Secondhand
Smoke Shown to be More Dangerous Than Thought.
Researchers
found in a pilot study that women who live with smokers may be up to six
times more likely of developing lung cancer.
The research was conducted at the City of Hope National Medical
Center in Los Angeles, California. In
this study, tissue cells from a group of women who lived with smokers were
examined for the absence of a specific gene that helps fight inactivate
carcinogens found in smoke. The
results showed that the 106 women in the study group increased their risk
from lung cancer between 2.6 and 6 times more likely than those who were
not exposed to second hand smoke.
Presently
the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that secondhand smoke
increases the risk of lung cancer by only 20%.
Researchers are suggesting that additional studies need to be done
on larger samples of the population.
Aside
from the health effects to those involved, there are serious legal
implications for the tobacco industry in their ongoing court battles
against states and individuals suing for damages do to smoking.
Presently a Federal Judge in North Carolina has ruled in favor of
the tobacco industry in their lawsuit challenging the EPA’s secondhand
smoke report.
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