Secondhand Smoke: Half an Hour’s Harmful

Article by healthybalance.com staff
Posted on May 23, 2008

If you’re not a smoker, can a little secondhand smoke really impact your health? Well according to a new study, as little as 30 minutes exposure to secondhand smoke, say in a crowded bar, does indeed have negative health effects.

Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) found that a half an hour of secondhand smoke injures your blood vessels, even if you are young, in good health and a life-long non-smoker. In addition, this short interval of exposure to secondhand smoke also impairs your body’s natural ability to repair the injury done by the second hand smoke.

“Even brief secondhand smoke exposure not only resulted in blood vessel injury, but it also interfered with the body’s ability to repair itself… It is quite amazing that only 30 minutes of exposure could cause such demonstrable effects,” says Yerem Yeghiazarians, MD, director of the Translational Cardiac Stem Cell Program at UCSF. “So it’s a double hit: not only does a person develop blood vessel injury, but the cells that are supposed to help repair this damage are themselves also dysfunctional, compounding the injury.”

The study also found that the injurious effects of second hand smoke remained in the body for at least 24 hours—a lot longer than expected. Health statistics in communities where smoking has been banned in restaurants, bars and public spaces backs up the conclusions of this recent study, as well.

“Our study helps explain why there is about a 20 percent drop in hospital admissions for heart attacks when cities and states pass laws mandating smoke-free workplaces, restaurants and bars,” Yeghiazarians says.

Since there is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke, what can you do to reduce your risks of exposure?

• Don’t be shy. When guests visit your home or workplace, don’t feel obligated to let them light up. If you or your children carpool with smokers, insist that they refrain from smoking during the ride. Even when dining out with smoking friends, ask to be seated in the nonsmoking section.

• Support smoke-free legislation. Contact your city and county officials and ask then to make your community a healthier place to live by restricting smoking in restaurants, bars and public spaces.

• Detoxify. If you regularly socialize with smokers, take steps to reduce toxins held by your body. Drink plenty of water daily (eight to ten 8 oz. glasses), eat plenty of high fiber foods—especially fresh fruits and vegetables—and, as needed, include a one-day fast or other cleansing protocol to help keep your body free from toxins.

Source: University of California – San Francisco (2008, May 5). Secondhand Smoke Exposure Can Cause Cell Damage In 30 Minutes. ScienceDaily. Retrieved May 6, 2008, from http://www.sciencedaily.com /releases/2008/05/080505094136.htm