Smokers' homes may be as polluted as worst cities: Study

Polluted air due to smoking has been
linked to heart disease, strokes and cancer.

Living with a smoker can be like breathing the air in the world’s most polluted cities, according to a new study from Scotland.

“The message is pretty simple really - smoking in your home leads to really poor air quality and results in concentrations of fine particles, that you can’t see, that would cause real concern to us if they were found outside,” said lead author Sean Semple, of the Scottish Center for Indoor Air at the University of Aberdeen.

Tiny particles 2.5 microns in diameter or smaller, known as PM2.5, can penetrate deep into the lungs and even enter the blood. They’ve been linked to heart disease, strokes and cancer.

“Making your home smoke-free is key to reducing your exposure to PM2.5; for non-smokers who live with a smoker the impact of implementing smoke-free house rules would reduce their daily intake of PM2.5 by 70 percent or more,” Semple told Reuters Health in an email.

Such tiny particles typically result from combustion. Outdoors, the primary sources are vehicle exhaust, power plants and wildfires. Indoors, wood-burning or coal-burning stoves, gas cooking and heating fires and tobacco smoke are the most common sources of PM2.5 in the air.

For outdoor air, the World Health Organization says the safe exposure limit for PM2.5 particles is an average of 25 micrograms, or 25 millionths of a gram, per cubic meter of air over a 24-hour period, or average annual levels of 10 micrograms per cubic meter.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency sets the 24-hour limit at an average of 12 micrograms.

Semple and his colleagues wanted to bring together two scientific communities: those involved in tobacco control work and those interested in outdoor air pollution and health.

“We think there is a lot that each can learn from the other,” he said.

Many studies have examined outdoor air pollution or indoor air quality in workplaces. But home is where most people spend the majority of their time, particularly small children and homebound elderly people, the researchers write.

By comparing indoor air pollution in the homes of smokers and non-smokers, then comparing that to the most polluted cities, they hoped to illustrate the perils of indoor tobacco smoke over a lifetime.

The study team looked at data from four separate studies that measured PM2.5 levels in 93 Scottish homes where people smoked and 17 homes that were smoke free.

On average, PM2.5 levels in smokers' homes were around 31 micrograms per cubic meter – 10 times greater than the average of 3 micrograms in non-smoking homes.

There was a wide range of smoke concentrations in the smokers’ homes, however, and in one quarter of them, the 24-hour averages were 111 micrograms.

Semple pointed out, “A considerable proportion of smokers’ homes had air pollution levels that were the same or higher than the annual average PM2.5 concentration measured in Beijing,” a heavily polluted city.

The study team estimates that over a lifetime, a non-smoker living with a smoker will inhale about 6 grams more particulate matter than a non-smoker living in a smoke-free home.

Semple said that isn’t much, but this amount is likely to "have a substantial effect on the risk of developing diseases of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems.”

Semple said smokers often express the view that outdoor traffic pollution is a bigger problem than second-hand smoke pollution in the home.

“What this work shows is that, for most people living outside of major heavily polluted mega-cities like Beijing or Delhi, outdoor air pollution is much, much lower than what is measured inside homes where someone smokes,” he said.

“We have a lot of data and it’s an established fact how bad secondhand smoke is,” said Lucy Popova, from the Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education at the University of California, San Francisco. “There’s no safe level of exposure to it.”

“Smoke-free rules help not only by reducing the particulate matters for non-smokers but it actually helps smokers to quit too,” said Popova, who was not involved in the Scottish study.

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“Research shows when you have smoke-free rules in your home, that motivates smokers to make more cessation attempts and decrease the number of cigarettes that they smoke.”

Source: Fox News

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What's third-hand smoke? Researchers say it's far more dangerous than we ever realized.

"The results indicate potentially severe, long-term consequences, particularly to children."

Have you ever walked out of a building and smelled smoke even after the smoker has moved on? Or maybe caught a whiff on someone's clothes long after their cigarette has been extinguished? That's what scientists have termed - third hand smoke, and its effects may have been greatly underestimated.

Research led by the University of York has highlighted the potential cancer risk in non-smokers – particularly young children – of tobacco smoke gases and particles deposited to surfaces and in household dust.

Until now, the risks of this kind of exposure have not been well studied or considered in public policy.

However, a new study published in the journal Environment International, has estimated for the first time the potential cancer risk by age group through non-dietary ingestion and skin exposure to third hand smoke. The results indicate potentially severe, long-term consequences, particularly to children.

The research was carried out by York’s Wolfson Atmospheric Chemistry Laboratories, the National Centre for Atmospheric Science, and the Chromatography and Environmental Applications research group at the Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Spain.

