Nearly 50 Percent of Non-smoker American Teens are Exposed to Secondhand Smoke: CDC

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Apparently, it's not enough that children are prohibited from the use of tobacco. A new study published online in the journal Pediatrics suggests that, in 2013, almost half of the students in grades 6 through 12 in the U.S. were exposed to secondhand smoke, which is known to cause health problems and even death among non-smokers.

Secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure poses a number of health risks among children, the study also cited. These include middle ear disease, respiratory symptoms, impaired lung function, lower respiratory illness, and sudden infant death syndrome.

"The results also reaffirm the importance of implementing smoke-free policies to protect youth from the dangers of secondhand smoke exposure," study lead author Israel Agaku told Reuters Health in an email.

The researchers used the data from the 2013 National Youth Tobacco Survey involving 18,406 students from both the middle school (grades 6-8) and high school (grades 9-12). The respondents were asked about the number of days they were able to breathe smoke from tobacco users within the past week from different environments like school buildings, school grounds, and school parking lots. They were also asked whether they were exposed to secondhand smoke at home and in a vehicle.

The findings showed that about 48 percent of those who had never used tobacco, 65 percent of former users and almost 80 percent of current tobacco users experienced secondhand smoke exposure. Among those who have never tried smoking, 35 percent said that they breathe smoke from tobacco users indoors or in outdoor public places; while 27 percent said they were exposed at work, 17 percent at school and 15 percent inside a vehicle.

Secondhand smoke exposure on those who never used tobacco in a home or vehicle with no smoke-free rules was about ten times higher as compared to those with 100% smoke-free rules, the study also added.

"Currently only 26 states and the District of Columbia have comprehensive smoke-free laws that prohibit smoking in all indoor areas of work sites, restaurants, and bars," Agaku said.

"Moreover, many youth are not protected by smoke-free policies in private settings, such as homes and vehicles," he said. "The home and family vehicles are particularly important sources of secondhand smoke exposure among youth because of the amount of time they spend in these environments."

Agaku said that it is also important that some measures be taken to ensure that people are protected from secondhand smoke in indoor spaces because there is no safe level of secondhand smoke exposure for children or adults. Separating smokers from nonsmokers, cleaning the air, and ventilating buildings are not enough to fully eliminate exposure, he added.