Do you realize how much of this stuff is in our daily food intake? And the sun is also a Class A Carcinogen. Do you want to ban it too?
And yes, I'm just mean enough to put you whiners who apparently can't take life on it's own terms on an ice floe and push you out to sea, thus saving all of us thousands of dollars in heartburn medication.
This list is a complete joke and any doubts about SHS being harmful should be put to rest, It may look bad but there is nothing in there that you aren't exposed to in greater quantities just going about your business in your everyday life
Acetone
It may smell but not toxic. It is the active ingredient in nail polish remover. If it's so toxic than every women whoever changed nail colors would suffer serious health problems. Acetone is also used for things like bleaching Flour and used to extract spices So if we are to ban smoking in bars because of Acetone than we must ban them from making anything with flour, using any spices on their food or serving bread.
Ammonia
Again stinky but not toxic, Ammonia is used for cleaning and almost every cleaning product contains it (usually they add fragrances to hide the smell). In commercial industries such as restaurants and bars plain ole ammonia is the preferred method for cleaning floors. Ammonia is also naturally produced in our body and is sweated out. If we are to ban smoking because ETS contains Ammonia than we also must ban bars/restaurants from ever cleaning their floors and we must prohibit the room temperature from ever getting to warm so people don't sweat.
Acrolein
If we are going to ban smoking in bars because ETS contains Acrolein than we have to ban the burning of EVERYTHING!!! NO more internal combustion engines, No more fireplaces, No more Candles and NO more cooking of any food. Every organic compound in the universe that is burned releases Acrolein. And again even if you could do all your cooking "Off site" it won't matter because Acrolein gets incorporated into the food. All bars/restaurants must now only serve Raw food.
Arsenic
Arsenic is a heavy metal that is found in trace amounts in almost all water drinking or otherwise. Tobacco like all plants needs water to grow so any plant will contain trace amounts Arsenic, So if we are to ban smoking in bars/restaurants because of Arsenic than we must also ban them from serving anything with water and since all plants used water to grow all fruits and vegetables must be also banned to.
Benzene
Benzene is in gasoline and it takes 4695 cigarettes smoked just to equal 1 gallon of gas burned. So just the fact that cars spewing exhaust are pulling up to or just driving by the place guarantees benzene will be in the air. If we are going to ban smoking in bars/restaurants because ETS contains Benzene than we have to ban cars and trucks from ever getting anywhere near them.
Butadiene
A component of gasoline. Same as Benzene above.
Butane
Not toxic. A simple hydrocarbon used as a fuel it is found in Gasoline again. It Also found in natural gas so if so if we are to ban smoking in bars/restaurants because of Butane than we must ban them from frying any foods. Butane is also used as a propellant in many aerosol cans most noteably spray vegatable cooking oils like Pam and shaving creme so they must be banned to, Dam ozone layer lets go back to using CFCs.
Cadmium
Same as Arsenic above, Though this one is found in also in milk so we also must ban any and all dairy products.
Carbon Monoxide
Same as Acrolein above, Again the burn anything you get CO
Note: Since it is the law in most places that all businesses must have CO detectors you would think if SHS produced anything approaching dangerous levels of CO those alarms would be going off like crazy.
Cyanide
Same as Acrolein above. Burn anything organic you produce trace amounts of Cyanide that will be in the air and Well at least when there is Nitrogen in the atmosphere, So I guess smoking and cooking will be OK on the planet Venus.
Dioxin
Same as Acrolein and Cyanide above. Burn anything organic you produce Dioxin. But it should be noted that according to http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3106039.stm it takes 220,000 cigarettes to equal the output of one 2 hour barbecue, So again forget cooking any food.
Formaldehyde
Most famous for it's use by embalmers to preserve dead bodies, However if we are going to ban smoking in bars because ETS contains Formaldehyde than we must also ban alcohol because when your body breaks down alcohol the main breakdown product is Formaldehyde which along with it being broken down in your liver you do expel an amount of it in your breath and sweat. You also produce formaldehyde for many other bodily functions which is also released in sweat/breath. And I really hope these non-alcoholic bars/restaurants aren't in a place that is to hot or to cold because formaldehyde is used to make insulation so that must be also banned.
Hydrazine
Most famous for being used as Rocket Fuel however it's main everyday use is it is added to boilers water to prevent corrosion So if we are to ban second hand smoke because of Hydrazine than we must ban a bar/restaurant from installing boilers (That's OK though because of Ammonia and Formaldehyde we don't want people to sweat anyhow). Also interestingly enough it has been studied as an anticancer agent.
Indole
I am utterly shocked when I see this listed on a antismoking Nazi dangerous chemical list, It shows they are just putting things in to make their list longer thus look scarier. Indole is found in cruciferous plants like tobacco. Not only is Indole not dangerous it may actually be very good for you!!! It is often sold by itself as an antioxidant, estrogen blocker and anti-cancer agent. So because SHS contains Indole it may actually be beneficial.
