure causes approximately 3,400 lung cancer deaths and 22,700–69,600 heart disease deaths annually among adult nonsmokers in the United States.4 * Each year in the United States, secondhand smoke exposure is responsible for 150,000–300,000 new cases of bronchitis and pneumonia in children aged less than 18 months. This results in 7,500–15,000 hospitalizations, annually.5 References 1. National Toxicology Program. 11th Report on Carcinogens, 2005. Research Triangle Park, NC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Sciences, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, 2000 [cited 2006 Sep 27]. 2. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta, Georgia: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Coordinating Center for Health Promotion, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 2006 [cited 2006 Sep 27]. 3. Pirkle JL, Bernert JT, Caudill SP, Sosnoff CS, Pechacek TF. Trends in the Exposure of Nonsmokers in the U.S. Population to Secondhand Smoke: 1988–2002. Environmental Health Perspectives. 2006;114(6):853–858 [cited 2006 Sep 27]. 4. California Environmental Protection Agency. Proposed Identification of Environmental Tobacco Smoke as a Toxic Air Contaminant. Final report, September 29, 2005, approved by Scientific Review Panel on June 24, 2005 [cited 2006 Sep 27]. 5. United States Environmental Protection Agency. Respiratory Health Effects of Passive Smoking: Lung Cancer and Other Disorders.* Office of Research and Development, EPA/600/6-90/006F, Washington, D.C., December 1992 [cited 2006 Sep 27]. (Also published as: National Institutes of Health. National Cancer Institute. Respiratory Health Effects of Passive Smoking: Lung Cancer and Other Disorders: The Report of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Smoking and Tobacco Control Monograph Number 4. NIH Publication No. 93-3605, Washington, D.C., August 1993.)

how many people die each year of second hand smoke, not to re-post the 'fact sheet of lies'. now, if you can't figure out how many people die each year of second hand smoke, then maybe there aren't any. either that, or you are just too stupid to answer the question. which is it?

Centers For Disease Control and Prevention U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Fact Sheet Secondhand Smoke (updated September 2006) Definition of Secondhand Smoke: * Secondhand smoke, also known as environmental tobacco smoke, is a complex mixture of gases and particles that includes smoke from the burning cigarette, cigar, or pipe tip (sidestream smoke) and exhaled mainstream smoke.1 * Secondhand smoke contains at least 250 chemicals known to be toxic, including more than 50 that can cause cancer.1 Health Effects of Secondhand Smoke Exposure: * Secondhand smoke exposure causes heart disease and lung cancer in nonsmoking adults.2 * Nonsmokers who are exposed to secondhand smoke at home or work increase their heart disease risk by 25–30% and their lung cancer risk by 20–30%.2 * Breathing secondhand smoke has immediate harmful effects on the cardiovascular system that can increase the risk of heart attack. People who already have heart disease are at especially high risk.2 * Secondhand smoke exposure causes respiratory symptoms in children and slows their lung growth.2 * Secondhand smoke causes sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), acute respiratory infections, ear problems, and more frequent and severe asthma attacks in children.2 * There is no risk-free level of secondhand smoke exposure. Even brief exposure can be dangerous.2 Current Estimates of Secondhand Smoke Exposure: * Exposure to nicotine and secondhand smoke is measured by testing the saliva, urine, or blood for the presence of a chemical called cotinine. Cotinine is a byproduct of nicotine metabolization, and tobacco is the only source of this marker.2 * From 1988–91 to 2001–02, the proportion of nonsmokers with detectable levels cotinine was halved (from 88% to 43%).3 * Over that same time period, cotinine levels in those who were exposed to secondhand smoke fell by 70%.3 * More than 126 million nonsmoking Americans continue to be exposed to secondhand smoke in homes, vehicles, workplaces, and public places.2 * Most exposure to tobacco smoke occurs in homes and workplaces.2 * Almost 60% of U.S. children aged 3–11 years—or almost 22 million children—are exposed to secondhand smoke.2 * About 25% of children aged 3–11 years live with at least one smoker, compared to only about 7% of nonsmoking adults.2 * The California Environmental Protection Agency estimates that secondhand smoke exposure causes approximately 3,400 lung cancer deaths and 22,700–69,600 heart disease deaths annually among adult nonsmokers in the United States.4 * Each year in the United States, secondhand smoke exposure is responsible for 150,000–300,000 new cases of bronchitis and pneumonia in children aged less than 18 months. This results in 7,500–15,000 hospitalizations, annually.5 References 1. National Toxicology Program. 11th Report on Carcinogens, 2005. Research Triangle Park, NC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Sciences, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, 2000 [cited 2006 Sep 27]. 2. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta, Georgia: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Coordinating Center for Health Promotion, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 2006 [cited 2006 Sep 27]. 3. Pirkle JL, Bernert JT, Caudill SP, Sosnoff CS, Pechacek TF. Trends in the Exposure of Nonsmokers in the U.S. Population to Secondhand Smoke: 1988–2002. Environmental Health Perspectives. 2006;114(6):853–858 [cited 2006 Sep 27]. 4. California Environmental Protection Agency. Proposed Identification of Environmental Tobacco Smoke as a Toxic Air Contaminant. Final report, September 29, 2005, approved by Scientific Review Panel on June 24, 2005 [cited 2006 Sep 27]. 5. United States Environmental Protection Agency. Respiratory Health Effects of Passive Smoking: Lung Cancer and Other Disorders.* Office of Research and Development, EPA/600/6-90/006F, Washington, D.C., December 1992 [cited 2006 Sep 27]. (Also published as: National Institutes of Health. National Cancer Institute. Respiratory Health Effects of Passive Smoking: Lung Cancer and Other Disorders: The Report of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Smoking and Tobacco Control Monograph Number 4. NIH Publication No. 93-3605, Washington, D.C., August 1993.)

