Posted on 05/09/2006 9:22:14 PM PDT by LouAvul
Eliminating the threat of secondhand smoke would prevent more than 228,000 new cases of heart disease and 119,000 heart-related deaths over the next 25 years, according to a new study.
Using a model to estimate the impact of eliminating exposure to secondhand smoke on heart disease, researchers found stopping secondhand smoke would quickly reduce the number of heart-related deaths. This effect would increase over time, adding up to hundreds of thousands of preventable heart attacks and other problems.
National surveys suggest that 4 percent to 17 percent of the nonsmoking population (depending on age and sex) are exposed to secondhand smoke at home, work, or at play.
Estimating the Impact of Secondhand Smoke
Researchers say current estimates show that average daily exposure to secondhand smoke among exposed individuals is equivalent to smoking one cigarette per day; that conveys about one-third of the additional risk of heart disease associated with smoking a pack a day.
Based on those estimates, researchers calculated the effects of eliminating exposure to secondhand smoke in 2005 over the next 25 years in the U.S.
Their results show that:
--New cases of heart disease would be reduced by 9,300 in the first year, adding up to 228,300 cases prevented by 2030.
--The number of heart attacks reported would be reduced by 8,100 in the first year and increase to 13,500 per year by 2030, resulting in a total reduction of 292,500 heart attacks over the 25-year period.
--Total heart disease-related deaths would drop by 2,200 in the first year after eliminating secondhand smoke and rise to 6,400 prevented deaths per year by 2030.
The results of the study were presented this week at an American Heart Association meeting in Washington, D.C.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
The best place in my area was packed every night for the last fifteen years. It lasted about three months. Apparently the nonsmokers didn't show up.
Or better yet, kick out all of those who do not honor the US Constitution and Bill of Rights.
If you like totalitarian regimes so much, I believe North Korea is recently down one former American. You might like it there.
Why don't they allow bars to have rat droppings on the floor, provided there is a sign warning of such?
I'm screwed.
why not?
If a bar which thrives for 20 years goes out of business as a result of a smoking ordinance, is its problem location? If the bar was in a bad location, how did it thrive for 20 years?
so long as people aren't forced to go in there or work there... what problem do you have?
Interesting example of data double-speak...
By this definition, you could probably count the number of "exposed" people in the entire nation on one hand! Meanwhile, the rest of us - the ones who may get a whiff of cigarette smoke every once in a while - are handily excluded from the "exposed" category.
Oh. A model? This is real science?
Statistical homeopathy can be a wonderful magical thing. Under traditional statistical methods, if someone gets cancer after having been exposed to what would generally be regarded as a trivial amount of smoke, that would be evidence reducing the apparent correlation between smoking and cancer (I'm not trying to suggest such a correlation does not exist, but accurate judgement of its magnitude requires recognizing the existence of non-smoking-related cancer). By classifying such cancers as smoking related, however, the statistical homeopath can enormously magnify the apparent harm of smoking. Indeed, cigarette smoke is so powerful that it could kill a person who's never been within 100' of a cigarette, if such a person existed.
For the same reason that in the entire history of the world there's never been a successful anarchist or libertarian state.
If people are gullible to believe a scientific study "modeled" to produce a politically correct result, then they deserve the totalitarian impulse that will rob them of their liberty.
I cannot see how a model can isolate one factor in hundreds that produce heart disease. Junk science is taking over. Ayn Rand warned against state sponsored science with the character Dr. Stadler in Atlas Shrugged.
When do the Smoke Nazis bring out the study saying how second hand smoke causes global warming, warts, atheletes foot and excessive flatulence?
Does anyone ever consider not frequenting establishments that allow smoking if you don't and the smoke bothers you? Or, are we so communistic now that business may not decide for themselves who they wish to cater to?
"What about ugly people. How can you enjoy a meal at a nice restaurant when your seated by some ugly person? They should at least have ugly sections."
"I'm screwed."
Don't worry, there would be plenty of us in the ugly section with you. ;)
For your reading pleasure.....not the article-the comments!
I don't know if they smoke or not, my guess is no, but I bet they drive a car with an internal combustion engine.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.