The study demonstrates for the first time the widespread presence of tobacco related carcinogens in house dust, even in ‘smoke-free’ environments.

Scientists collected dust samples from private homes occupied by both smokers and non-smokers. Using observations of house dust composition, they estimated the cancer risk by applying the most recent official toxicology information.

They found that for children aged one to six years old, the cancer risks exceeded the limit recommended by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in three quarters of smokers’ homes and two thirds of non-smokers’ homes. The maximum risk predicted from the third hand smoke levels in a smoker occupied home equated to one extra cancer case per one thousand population exposed.

Lead investigator, Dr Jacqueline Hamilton, from York’s Wolfson Atmospheric Chemistry Laboratories, said: “The risks of tobacco exposure do not end when a cigarette is extinguished. Non-smokers, especially children, are also at risk through contact with surfaces and dust contaminated with residual smoke gases and particles, the so-called third hand smoke. This risk should not be overlooked and its impact should be included in future educational programs and tobacco-related public health policies.”

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Can't sleep? Quit smoking

As if  heart disease and cancer aren't enough of a motivation to quit smoking how about a good night's sleep?

Research from the Department of Environmental Medicine at the University of Rochester Medical Center (NY) suggests that smoking disrupts the "circadian clock" function in both the lungs and the brain. That means smoking ruins productive sleep, leading to cognitive dysfunction, mood disorders, depression and anxiety.

"This study has found a common pathway whereby cigarette smoke impacts both pulmonary and neurophysiological function. Further, the results suggest the possible therapeutic value of targeting this pathway with compounds that could improve both lung and brain functions in smokers," said Irfan Rahman, Ph.D. "We envisage that our findings will be the basis for future developments in the treatment of those patients who are suffering with tobacco smoke-mediated injuries and diseases.

"If you only stick to one New Year's resolution this year, make it quitting smoking," said Gerald Weissmann, M.D., Editor-in-Chief of The FASEB Journal, where the study was published. "If you like having a good night's sleep, then that's just another reason to never smoke."

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Leading U.S. Health Groups Call for Bold Action to Cut Tobacco Use

As the United States marks the 50^th anniversary of the first Surgeon General's Report on Smoking and Health, seven leading public health and medical organizations today called for bold action by all levels of government to achieve three goals:

• Reduce smoking rates, currently at about 18 percent, to less than 10 percent within 10 years;
• Protect all Americans from American Academy of Pediatrics, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, American Heart Association, American Lung Association, Americans for Nonsmokers' Rights, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and Legacy within five years; and
• Ultimately eliminate the death and disease caused by tobacco use.

The seven groups issuing the call to action are the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, American Heart Association, American Lung Association, Americans for Nonsmokers' Rights, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and Legacy®.

These seven organizations issued the following joint statement:

The first Surgeon General's Report on Smoking and Health, issued on January 11, 1964, was a historic turning point in the nation's fight against tobacco use. Our organizations celebrate the remarkable progress of the past 50 years.  The United States has cut smoking rates by more than half (from 42.4 percent in 1965 to 18 percent today) and per capita consumption of cigarettes by more than 70 percent.

While smoking was allowed almost everywhere in 1964, today nearly half the nation's population is protected by smoke-free laws that apply to all workplaces, restaurants and bars.  Reductions in smoking have saved millions of lives and are responsible for 30 percent of the increase in the life expectancy of Americans since 1964, according to a study published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

The fight against tobacco has been a tremendous public health achievement. However, the battle is far from over.  Tobacco use is still the number one cause of preventable death in the United States.  Smoking kills more than 440,000 Americans each year, sickens millions more and costs the nation $193 billion annually in health care expenditures and lost productivity.  About 44 million adults still smoke, and more than 3,000 kids try their first cigarette each day.  It is unacceptable that tobacco still kills so many Americans, lures so many children, devastates so many families and places such a huge burden on our nation's health care system.

Over the past 50 years, we have developed proven strategies that can achieve these goals if they are fully and effectively implemented.  These strategies include tobacco tax increases, comprehensive smoke-free workplace laws, hard-hitting mass media campaigns, health insurance coverage to ensure smokers have access to quit-smoking treatments, and well-funded, sustained programs to prevent kids from smoking and help smokers quit.  In 2009, these measures were supplemented with a powerful new tool when the Food and Drug Administration was granted authority to regulate the manufacturing, marketing and sale of tobacco products, for the first time empowering a federal agency to rein in the tobacco industry's harmful practices.

We have the tools to end the tobacco epidemic for good.  We cannot afford to wait another 50 years.

Related materials: Downloadable charts showing progress since 1964

SOURCE: Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids

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Great-grandma's cigarette habit could be the cause of child's asthma

Photo: freedigitalphotos.net

With some 300 million people around the world living with asthma, a study by Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center (LA BioMed) found for the first time that maternal smoking can cause the third generation of offspring to suffer from the chronic lung disease.