outdoor smoking on school property? is it TO PROTECT THE CHILDREN? no, they are all supposed to be INSIDE LEARNING. is it TO NANNY US? yes. case closed, this bill should die a quiet death in committee.

Centers For Disease Control and Prevention U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Fact Sheet Secondhand Smoke (updated September 2006) Definition of Secondhand Smoke: * Secondhand smoke, also known as environmental tobacco smoke, is a complex mixture of gases and particles that includes smoke from the burning cigarette, cigar, or pipe tip (sidestream smoke) and exhaled mainstream smoke.1 * Secondhand smoke contains at least 250 chemicals known to be toxic, including more than 50 that can cause cancer.1 Health Effects of Secondhand Smoke Exposure: * Secondhand smoke exposure causes heart disease and lung cancer in nonsmoking adults.2 * Nonsmokers who are exposed to secondhand smoke at home or work increase their heart disease risk by 25–30% and their lung cancer risk by 20–30%.2 * Breathing secondhand smoke has immediate harmful effects on the cardiovascular system that can increase the risk of heart attack. People who already have heart disease are at especially high risk.2 * Secondhand smoke exposure causes respiratory symptoms in children and slows their lung growth.2 * Secondhand smoke causes sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), acute respiratory infections, ear problems, and more frequent and severe asthma attacks in children.2 * There is no risk-free level of secondhand smoke exposure. Even brief exposure can be dangerous.2 Current Estimates of Secondhand Smoke Exposure: * Exposure to nicotine and secondhand smoke is measured by testing the saliva, urine, or blood for the presence of a chemical called cotinine. Cotinine is a byproduct of nicotine metabolization, and tobacco is the only source of this marker.2 * From 1988–91 to 2001–02, the proportion of nonsmokers with detectable levels cotinine was halved (from 88% to 43%).3 * Over that same time period, cotinine levels in those who were exposed to secondhand smoke fell by 70%.3 * More than 126 million nonsmoking Americans continue to be exposed to secondhand smoke in homes, vehicles, workplaces, and public places.2 * Most exposure to tobacco smoke occurs in homes and workplaces.2 * Almost 60% of U.S. children aged 3–11 years—or almost 22 million children—are exposed to secondhand smoke.2 * About 25% of children aged 3–11 years live with at least one smoker, compared to only about 7% of nonsmoking adults.2 * The California Environmental Protection Agency estimates that secondhand smoke exposure causes approximately 3,400 lung cancer deaths and 22,700–69,600 heart disease deaths annually among adult nonsmokers in the United States.4 * Each year in the United States, secondhand smoke exposure is responsible for 150,000–300,000 new cases of bronchitis and pneumonia in children aged less than 18 months. This results in 7,500–15,000 hospitalizations, annually.5 References 1. National Toxicology Program. 11th Report on Carcinogens, 2005. Research Triangle Park, NC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Sciences, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, 2000 [cited 2006 Sep 27]. 2. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta, Georgia: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Coordinating Center for Health Promotion, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 2006 [cited 2006 Sep 27]. 3. Pirkle JL, Bernert JT, Caudill SP, Sosnoff CS, Pechacek TF. Trends in the Exposure of Nonsmokers in the U.S. Population to Secondhand Smoke: 1988–2002. Environmental Health Perspectives. 2006;114(6):853–858 [cited 2006 Sep 27]. 4. California Environmental Protection Agency. Proposed Identification of Environmental Tobacco Smoke as a Toxic Air Contaminant. Final report, September 29, 2005, approved by Scientific Review Panel on June 24, 2005 [cited 2006 Sep 27]. 5. United States Environmental Protection Agency. Respiratory Health Effects of Passive Smoking: Lung Cancer and Other Disorders.* Office of Research and Development, EPA/600/6-90/006F, Washington, D.C., December 1992 [cited 2006 Sep 27]. (Also published as: National Institutes of Health. National Cancer Institute. Respiratory Health Effects of Passive Smoking: Lung Cancer and Other Disorders: The Report of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Smoking and Tobacco Control Monograph Number 4. NIH Publication No. 93-3605, Washington, D.C., August 1993.)

