Ethics concepts and applications

Ethics Reflection

Secondhand smoke is a mixture of chemicals, mainly of the smoke generated between puffs, called side-stream smoke, inhaled by persons who do not smoke but are around or within breathing range of someone who does. It is also called passive smoking, or, in the academic literature, environmental tobacco smoke (ETS). Scientific evidence shows that exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke causes disease, disability, and even death ("Health Consequences," 2006). In fact, there is no safe level of secondhand smoke, and while it is impossible to do a double blind study on the same person, even casual exposure to ETS may cause damage. Backing up years of research, a report to the U.S. Surgeon General's Office found that there were six major conclusions regarding the issue of involuntary exposure to tobacco smoke:

Millions of Americans of all ages are still exposed to secondhand smoke in their homes and workplaces despite substantial progress in tobacco control. Almost 60% of all children are exposed on a weekly basis or more.

Secondhand smoke exposure causes disease and premature death in children and adults who do not smoke. It is a known human carcinogen certified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and International Agency for Research on Cancer.

Children exposed to secondhand smoke are at an increased risk for sudden infant death syndrome, acute respiratory infection, and other physical effects.

Exposure to secondhand smoke has immediate adverse effects on the cardiovascular system and causes coronary heart disease and lung cancer.

The scientific evidence indicates that there is no risk-free level of exposure to secondhand smoke. Even short exposure can cause blood platelets to become stickier and damage the lining of blood vessels.

The Elimination of smoking in indoor spaces fully protects nonsmokers from exposure; however, separating smokers from nonsmokers, cleaning the air, and ventilating buildings cannot eliminate harmful exposure to secondhand smoke (Ibid., WHO Framework, 2005; Taylor, et.al., 2001).

Secondhand and third-hand smoke often has more carcinogens than regular smoke because the toxins are concentrated. As with most drugs, the nicotine and other pollutants pass to fetus in the blood of the mother. Babies born to smoking moms have levels of cotinine, for instance, in their urine that are nearly as high as those of active smokers. These babies often show signs of nicotine deprivation and, when combined with the cyanide and carbon monoxide, are quite toxic for the developing fetus. More so, new research is finding that these babies are at serious risk for increased psychological issues, both as infants and as they grow (Kuhn and Swartzwelder, 2008, 180-2). "Children who were exposed to smoke in utero have colic and are hard to soothe as infants. As toddlers they are overactive and oppositional. Later on they are irritable, inattentive, and low on pleasure. . . . During gestation, the brain undergoes significant development and is especially sensitive to the effects of nicotine. Nicotine can imitate neurotransmitters in the brain and send confusing messages, affecting critical brain development" (Beauchaine in Shepherd). This is but the tip of the iceberg regarding the harmful nature of tobacco in any form.