The study, published online by the American Journal of Physiology - Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology, reported that maternal nicotine exposure during pregnancy is linked to asthma in the third generation in disease models. This is known as a "transgenerational" linkage because the third generation was never directly exposed to nicotine or smoking. Previous research had found nicotine exposure was linked to asthma in the second generation, or was a "multigenerational" cause of asthma.

"Even though there are multiple causes for childhood asthma, research linking this serious chronic condition to maternal nicotine exposure during pregnancy for up to three generations should give mothers-to-be even more reasons to reconsider smoking," said Virender K. Rehan, MD, an LA BioMed lead researcher and the corresponding author of the study. "Eliminating the use of tobacco during pregnancy could help halt the rise in childhood asthma and ensure healthier children for generations to come."

Worldwide, approximately 250 million women smoke daily, and the number of people living with asthma is expected to grow by about a third by 2025, reaching approximately 400 million. Twelve percent of women in the U.S. continue to smoke during pregnancy, resulting in the birth of at least 400,000 smoke-exposed infants per year in the U.S. alone.

In previous studies, the researchers have concluded that the cause of the second generation's asthma was epigenetic modification (an environmental factor causing a genetic change). Nicotine was affecting both the lung cells and the sex cells in ways that caused the lungs that developed from those cells to develop abnormally, causing asthma. The current study "paves the way for determining the epigenetic mechanisms" behind smoking and the transmission of asthma to future generations, the researchers concluded.

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Non-smoking hotel rooms still expose occupants to tobacco smoke

Non-smoking rooms in hotels operating a partial smoking ban don’t protect their occupants from tobacco smoke, reveals research published online in journal Tobacco Control.

Non-smokers should give hotels that allow smoking in certain rooms a wide berth, say the authors, and instead choose completely smoke free hotels.

The researchers analyzed the surfaces and air quality of rooms for evidence of tobacco smoke pollution (nicotine and 3EP), known as third hand smoke, in a random sample of budget to mid-range hotels in San Diego, California.

Ten hotels in the sample operated complete bans and 30 operated partial smoking bans, providing designated non-smoking rooms.

Non-smokers who spent the night at any of the hotels, provided urine and finger wipe samples to assess their exposure to nicotine and a cancer causing agent found specifically in tobacco smoke - known as NKK - as measured by their metabolites cotinine and NNAL.

The findings showed that smoking in hotels left a legacy of tobacco pollution in both smoking and non-smoking rooms. A partial smoking ban did not protect the occupants of non-smoking rooms from exposure to tobacco pollution.

Compared with hotels operating total smoking bans, surface nicotine and air 3EP levels were higher in both non-smoking and smoking rooms of hotels operating partial bans.

Surface nicotine levels were more than twice as high in non-smoking rooms of hotels operating partial bans as those of hotels operating total smoking bans (3.7 µg/m2 compared with 1.4 µg/m2), while air levels of 3EP were more than 7 times as high.

Surface and air nicotine levels in rooms where previous guests had smoked were 35 and 22 times higher than those of rooms in hotels operating a total smoking ban.

Air nicotine levels in smoking rooms were significantly higher than in non-smoking rooms; and they were also higher 40% higher in non-smoking rooms of hotels operating partial smoking bans than in those operating total bans.

Similarly, hallway surfaces outside smoking rooms also showed higher nicotine levels than those outside non-smoking rooms.

Non-smokers who stayed in hotels with partial smoking bans also had higher levels of finger nicotine and urinary cotinine than those staying in hotels operating total bans. Urinary NNAL was also significantly higher in those staying in the 10 rooms containing the highest levels of tobacco pollutants.

“Our findings demonstrate that some non-smoking guest rooms in smoking hotels are as polluted with [third hand smoke] as are some smoking rooms,” write the authors. They go on to say: “Moreover, non-smoking guests staying in smoking rooms may be exposed to tobacco smoke pollutants at levels found among non-smokers exposed to second hand smoke.”

Few countries have adopted a smoking ban that includes hotels, say the authors, but their findings “suggest that it is time to abandon smoke-free exemptions for hotels,” they write.

New hotels should operate total smoking bans to protect not only their guests, but also their employees, say the authors. In the meantime, they advise: “Guests who wish to protect themselves from exposure to tobacco smoke should avoid hotels that permit smoking and instead stay in completely smoke-free hotels.”
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Even a few cigarettes a day increases risk of rheumatoid arthritis

The number of cigarettes smoked per day and the number of years a person has smoked, increase the risk of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), finds research in BioMed Central's open access journal Arthritis Research & Therapy. The risk decreases after giving up smoking but, compared to people who have never smoked, this risk is still elevated 15 years after giving up.