times already, and you STILL haven't put any facts into your fact sheet. tell us how you came to believe that second hand smoke is deadly and exactly how many people died from it, and no other cause this last year. if you can't tell us how many people died of second hand smoke and no other cause this year, then no one did. now, put that into your fact sheet...

how about naming three people who have died from second hand smoke? that should be easy, considering that one of your studies listed on the fact sheet says that 30,000 people have died from it already. please supply a death certificate, or autopsy results verifiying your claim. thank you.

Centers For Disease Control and Prevention U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Fact Sheet Secondhand Smoke (updated September 2006) Definition of Secondhand Smoke: * Secondhand smoke, also known as environmental tobacco smoke, is a complex mixture of gases and particles that includes smoke from the burning cigarette, cigar, or pipe tip (sidestream smoke) and exhaled mainstream smoke.1 * Secondhand smoke contains at least 250 chemicals known to be toxic, including more than 50 that can cause cancer.1 Health Effects of Secondhand Smoke Exposure: * Secondhand smoke exposure causes heart disease and lung cancer in nonsmoking adults.2 * Nonsmokers who are exposed to secondhand smoke at home or work increase their heart disease risk by 25–30% and their lung cancer risk by 20–30%.2 * Breathing secondhand smoke has immediate harmful effects on the cardiovascular system that can increase the risk of heart attack. People who already have heart disease are at especially high risk.2 * Secondhand smoke exposure causes respiratory symptoms in children and slows their lung growth.2 * Secondhand smoke causes sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), acute respiratory infections, ear problems, and more frequent and severe asthma attacks in children.2 * There is no risk-free level of secondhand smoke exposure. Even brief exposure can be dangerous.2 Current Estimates of Secondhand Smoke Exposure: * Exposure to nicotine and secondhand smoke is measured by testing the saliva, urine, or blood for the presence of a chemical called cotinine. Cotinine is a byproduct of nicotine metabolization, and tobacco is the only source of this marker.2 * From 1988–91 to 2001–02, the proportion of nonsmokers with detectable levels cotinine was halved (from 88% to 43%).3 * Over that same time period, cotinine levels in those who were exposed to secondhand smoke fell by 70%.3 * More than 126 million nonsmoking Americans continue to be exposed to secondhand smoke in homes, vehicles, workplaces, and public places.2 * Most exposure to tobacco smoke occurs in homes and workplaces.2 * Almost 60% of U.S. children aged 3–11 years—or almost 22 million children—are exposed to secondhand smoke.2 * About 25% of children aged 3–11 years live with at least one smoker, compared to only about 7% of nonsmoking adults.2 * The California Environmental Protection Agency estimates that secondhand smoke exposure causes approximately 3,400 lung cancer deaths and 22,700–69,600 heart disease deaths annually among adult nonsmokers in the United States.4 * Each year in the United States, secondhand smoke exposure is responsible for 150,000–300,000 new cases of bronchitis and pneumonia in children aged less than 18 months. This results in 7,500–15,000 hospitalizations, annually.5 References 1. National Toxicology Program. 11th Report on Carcinogens, 2005. Research Triangle Park, NC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Sciences, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, 2000 [cited 2006 Sep 27]. 2. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta, Georgia: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Coordinating Center for Health Promotion, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 2006 [cited 2006 Sep 27]. 3. Pirkle JL, Bernert JT, Caudill SP, Sosnoff CS, Pechacek TF. Trends in the Exposure of Nonsmokers in the U.S. Population to Secondhand Smoke: 1988–2002. Environmental Health Perspectives. 2006;114(6):853–858 [cited 2006 Sep 27]. 4. California Environmental Protection Agency. Proposed Identification of Environmental Tobacco Smoke as a Toxic Air Contaminant. Final report, September 29, 2005, approved by Scientific Review Panel on June 24, 2005 [cited 2006 Sep 27]. 5. United States Environmental Protection Agency. Respiratory Health Effects of Passive Smoking: Lung Cancer and Other Disorders.* Office of Research and Development, EPA/600/6-90/006F, Washington, D.C., December 1992 [cited 2006 Sep 27]. (Also published as: National Institutes of Health. National Cancer Institute. Respiratory Health Effects of Passive Smoking: Lung Cancer and Other Disorders: The Report of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Smoking and Tobacco Control Monograph Number 4. NIH Publication No. 93-3605, Washington, D.C., August 1993.)

