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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
Trends in Secondhand Smoke Exposure Among U.S. Nonsmokers: Progress and Gaps
(October 2006)
- Secondhand smoke exposure among U.S. nonsmokers has declined substantially
since the publication of the 1986 Surgeon General's Report on The Health
Consequences of Involuntary Smoking.1
- Levels of a chemical called cotinine, a biomarker of secondhand
smoke exposure, fell by 70% from 1988–1991 to 2001–2002.2
- The proportion of nonsmokers with detectable cotinine levels
has been halved from 88% to 43%.2
- However, more than 126 million nonsmoking Americans, including both
children and adults, are still exposed to secondhand smoke in their
homes and workplaces.1
- Homes and workplaces are the primary locations where nonsmokers
are exposed to secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke exposure also continues
to occur in public places such as restaurants and bars and in private
vehicles.1
- Children are more heavily exposed to secondhand smoke than adults.3
Almost 60% of U.S. children aged 3–11 years—or almost 22 million
children—are exposed to secondhand smoke.1 About 25% of children
in this age group live with at least one smoker, as compared to only
about 7% of nonsmoking adults.1
- While declines in cotinine levels have occurred in all racial and
ethnic groups, cotinine levels have consistently been found to be higher
in African Americans than in whites and Mexican Americans.2
- Disparities in secondhand smoke exposure among ethnic and racial
groups vary by the location where the exposure is taking place. For
example, some evidence suggests that Hispanics are less likely than
other ethnic/racial groups to be covered by smoke-free workplace policies,
but are more likely to have smoke-free home rules in place.1
- Secondhand smoke exposure tends to be higher for persons with lower
incomes.1
- Eliminating smoking in indoor spaces is the only way to fully protect
nonsmokers from secondhand smoke exposure. Separating smokers from nonsmokers,
cleaning the air, and ventilating buildings cannot eliminate secondhand
smoke exposure.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.
- 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 Oct 23].
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Third National Report
on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals. Atlanta, Georgia: U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention, National Center for Environmental Health, 2005 [cited 2006 Oct 23]. NCEH
Publication No. 05-0570.
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