Researchers from the Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital analyzed data from the Swedish Mammography Cohort, which included 34,000 women aged between 54 and 89, 219 of which had RA. Results of the study showed that even light smoking is associated with an increased risk of RA - smoking 1 to 7 cigarettes a day more than doubled this risk. When the team compared people who had never smoked, to women who had smoked for up to 25 years, they found that the risk also increased with length of smoking.

Stopping smoking did decrease chances of developing RA, with the risk continuing to decrease over time - 15 years after giving up the risk of RA had decreased by a third. However, compared to people who had never smoked, this risk remained significantly higher at 15 years after giving up.

Daniela Di Giuseppe, who led this study, commented, "Stopping smoking is important for many health reasons, including the increased risk of RA for smokers. But the clearly increased risk of developing RA, even many years after giving up, is another reason to stop smoking as soon as possible, and highlight the importance of persuading women not to start at all."

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Exercise Can Extend Your Life by as Much as Five Years

Adults who include at least 150 minutes of physical activity in their routines each week live longer than those who don’t, finds a new study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

Promoting the years of life that can be gained from moderate activity may be a better motivator to get Americans moving, said study author Ian Janssen, Ph.D., of Queen’s University in Ontario, Canada.

Janssen and his team used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, the National Health Interview Study mortality linkage, and U.S. Life Tables to estimate and compare the life expectancy at each age for adults who were inactive, somewhat-active and active. “Active” was defined as doing at least 150 minutes of moderate activity per week.

They found that men at age 20 were estimated to gain as much as 2.4 years of life from moderate activity. Women at age 20 gained about 3 additional years from engaging in moderate activity. The biggest benefit from physical activity was seen in non-Hispanic black women, who gained as many as 5.5 potential years of life.

Janssen hopes the positive message of the study can help health officials better relay the importance of exercise to the public.

“Research has shown that the health messages that have the greatest effect on changing people’s behaviors need to be easy to understand, specific to the individual, and be phrased in a gained-framed and positive manner,” he explained.

“The messages on longevity gains associated with physical activity that were developed in this paper meet all three of those characteristics,” Janssen added. “That is, people will understand what it means if you tell them they will live 2½ years longer if they become active.”

Sara Bleich, Ph.D., assistant professor of Health Policy at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, said presenting the issue as “years of life gained” versus “years of life loss” raises the classic issue of the carrot or the stick, that is, when it comes to behavior change, do people prefer to be rewarded or penalized?

“For healthy behavior changes such as dieting or smoking, rewards have been shown to effectively motivate behavior change,” she continued. “From the current research, it is unclear whether rewards or penalties are more effective at motivating behavior change, but it is clear that rewards do work.”
Source: Health Behavior News Service, part of the Center for Advancing Health
Photo: freedigitalphotos.net 

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Researchers find genetic link between smoking, COPD

University of Iowa researchers have found what they believe is the first link between smoking and decreased expression of a new class of noncoding RNAs (microRNAs) in smokers’ immune cells.

“Only 20 percent of smokers get chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but no one knows why,” says Martha Monick, Ph.D., professor of internal medicine at the UI Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine. “This discovery identifies changes in a new class of molecules, microRNAs, that might be driving gene expression that ultimately leads to COPD/emphysema and other smoking-related disorders.”

Additionally, Monick says the discovery identifies specific smoking altered microRNAs that may provide future therapeutic targets.

The study, which looks at microRNA and gene expression in lung immune cells,was published online recently in the journal PLoS ONE at dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0044066. Monick is co-senior author with Mary Wilson, M.D., UI professor of internal medicine and microbiology. Joel Graff, PhD, a research scientist in Wilson’s laboratory, is primary author, and Thomas Gross, M.D., UI associate professor of internal medicine, is a co-author and oversees the clinical aspects of the research.

According to Monick, the new research identifies changes in microRNAs, a new class of gene expression regulators, in cells from smokers’ compared to nonsmokers' lungs. It is the first study to demonstrate significant down-regulation of these small noncoding RNAs (microRNAs) in lung macrophages from smokers. Macrophages are critical components of the innate immune system and changes in these cells are strongly linked to disease development.

In addition, the study links changes in a specific microRNA (miR-452) to increased production of a protein-degrading enzyme called MMP12, long associated with the development of COPD and emphysema. This research, she says, identifies a novel biological mechanism (changes in microRNA expression controlling disease relevant genes) that may be playing an important role in smoking-related diseases.

“We discovered the massive down-regulation of microRNAs with smoking and are continuing to study the mechanism of that down regulation. We are also working to identify specific microRNAs, like the one we have linked to MMP12, that alter expression of genes involved in smoking-related diseases." Monick says.

