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Excerpts from: Report Shows Second-Hand Smoke Makes You Sick

By  NewsRoom  [05/31/01]

                     Evidence backing the need for better protection for second-hand smokers is building rapidly, Health Minister     Annette King said today.

                       "Last year we released a research report which estimated that nearly 400 deaths each
                       year were attributable to second-hand smoke. More recently the findings of a study
                       investigating the effect of smoke on bar and restaurant workers reinforced the need for
                       stronger measures to protect restaurant and bar workers from exposure to second-hand
                       smoke. Now we have further evidence showing that illness due to second-hand smoke is
                       substantial," said Mrs King.

                       Mrs King was commenting on the findings of a report, "Morbidity attributable to
                       second-hand smoke in New Zealand", commissioned by the Ministry of Heath. The report
                       was written by Professor Alistair Woodward, Wellington School of Medicine, and tobacco
                       researcher Dr Murray Laugesen.

                       "The findings in this latest report are significant," said Mrs King. "Not only does
                       second-hand smoke have a major impact on childhood illnesses such as asthma,
                       meningococcal disease, glue ear and respiratory infections, there are also significant
                       effects on adults."

                       Financially, the direct hospital costs attributable to second-hand smoke is estimated to
                       be $8.7 million each year.

                       "This figure, combined with the estimated 388 deaths each year attributable to
                       second-hand smoke, on top of the 4700 smokers who die each year from smoking related
                       illness, all add strength to calls for enhanced protection from second-hand smoke," said
                       Mrs King.

                       "This Government has already indicated its commitment to help people quit smoking, with
                       the announcement of over $11 million per annum additional funding for nicotine
                       replacement therapy and cessation help in the 2000 Budget. Now we have further
                       evidence which will support our call to introduce measures to protect people from the risk
                       of second-hand smoke."

                       Background Information

                       Second-hand smoke (SHS) is released into the environment by people smoking cigarettes,
                       cigars and pipes. It is known also as environmental tobacco smoke, and includes smoke
                       emitted from the glowing end of cigarettes ('sidestream smoke'), 'mainstream' smoke
                       exhaled by active smokers and small quantities of smoke that diffuse through cigarette
                       paper or mouthpiece.

                       The report notes that second-hand smoke increases the risk of many diseases: children
                       are especially susceptible. Many New Zealanders are still exposed to SHS despite the
                       progress that has been made in the last 10 years in reducing tobacco use. For example,
                       approximately a third of secondary school students live in households with smokers, and
                       39% of indoor workers are exposed to smoke during working hours (including tea and
                       lunch breaks).

                       The authors conclude that each year SHS causes:

                       More than 500 hospital admissions of children under 2 years suffering from chest
                       infections Almost 15,000 episodes of childhood asthma More than 27,000 GP consultations
                       for asthma and other respiratory problems in childhood Fifteen hundred hospital
                       operations to treat glue ear Approximately 50 cases of meningococcal disease
                       Approximately 1200 admissions to hospital for ischaemic heart disease Almost 500
                       admissions for persons suffering from strokes The number of preventable hospitalisations
                       is around 3,600 per year.

                       There are effects on adults of exposures both at home and at work: each year. For
                       instance, admissions to hospital following heart attacks include about 190 events that
                       would not have occurred if all work places had been totally smoke-free.

                       Maori are more severely affected than non-Maori, since they are more commonly exposed
                       to SHS and background rates of disease are higher than in the non-Maori population.

                       In an appendix to the report two health officials, Martin Tobias and Robert Lynn, have
                       sought to estimate the costs of morbidity due to SHS by applying health cost data (for
                       example hospital days/costs per day) to the estimated number of events for each illness
                       included in the report. The total direct hospital service cost attributable to second-hand
                       smoke is roughly estimated to be $8.7 million per year.

                       Information in the report will be used in developing policy advice on tobacco issues. It will
                       also be useful for health promotion and resource allocation purposes.

                       To estimate non-fatal illness in New Zealand attributable to SHS the authors combined
                       measures of the prevalence of exposure to SHS with estimates of the increase in relative
                       risk of illness due to SHS and measures of the total burden of illness in New Zealand. The
                       sources and assumptions are made in a detailed and transparent way. The authors note
                       that the figures should not be treated as precise measures because there are many
                       uncertainties involved in calculations of this kind, but also note that they consider that
                       the report provides a robust indication of the burden of illness due to SHS.

                       The report was peer reviewed by Ichiro Kawachi of Harvard University, USA, who is
                       recognised internationally as an expert on the methodological issues surrounding such
                       studies. Professor Kawachi of Harvard University, USA, who is recognised internationally as an expert on the methodological issues surrounding such studies.  Professor Kawachi is also familiar with the New Zealand data on which the study is based.