Well, better ban cars, buses, pooping in school, perfume, hair spray, deodorant, gum,,, ah, just ban people. That will make it easy. WE NEED PART TIME GOV'T ONLY!

continued re-posting of your 'fact sheet' that you have no answers to the questions asked. the answers, then will be provided. question 1. how deadly is second hand smoke? not deadly at all. it's irritating, yes. it's smelly, yes. it's even bothersome to control freaks, but it's NOT deadly. question 2. at what level is it deadly? i'm sure that if you replaced ALL the oxygen in a room with second hand smoke, it would be bad, but that's impossible to do. question 3. how many people have died of second hand smoke? absolutely none. not a single one. not any. that means our 'anti-smoker's rights control freak' has a pack of lies to atone for. and some choices. does our 'control freak' continue posting his 'fact sheet'? or does he simply find himself a 'no-smoking bar' to go and drink alone in? by the way, i'm not a smoker. but i AM in favor of people being able to make their own decisions. obviously YOU ARE NOT. guys like you are called SOCIALISTS AND COMMUNISTS. also referred to as TYRANTS.

Centers For Disease Control and Prevention U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Fact Sheet Secondhand Smoke (updated September 2006) Definition of Secondhand Smoke: * Secondhand smoke, also known as environmental tobacco smoke, is a complex mixture of gases and particles that includes smoke from the burning cigarette, cigar, or pipe tip (sidestream smoke) and exhaled mainstream smoke.1 * Secondhand smoke contains at least 250 chemicals known to be toxic, including more than 50 that can cause cancer.1 Health Effects of Secondhand Smoke Exposure: * Secondhand smoke exposure causes heart disease and lung cancer in nonsmoking adults.2 * Nonsmokers who are exposed to secondhand smoke at home or work increase their heart disease risk by 25–30% and their lung cancer risk by 20–30%.2 * Breathing secondhand smoke has immediate harmful effects on the cardiovascular system that can increase the risk of heart attack. People who already have heart disease are at especially high risk.2 * Secondhand smoke exposure causes respiratory symptoms in children and slows their lung growth.2 * Secondhand smoke causes sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), acute respiratory infections, ear problems, and more frequent and severe asthma attacks in children.2 * There is no risk-free level of secondhand smoke exposure. Even brief exposure can be dangerous.2 Current Estimates of Secondhand Smoke Exposure: * Exposure to nicotine and secondhand smoke is measured by testing the saliva, urine, or blood for the presence of a chemical called cotinine. Cotinine is a byproduct of nicotine metabolization, and tobacco is the only source of this marker.2 * From 1988–91 to 2001–02, the proportion of nonsmokers with detectable levels cotinine was halved (from 88% to 43%).3 * Over that same time period, cotinine levels in those who were exposed to secondhand smoke fell by 70%.3 * More than 126 million nonsmoking Americans continue to be exposed to secondhand smoke in homes, vehicles, workplaces, and public places.2 * Most exposure to tobacco smoke occurs in homes and workplaces.2 * Almost 60% of U.S. children aged 3–11 years—or almost 22 million children—are exposed to secondhand smoke.2 * About 25% of children aged 3–11 years live with at least one smoker, compared to only about 7% of nonsmoking adults.2 * The California Environmental Protection Agency estimates that secondhand smoke exposure causes approximately 3,400 lung cancer deaths and 22,700–69,600 heart disease deaths annually among adult nonsmokers in the United States.4 * Each year in the United States, secondhand smoke exposure is responsible for 150,000–300,000 new cases of bronchitis and pneumonia in children aged less than 18 months. This results in 7,500–15,000 hospitalizations, annually.5 References 1. National Toxicology Program. 11th Report on Carcinogens, 2005. Research Triangle Park, NC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Sciences, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, 2000 [cited 2006 Sep 27]. 2. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta, Georgia: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Coordinating Center for Health Promotion, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 2006 [cited 2006 Sep 27]. 3. Pirkle JL, Bernert JT, Caudill SP, Sosnoff CS, Pechacek TF. Trends in the Exposure of Nonsmokers in the U.S. Population to Secondhand Smoke: 1988–2002. Environmental Health Perspectives. 2006;114(6):853–858 [cited 2006 Sep 27]. 4. California Environmental Protection Agency. Proposed Identification of Environmental Tobacco Smoke as a Toxic Air Contaminant. Final report, September 29, 2005, approved by Scientific Review Panel on June 24, 2005 [cited 2006 Sep 27]. 5. United States Environmental Protection Agency. Respiratory Health Effects of Passive Smoking: Lung Cancer and Other Disorders.* Office of Research and Development, EPA/600/6-90/006F, Washington, D.C., December 1992 [cited 2006 Sep 27]. (Also published as: National Institutes of Health. National Cancer Institute. Respiratory Health Effects of Passive Smoking: Lung Cancer and Other Disorders: The Report of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Smoking and Tobacco Control Monograph Number 4. NIH Publication No. 93-3605, Washington, D.C., August 1993.)

second hand smoke ISN'T deadly after all. i didn't think it was. neither do your studies. you should READ them before you spout off about what is REALLY toxic and what isn't. studies that multiply the risk factors aren't scientific. studies that lie aren't to be trusted. neither are the people who keep posting them. thanks for letting us know about the massive fraud involved and those who perpetrate them. welcome to the nanny state.