“Despite 50 years of accumulating knowledge on the health hazards of smoking, people continue to smoke. Every day approximately 4,000 people under the age of 18 pick up their first cigarette," Monick says.

“Research on the mechanism behind smoking-related diseases and identification of markers to identify high risk individuals remains critically important."

Government offices and hospitals ban fragrances

Policies promise relief to allergy sufferers and chemically sensitive persons

Public buildings with a no-scent policy can help
provide relief to allergy and MCS sufferers.

As chemical sensitivity and allergy rates soar, many public buildings have become a “no-scent” zone to accommodate those who may react to strong fragrances and perfumes.

In Tuttle, Oklahoma, city hall visitors wearing perfumes are asked to remain at the front of the building. City workers in Portland, Oregon, have been banned from using fragrance.

A medical center in Bremerton, Washington, also asks employees and visitors to skip scents and to choose less fragrant flowers, while a hospital in Windom, Minnesota has been fragrance-free since 1999.

Why are fragrances and perfumes bad?

Perfumes and fragrances, or aroma compounds, are chemical compounds that have a smell or odor.

Perfumes can also contain essential oils, solvents and fixatives. The precise formula of commercial perfumes and fragrances is often kept secret.

Evidence in peer-reviewed journals shows that some fragrances can cause asthmatic reactions in some individuals, especially those with severe or atopic asthma. Many fragrance ingredients can also cause headaches, allergic skin reactions or nausea.

In a two-phase population study published in Environmental Health Perspectives, perfume was one of three main culprits of triggering attacks in people with chemical sensitivities, along with cleaning agents and pesticides.

Source: USA Today, other

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Secondhand smoke exposure increases risk of long-term effects in children

Study exposes strong link between childhood exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke and chronic cough in adulthood

Breathing smoke between birth and 15 years of age can
have serious health consequences later in life: Study

Exposing children to secondhand smoke could have long-term effects on their health and well-being, University of Arizona researchers warn.

Even non-smokers who were exposed to passive smoking as children are more likely to develop chronic chest infections, they say.

The researchers analyzed data from questionnaires answered by study participants every two years over more than 20 years. More than half of the participants had been exposed to smoke in their younger years.

The scientists adjusted for other factors and found a strong link between the exposure and several persistent respiratory symptoms, especially cough and chronic cough.

Parental smoking also affected the risk of wheezing and asthma in adulthood, although the association was slightly weaker.

Persistent respiratory symptoms may be early risk factors of more serious lung conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) later in life.

Source: Daily Mail

Air purifiers for smoke and tobacco odors

Secondhand smoke is a serious risk not just for the smoker, but also for other people who may be exposed – especially if the smoking occurs indoors.

It’s difficult to remove stale tobacco odors and the lingering chemicals and toxins from the ambient air, but the right air purifier can provide cleaner and healthier air without running the risk of clogging.

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AllerAir has developed a range of air purifiers for tobacco smoke that feature the most efficient filters and features.

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Cigarette smoke exposure increases children’s risk of developing COPD

Exposure to cigarette smoke during childhood can
double the risk of COPD in adulthood, a study shows.

Children who are exposed to passive tobacco smoke have almost double the risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in adulthood compared with non-exposed children, according to a new study published in the journal Respirology.

Researchers in Norway analyzed information from patients with COPD (433) as well as a control group (325) and assessed risk factors for COPD by gender.

Passive smoke emerged as one of the biggest risks, doubling the participants' risk for COPD and respiratory symptoms in adulthood.

The results were most pronounced for women, who had a 1.9-fold greater risk of COPD if they were exposed to passive smoke during childhood than those who were not.

Men had a 1.5 to 1.7-fold greater risk of COPD if they were exposed to tobacco smoke during childhood.

The research shows that early-life development of lung function has important long-term consequences and that the burden of COPD could be reduced if children were not exposed to cigarette smoke, the study authors say.

Source: Wiley-Blackwell

Air purifiers for tobacco smoke and odors

Getting rid of stale tobacco smoke and the associated toxins is not easy, since the pollutants can persist on textiles, walls and other surfaces.

To help provide a healthier indoor air environment, an air purifier needs to have the right air filters that can handle tobacco smoke.

AllerAir specializes in air purifiers for tobacco smoke and has outfitted its air purifiers with the deepest beds of activated carbon, a special tar-trapping pre-filter that prevents clogging, a HEPA filter and more.

These air purifiers for smoke can effectively remove the chemicals, particles and toxins associated with tobacco smoke, along with other indoor air pollutants.

