Tobacco smoke in enclosed spaces is not simply a nuisance: it is a threat to health with fatal consequences. This is the conclusion reached by the German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ) in its latest publication.
“Secondhand smoke contains not only poisons such as hydrocyanic acid, ammonia, and carbon monoxide, but also numerous carcinogenic substances including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, N-nitrosamines, aromatic amines, benzene, vinyl chloride, arsenic, cadmium, chromium and the radioactive isotope polonium 210,” states Dr. Martina Pötschke-Langer, the editor of the publication. “For the carcinogenic substances contained in secondhand smoke it is impossible to determine threshhold values under which no health risk is to be expected. Even the slightest exposure can contribute to the development of tumors.”
In Germany, the level of pollution due to tobacco smoke is considerable: Each year more than 170,000 newborn babies have already been exposed in the womb to the harmful substances contained in tobacco smoke, and an estimated 8 million or more children and teenagers under 18 years old live in a household with at least one smoker. Among the adult population, more than 35 million nonsmokers are forced to inhale the harmful substances contained in secondhand smoke – at home, at work, or in their leisure time. At the workplace alone, about 8.5 million nonsmokers are still exposed to secondhand smoke.
Secondhand smoke irritates the respiratory tract and can lead to breathlessness during physical activity, increased susceptibility to infection, headaches and dizziness. Even a short exposure can elicit these symptoms. However, secondhand smoke is also a contributory factor in the causation of chronic and fatal diseases.