Centers For Disease Control and Prevention U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Fact Sheet Secondhand Smoke (updated September 2006) Definition of Secondhand Smoke: * Secondhand smoke, also known as environmental tobacco smoke, is a complex mixture of gases and particles that includes smoke from the burning cigarette, cigar, or pipe tip (sidestream smoke) and exhaled mainstream smoke.1 * Secondhand smoke contains at least 250 chemicals known to be toxic, including more than 50 that can cause cancer.1 Health Effects of Secondhand Smoke Exposure: * Secondhand smoke exposure causes heart disease and lung cancer in nonsmoking adults.2 * Nonsmokers who are exposed to secondhand smoke at home or work increase their heart disease risk by 25–30% and their lung cancer risk by 20–30%.2 * Breathing secondhand smoke has immediate harmful effects on the cardiovascular system that can increase the risk of heart attack. People who already have heart disease are at especially high risk.2 * Secondhand smoke exposure causes respiratory symptoms in children and slows their lung growth.2 * Secondhand smoke causes sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), acute respiratory infections, ear problems, and more frequent and severe asthma attacks in children.2 * There is no risk-free level of secondhand smoke exposure. Even brief exposure can be dangerous.2 Current Estimates of Secondhand Smoke Exposure: * Exposure to nicotine and secondhand smoke is measured by testing the saliva, urine, or blood for the presence of a chemical called cotinine. Cotinine is a byproduct of nicotine metabolization, and tobacco is the only source of this marker.2 * From 1988–91 to 2001–02, the proportion of nonsmokers with detectable levels cotinine was halved (from 88% to 43%).3 * Over that same time period, cotinine levels in those who were exposed to secondhand smoke fell by 70%.3 * More than 126 million nonsmoking Americans continue to be exposed to secondhand smoke in homes, vehicles, workplaces, and public places.2 * Most exposure to tobacco smoke occurs in homes and workplaces.2 * Almost 60% of U.S. children aged 3–11 years—or almost 22 million children—are exposed to secondhand smoke.2 * About 25% of children aged 3–11 years live with at least one smoker, compared to only about 7% of nonsmoking adults.2 * The California Environmental Protection Agency estimates that secondhand smoke exposure causes approximately 3,400 lung cancer deaths and 22,700–69,600 heart disease deaths annually among adult nonsmokers in the United States.4 * Each year in the United States, secondhand smoke exposure is responsible for 150,000–300,000 new cases of bronchitis and pneumonia in children aged less than 18 months. This results in 7,500–15,000 hospitalizations, annually.5 References 1. National Toxicology Program. 11th Report on Carcinogens, 2005. Research Triangle Park, NC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Sciences, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, 2000 [cited 2006 Sep 27]. 2. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta, Georgia: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Coordinating Center for Health Promotion, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 2006 [cited 2006 Sep 27]. 3. Pirkle JL, Bernert JT, Caudill SP, Sosnoff CS, Pechacek TF. Trends in the Exposure of Nonsmokers in the U.S. Population to Secondhand Smoke: 1988–2002. Environmental Health Perspectives. 2006;114(6):853–858 [cited 2006 Sep 27]. 4. California Environmental Protection Agency. Proposed Identification of Environmental Tobacco Smoke as a Toxic Air Contaminant. Final report, September 29, 2005, approved by Scientific Review Panel on June 24, 2005 [cited 2006 Sep 27]. 5. United States Environmental Protection Agency. Respiratory Health Effects of Passive Smoking: Lung Cancer and Other Disorders.* Office of Research and Development, EPA/600/6-90/006F, Washington, D.C., December 1992 [cited 2006 Sep 27]. (Also published as: National Institutes of Health. National Cancer Institute. Respiratory Health Effects of Passive Smoking: Lung Cancer and Other Disorders: The Report of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Smoking and Tobacco Control Monograph Number 4. NIH Publication No. 93-3605, Washington, D.C., August 1993.)