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Youth smoking rates falling, but cannabis use a concern: Survey

A survey of teens in Ontario, Canada, sheds light on drug use trends

Fewer Ontario teens are smoking cigarettes,
but binge drinking and cannabis are concerns.

It seems that the number of Ontario teens that are smoking is decreasing, but officials should be concerned about binge drinking and driving while under the influence of cannabis, according to the 2011 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey released by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH).

The survey included more than 9,000 high school students across Ontario (Grade 7 to 12).

The proportion of students who smoke cigarettes dropped from 12 per cent in the previous 2009 survey to 9 per cent, an all-time low since 1977.

One in six students (16 percent) reported being drunk or high at school a least once in the past year.

The survey found alcohol was the substance used by the largest number of students, as 55 per cent of respondents reported drinking alcohol in the past year. Drinking and driving has dropped by five percentage points since the last survey, suggesting that attitudes towards alcohol use and operating vehicles has changed.

Students were more likely to drive after consuming cannabis than alcohol. Twelve per cent of adolescent drivers reported driving within an hour of using cannabis and 16 per cent of students reported being a passenger in the car of someone who had been using drugs.

Source: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health

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Radon and smoking – two factors for lung cancer

Smoking is bad enough, but if you also breathe in high levels
of radon at home, your risk of lung cancer increases even more.

If you are smoking, you know the risk. But often people don’t know that they have high radon levels in their home, which increases their risk of developing lung cancer (and some forms of skin cancer, as a new study shows).

Radon is a colorless, odorless radioactive gas that occurs naturally in the environment and that can accumulate in a home after entering it through cracks and fissures in the foundation. Even new homes can have elevated radon levels.

Experts say people can test their homes for radon quite easily and reduce levels of radon with a few relatively inexpensive renovations.

A heavy smoker has a one-in-10 chance of developing lung cancer. Long-term exposure to high levels of radon results in a one-in-20 chance of developing lung cancer.

Both exposures increase the odds substantially to a one-in-three chance, Health Canada says.

The experts shared the following tips:

• Test your home for radon. The winter months are a good time to place the small detector in the basement, if you spend around 4 hours per day there, or on the ground floor. Send it to the lab after three months.
• Seal cracks in the foundation
• Put a cap on the sump pump
• In a home with very high levels of radon, you can install a special pipe and venting system that pumps air outside (active soil depressurization)

You can also use an air purifier with activated carbon and HEPA to help keep the air clean.

Source: The Daily Gleaner

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Non-smokers’ risk of lung cancer tied to air pollution

Smoking is still the highest risk factor
for lung cancer, but air pollution may
be a factor.

If you never smoked, your risk of lung cancer should be much lower, right?

Well, it is, but another factor could be living in a highly polluted area, according to a new study by Harvard School of Public Health.

If you are exposed to air pollution, you have a 20% higher risk of dying from lung cancer, the study shows.

Smoking still remains the primary cause of lung cancer, but there are still 1 in 10 people who never smoked that develop lung cancer – and air pollution may have something to do with it.

Polluted air and smog expose people to fine particles, which can penetrate deep into the lungs, cause irritation and inflammation and may be a risk factor for lung cancer.

The study followed more than 180,000 non-smokers for 26 years in the United States and Puerto Rico. About 1,100 participants died from lung cancer during that time.

The researchers used their zip codes to determine the levels of pollution.

Air pollution is often seen in the form
of smog.

Overall air pollution levels dropped over the time of the study period, but it remained a major factor in a person’s risk of developing lung cancer.

While the study didn’t prove a direct causation, evidence is there that exposure to fine particles raises cardiopulmonary mortality, the researchers told Reuters.

Other studies have also linked exposure to wood smoke indoors and vehicle exhaust outside to increased risk of lung cancer.

Source: Reuters

Protect yourself from chemicals and gases indoors

Outdoor air pollution is bad for you – but indoor air can be five times as polluted, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

You can improve your indoor air quality by avoiding common source of pollution:

• Don’t smoke indoors
• Use natural cleaning agents
• Avoid scented products and “air fresheners”
• Use a portable air purifier in the room(s) you spend most time in

AllerAir has designed highly efficient air purifiers that do more than just remove dust, pollen and biological contaminants from the air.

That’s because their comprehensive filtration system not only contains HEPA for particles and pathogens, it also contains a deep-bed activated carbon filter for the removal of chemicals, odors and gases and the option of UV germicidal filtration to neutralize bacteria, viruses and molds.

Contact AllerAir for more information and additional features and options.

Secondhand smoke still affecting millions of California children

Despite low smoking rates, many children
are still exposed to secondhand smoke.

[Update: The initial study results were flawed and instead of 2.5 million children about 966,000 children are still affected by secondhand smoke, according to NBC LA. The university researchers issued an apology, citing a methodology error.]

