EDITORIAL

Smoking

Environmental tobacco smoke

P R Edwards¹, M van Tongeren², A Watson³, I Gee³, R E Edwards⁴

¹ Evidence for Population Health Unit, School of Epidemiology and Health Sciences, University of Manchester, UK
² Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Epidemiology and Health Sciences, University of Manchester, UK
³ ARIC, Department of Environmental & Geographical Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, UK
⁴ The Manchester Centre for Civil and Construction Engineering, UMIST, Manchester, UK

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Dr P Richard Edwards
Evidence for Population Health Unit, School of Epidemiology and Health Sciences, Stopford University of Manchester, Stopford Building, Oxford Rd, Manchester MP13 9PT, UK; richard.edwards@man.ac.uk

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UK workplace regulations leave hospitality trade workforce unprotected

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Keywords: environmental tobacco smoke; health effects; regulation; ventilation

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Bans on smoking in public places and workplaces, including bars and restaurants, have recently been introduced in California and New York City and have been announced in Ireland. In addition, the UK Chief Medical Officer¹ and the EU Health Commissioner have recently called for a ban on smoking in public places. Despite clear evidence that environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) adversely affects health and is an important occupational health hazard, the current UK policy response and regulatory framework for occupational ETS exposure remains inadequate with no discernable scientific rationale.

ETS is a complex mixture of over 3800 gaseous and particulate components, including more than 50 known or suspected human carcinogens and 100 toxic chemicals. Exposure to ETS through passive smoking has been associated with many diseases including lung cancer, and cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.^2,3 The impact on cardiovascular disease is particularly important from an occupational and public health perspective. Steenland . . . [Full text of this article]

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