Secondhand Smoke Facts from The American Cancer Society What Is Secondhand Smoke? Secondhand smoke, also known as environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) or passive smoke, is a mixture of 2 forms of smoke from burning tobacco products: Sidestream smoke: smoke that comes from the end of a lighted cigarette, pipe, or cigar Mainstream smoke: smoke that is exhaled by a smoker When non-smokers are exposed to secondhand smoke it is called involuntary smoking or passive smoking. Non-smokers exposed to secondhand smoke absorb nicotine and other toxic chemicals just like smokers do. The more secondhand smoke you are exposed to, the higher the level of these harmful chemicals in your body. Why Is Secondhand Smoke a Problem? Secondhand smoke is classified as a "known human carcinogen" (cancer-causing agent) by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the US National Toxicology Program, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a branch of the World Health Organization. Tobacco smoke contains over 4,000 chemical compounds. More than 60 of these are known or suspected to cause cancer. Secondhand smoke can be harmful in many ways. In the United States alone, each year it is responsible for: * an estimated 35,000 deaths from heart disease in non-smokers who live with smokers * about 3,400 lung cancer deaths in non-smoking adults * other breathing problems in non-smokers, including coughing, mucus, chest discomfort, and reduced lung function * 150,000 to 300,000 lung infections (such as pneumonia and bronchitis) in children younger than 18 months of age, which result in 7,500 to 15,000 hospitalizations * increases in the number and severity of asthma attacks in about 200,000 to 1 million children who have asthma * more than 750,000 middle ear infections in children Pregnant women exposed to secondhand smoke are also at increased risk of having low birth weight babies. An issue that continues to be studied is whether secondhand smoke may increase the risk of breast cancer. Both mainstream and secondhand smoke contain about 20 chemicals that, in high concentrations, cause breast cancer in rodents. Chemicals in tobacco smoke reach breast tissue and are found in breast milk. The evidence regarding secondhand smoke and breast cancer risk in human studies is still being debated, partly because the risk has not been shown to be increased in active smokers. One possible explanation for this is that tobacco smoke may have different effects on breast cancer risk in smokers and in those who are exposed to secondhand smoke. A report from the California Environmental Protection Agency in 2005 concluded that the evidence regarding secondhand smoke and breast cancer is "consistent with a causal association" in younger, mainly premenopausal women. The 2006 US Surgeon General's report, The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke, concluded that there is "suggestive but not sufficient" evidence of a link at this point. In any case, women should be told that this possible link to breast cancer is yet another reason to avoid contact with secondhand smoke. The 2006 US Surgeon General's report reached several important conclusions: * Secondhand smoke causes premature death and disease in children and in adults who do not smoke. * Children exposed to secondhand smoke are at an increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), acute respiratory infections, ear problems, and more severe asthma. Smoking by parents causes breathing (respiratory) symptoms and slows lung growth in their children. * Secondhand smoke immediately affects the heart and blood circulation in a harmful way. It also causes heart disease and lung cancer. The scientific evidence shows that there is no "safe" level of exposure to secondhand smoke. * Many millions of Americans, both children and adults, are still exposed to secondhand smoke in their homes and workplaces despite a great deal of progress in tobacco control. * The only way to fully protect non-smokers from