California is the state with the second-lowest smoking rate in the U.S. – but experts estimate that 2.5 million children under the age of 12 are still at risk because of exposure to secondhand smoking.

The UCLA Center for Health Policy Research has analyzed data from several cycles of the California Health Interview Survey to come up with the following findings:

• About 561,000 children are directly exposed to secondhand smoke in the home
• About 1.9 million children live in a home where a family member smokes. These children may be at risk because they are exposed to secondhand and thirdhand smoke, even if smoking is not allowed in the home itself
• African American children are three times more likely to live with smokers
• Children from lower-income level homes are more likely to be exposed to secondhand smoke
• Rural children are at greater risk than children in urban areas

The study can help policymakers identify targeted campaigns to reduce the number of households that allow smoking in the home.

Children who are exposed to secondhand smoke have a greater risk of developing asthma, respiratory infections and other ailments. They also have a higher risk of becoming smokers themselves.

Source: UCLA. Read the full press release.

Air purifiers for tobacco smoke, odors and toxins

Tobacco smoke contains chemicals and carcinogenic toxins as well as tiny particles that have been linked to serious health conditions like cancer.

Researchers have identified more than 7,000 chemicals in tobacco smoke, including arsenic, benzene, cadmium, ethylene oxide, formaldehyde and toluene.

Of course, tobacco smoke also contains the addiction-causing substance nicotine and tar, a resinous and partially combusted particulate matter that is formed during smoking.

Air purifiers for smoke: See
AllerAir's 5000 DS and the
5000 DXS models.

In order to be effective for tobacco smoke, an air purifier need the largest possible activated carbon filter, which provides an extensive adsorbent surface area for the removal of chemicals, gases and odors.

AllerAir’s air purifiers for tobacco smoke also feature HEPA filters to trap 99.97% of particles of 0.3 microns in size and special tar-trapping pre-filters that prolong the lifespan of the main air filters.

Contact AllerAir today to find out more about our line of air purifiers for tobacco smoke, or to get a personalized recommendation based on the size of the space, the amount of pollutants and other important factors.

Doctor advises pregnant women to reduce chemical exposure

Exposure to chemicals during pregnancy
can affect the developing fetus, experts say.

When you’re pregnant, you’re not just eating for two – you should be health-conscious enough to give your unborn child the best possible head start.

This includes all the common-sense steps pregnant women are taking, including eating right, taking vitamins and folic acid as well as eliminating alcohol and tobacco.

But it should also include steps toward better environmental health, says Dr. Doris Rapp, an experienced physician and expert on all the hidden household and environmental hazards in a recent article on HealthNewsDigest.com.

While everyone is exposed to certain chemicals and environmental pollutants on a regular basis and may not show any signs or symptoms, the same exposures can be harmful to a developing fetus in the womb, Rapp says.

Bad for you: PCBs
Rapp is especially warning against exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, that are commonly used in industrial pesticides and could be present at the office, in the water or food. These pesticides have been linked to birth defects, lower birth weight, developmental delays and many other health effects.

Bad for you: Bisphenol-A and phthalates
These chemicals are derived from World War II nerve agents and are highly toxic.

Tips to limit exposure:

• Stay away from pesticide treated areas
• Eat organic foods and avoid pesticide-laden foods (consult EWG’s dirty dozen list)
• Use natural cleaning products such as white vinegar and baking soda
• If you buy new furniture or products, let them off-gas before using them
• Use a portable air purifier to remove airborne chemicals, odors, gases, particles and biological contaminants - it needs an activated carbon + HEPA filtration system for best results

Contact AllerAir for more information on our air purifiers for the home and office, air purifiers for the baby’s room or nursery and many more options.

Workplace exposure to pollutants can harm unborn children, study found

Most offices and other workplaces expose pregnant women
to a variety of pollutants that may affect their offspring.

As our colleagues at Electrocorp report today, a Danish study has found that breathing indoor air pollutants during pregnancy may increase the likelihood of the baby developing asthma later.

According to a Reuters article, the researchers analyzed the data of more than 45,000 children at age 7 and found that 18.6 percent developed asthma after their mothers had been exposed to low-molecular weight particles at work during pregnancy.

This was a slight increase from the general growing risk of developing asthma, which is 16.1 percent of the general population.

The study adjusted for risk factors such as age, BMI, allergy and hypersensitivities, smoking, medication and pets, but researchers warned that other factors may have influenced the results, which are not easily accounted for.

"Whilst a link has been found, our results at this stage are modest and further research is needed into specific chemicals and substances to determine those that could be most harmful," the study’s leading researcher was quoted as saying.

