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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Office on Smoking and Health
Tel: 1-800-CDC-INFO
(1-800-232-4636)
TTY: 1-888-232-6348
E-mail: tobaccoinfo@cdc.gov
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Fact Sheet
Ventilation Does Not Effectively Protect Nonsmokers from Secondhand Smoke
(October 2006)
- There is no risk-free level of exposure to secondhand smoke. Even
low levels of exposure can harm nonsmokers' health.1
- Separating smokers from nonsmokers, cleaning the air, and ventilating
buildings cannot eliminate secondhand smoke exposure.1
- Conventional air cleaning systems can remove
large particles, but not the smaller particles or the gases found in
secondhand smoke.1
- Current heating, ventilating, and air conditioning systems alone
cannot control secondhand smoke exposure. These systems can distribute
secondhand smoke throughout a building.1
- The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning
Engineers (ASHRAE), the preeminent U.S. standard-setting body on ventilation
issues, has concluded that ventilation systems cannot remove secondhand
smoke from indoor environments.2
- Even separately enclosed, separately exhausted, negative-pressure
smoking rooms cannot keep secondhand smoke from spilling into adjacent
areas. In practice, employees are often required to enter such rooms
in order to perform their job duties. Employees and patrons in such
rooms are likely to be exposed to especially high levels of secondhand
smoke.1
- Establishing a smoke-free environment is the only effective way
to protect nonsmokers from secondhand smoke.1
References
- 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 Oct 23]. Available from:
http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/sgr/sgr_2006/index.htm
- American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning
Engineers.
Environmental Tobacco Smoke: Position Document.
Atlanta, Georgia: 2005 [cited 2006 Oct 23].
For Further Information
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Office on Smoking and Health
E-mail: tobaccoinfo@cdc.gov
Phone: 1-800-CDC-INFO
Media Inquiries: Contact CDC's Office on Smoking and Health press line
at 770-488-5493.
Page last reviewed 02/28/2007
Page last modified 02/28/2007