exposure to secondhand smoke indoors is to prevent all smoking in that indoor space or building. Separating smokers from non-smokers, cleaning the air, and ventilating buildings cannot keep non-smokers from being exposed to secondhand smoke. Where Is Secondhand Smoke a Problem? There are 3 locations where you should be especially concerned about exposure to secondhand smoke: Your Workplace The workplace is a major source of secondhand smoke exposure for adults. Secondhand smoke meets the criteria to be classified as a potential cancer-causing agent by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the federal agency responsible for health and safety regulations in the workplace. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), another federal agency, also recommends that secondhand smoke be considered a potential occupational carcinogen. Because there are no known safe levels, they recommend that exposures to secondhand smoke be reduced to the lowest possible levels. Secondhand smoke exposure in the workplace has been linked to an increased risk for heart disease and lung cancer among adult non-smokers. The Surgeon General has concluded that smoke-free workplace policies are the only effective way to do away with secondhand smoke exposure in the workplace. Separating smokers from non-smokers, cleaning the air, and ventilating the building cannot prevent exposure if people smoke inside the building. Aside from protecting non-smokers, workplace smoking restrictions may also encourage smokers who wish to quit or reduce their use of tobacco products. Public Places Everyone can be exposed to secondhand smoke in public places, such as restaurants, shopping centers, public transportation, schools, and daycare centers. Although some businesses are reluctant to ban smoking, there is no credible evidence that going smoke-free is bad for business. Public places where children go are a special area of concern. Your Home Making your home smoke-free may be one of the most important things you can do for the health of your family. Any family member can develop health problems related to secondhand smoke. Children are especially sensitive. In the United States, 21 million, or 35% of children live in homes where residents or visitors smoke in the home on a regular basis. About 50% to 75% of children in the United States have detectable levels of cotinine, the breakdown product of nicotine, in their blood. Think about it: we spend more time at home than anywhere else. A smoke-free home protects your family, your guests, and even your pets. What About Smoking Odors? There is no research in the medical literature about the cancer-causing effects of cigarette odors. The literature does show that secondhand tobacco smoke can get into hair, clothing, and other surfaces. Though unknown, the cancer-causing effects would likely be very small compared to direct exposure to secondhand smoke, such as living in a house with a smoker. What Can Be Done About Secondhand Smoke? Local, state, and federal authorities can enact public policies to protect people from secondhand smoke and protect children from tobacco-caused diseases and addiction. Because there are no safe levels of secondhand smoke, it is important that any such policies be as strong as possible, and that they do not prevent action at other levels of government. Many US local and state governments, and even federal governments in some other countries, have decided that protecting the health of employees and others in public places is of the utmost importance. And many have passed clean indoor air laws in recent years. While the laws vary from place to place, they are becoming more common. Detailed information on smoking restrictions in each state is available from the American Lung Association.

Shouldn't the House Educaton Committee be concerned with the education our students should be receiving? Next they're going to take up what color paint should be used on walls and lockers in the circus tents our schools have turned out to be.