Cleaner indoor air at work with air cleaners

In many workplaces, existing ventilation systems are simply incapable of providing workers with enough air exchanges and enough fresh air to keep exposure to indoor air pollutants to a minimum.

Most indoor environments are filled with pollutants of a chemical nature (VOCs from building materials, paints, electronic equipment, cleaning products, etc), biological nature (mold growth due to moisture or humidity issues, bacteria and viruses) and particulate matter (dust and particles, which can also be laced with other toxins).

AllerAir offers portable and highly efficient air purifiers for the home and office, which can remove the widest range of indoor air pollutants with their powerful activated carbon + HEPA filtration system.

For industrial air cleaners that can treat industry-specific indoor air contaminants quickly and efficiently, browse Electrocorp's solutions for various industry applications.

Contact AllerAir for more information and to find the best air purifier for your needs.
  

Health effects of passive smoking and thirdhand smoke

Environmental tobacco smoke requires
more research on health effects, experts say.

People used to be worried most about the health effects of inhaling smoke, either as a smoker or as a bystander.

But more and more research points to the growing health concern of thirdhand smoke, which describes the pollutants that persist long after the initial smoke has gone.

Thirdhand smoke exposure happens in indoor spaces where tobacco was recently or regularly used.

Most people will recognize the smell of stale tobacco smoke, and the odor persists because the toxins cling to indoor surfaces, clothing and hair, furnishings and dust.

Researchers have identified more than 7,000 chemicals in tobacco smoke, including cancer-causing chemicals like arsenic, benzene, cadmium, ethylene oxide, formaldehyde and toluene.

Exposure to thirdhand smoke occurs with unintentional intake (inhalation and ingestion for example), which can happen long after smoking has ceased, the authors of a recent article in Environmental Health Perspectives warn. Children and pets may be most at risk because they are lower to the ground and often chew on toys and inhale more dust.

The researchers propose that the terms “passive smoking” or “environmental tobacco smoke” be used as a more inclusive term to describe any tobacco smoke exposure outside of active smoking, and that the health effects be studied more and separately from secondhand smoking.

Remove indoor air pollution from smoking

Smoking indoors is never a good idea, but many people live with one or more household member that smokes. Opening a window or relying on existing ventilation systems are not be enough to protect household members from harmful toxins.

Air purifiers for tobacco smoke:
AllerAir's DS models

Neither is a HEPA-only air purifier from the department store, which can only handle the dust and particles that pollute indoor environments, but won’t be effective for the chemicals and odors that affect the health and well-being of the household members.

AllerAir has designed a special line of air purifiers for tobacco and environmental smoke, which targets all of the toxins associated with tobacco smoke, including chemicals, odors and particles.

The DS models (like the 5000 DS or the 6000 DS) feature a deep-bed activated carbon filter for the removal of gaseous pollutants and odors, a HEPA filter for particles and special tar-trapping pre-filters to protect the main filters and prevent clogging.

Contact AllerAir for more information and to find the right air purifier model for your circumstances.

Researchers alarmed at rising hookah use among California youth

Exposure to smoke indoors is a health risk, experts say.

As more and more California residents between the ages of 18 and 24 take up the habit of smoking hookah, researchers worry about the health effects of this popular trend.

Hookah, a water pipe used for smoking flavored tobacco, is seen by many as a fun social activity, but the common belief that smoking hookah is less harmful than smoking cigarettes is misguided, experts say.

"This rise is particularly alarming because it's happening in California, a state that leads the nation in tobacco control," said Wael Al-Delaimy, MD, PhD, associate professor and chief of the Division of Global Health in the UCSD Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, in a public news release.

"While cigarette smoking has decreased nationwide and in California, reports of ever using hookah have increased, especially among adolescent and young adults."

While indoor smoking has been banned throughout California, hookah use is still permitted in in designated lounges.

Study results showed that from 2005 to 2008, hookah use among all adults increased by more than 40 percent; and by 2008, hookah use in California was much higher among young adults – 24.5 percent among men, 10 percent among women – than it was among all adults – 11.2 percent among men, 2.8 percent among women.

The habit was more common among non-Hispanic whites that had at least some college education.

Improve indoor air quality with portable air purifiers

AllerAir is a leading industry expert when it comes to serious air purifiers with many pounds of activated carbon for the removal of chemicals, fumes and odors, HEPA for the best particle filtration and other filters or options to maximize the unit’s performance.

AllerAir's portable air purifiers

AllerAir air purifiers for tobacco smoke feature special tar-trapping filters and an extra deep bed of activated carbon to adsorb a wide range of the harmful toxins lurking in tobacco smoke.

The DS and DXS models have been engineered to be able to handle tobacco smoke in the ambient air and not to clog up like other units.

Contact AllerAir for more information and personalized recommendations.