Isoquinoline
This is common alkaloid found in many plants that we consume. It also being studied as an anticancer reagent.
Lead
Same as Arsenic above
Nicotine
Besides Tobacco Nicotine is found in many plants of the nightshade family that we consume like Cucumbers, Eggplant, Peppers, Potatoes and Tomatoes.
Nitrogen compounds (Oxides)
Again since we live on Earth instead of Venus if you burn anything in our atmosphere you will produce Nitrogen Compounds. Often they are found in high concentrations in polluted cities.
Anti-smoking Nazis will often list the names of the different types of common Nitrogen compounds and oxides to make their list longer. (Acetonitrile, Dimethylnitrosamine, Ethylmethylnitrosamine, Isoamylamine, Nitric acid, Nitrogen oxides, Nitrous acid, Nitrosopyrrolidine ) just to make their dangerous chemical list longer.
Polonium-210
Same as Arsenic above
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PHA)
PHAs are a class of simple similar organic compounds that are again formed when anything is burned. Anti-smoking Nazis will often list the names of the different isomers just to make their dangerous chemical list longer.
On a side note is PHAs (Most notably Benzoapyrene) are often cited as the most potent cancer causing chemical in the world by the antismoking Nazis which is BS, Yes it does cause cancer when test on mice however humans have been eating cooked food for many milena now so we would have evolved (or created if you prefer) to tolerate this stuff or we would all come down with cancer before we are 5.
Propylene Glycol
The anti-smoking Nazis have got to be kidding when they cite this one. Propylene Glycol is harmless, It's used in many if not most cosmetic products, If we are going to ban smoking in bars because ETS contains Propylene Glycol than we have to ban all customers and employees who enter a bar from ever shampooing their hair. (Just go look at the ingredients on the bottle of your shampoo) Come on now, If Propylene Glycol is so harmful why are we allowed by the FDA to put this stuff on our head.
Pyridine
Pyridine is used to make many different everyday products such as medicines, vitamins, food flavorings, paints, dyes. Pyridine can also be formed from the breakdown of many natural materials in the environment. Everyone is exposed to very low levels of pyridine in air, water, and food. If we are going to ban smoking in bars because ETS contains pyridine we are also going to have to ban doctors, vitamins and food with artificial flavorings, Bars and restaurants can't paint the walls and all their curtains, napkins, table clothes must be white only. Oh and because Pyridine occurs naturally in the environment ever bar/restaurant must provide it's customers with oxygen mask.
Note: Just like with the PAHs, Anti-smoking Nazis will often list the names of different isomers of Pyridine (i.e. 3-hydroxypyridine, 3-vinylpyridine, 3-Cyanopyridine) just to make their dangerous chemical list longer.
Turpentine
Turpentine is commonly used as a paint thinner. If we are going to ban smoking in bars because ETS contains turpentine than of course we must ban all bars/restaurants from using or staining wood because it also releases turpentine and of course any pine trees (Remember Ronald Reagan talking about tree causing pollution - Well this was what he was talking about) that are anywhere near a bars/restaurant must come down.
Urethane (Ethyl Carbamate)
Bad news, If we ban SHS in a bar because of Urethane than we also must ban the bar from serving Alcohol because urethane is found in drinks made by the fermentation process which of course pretty much means all Alcoholic Berverges
So, what do we have left? - There are no humans on earth because we all died of dehydration because we couldn't drink the water.
Heavy Breathing: Is Your Indoor Air Rated X-Tremely Polluted?
Unless you're one of the five or six people currently living in outer space, you probably don't give a second thought to the air inside your home. After all, air is free and you can pretty much find it everywhere. It's no wonder we take it for granted. Yet we probably shouldn't because indoor air is often the kind that's the most hazardous of all.
The issue of indoor air quality starts with one of the more perverse environmental statistics of modern times: According to EPA research, on average, the air inside the castles we call home typically contains levels of pollutants 2-5 times higher than the air outside and in extreme cases can be 100 times more contaminated. In one study of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), a class of airborne chemical toxin, the Consumer Product Safety Commission found that while outdoor air at sampled sites contained less than 10 VOCs, indoor air at those same sites contained 150 VOCs.
Factor in the essential point that the average American spends about 90% of their time inside and suddenly indoor air quality becomes something we ought to be thinking about. No wonder the EPA ranked indoor air pollution as one of the top five environmental risks to public health. Or that the National Academy of Sciences estimated that indoor air pollution costs our country between $15 and $100 billion each year in related health care costs.
Although the specific types of air pollutants found indoors often vary considerably from home to home, poor indoor air quality has four basic causes:
The chemical substances we use to clean and maintain our homes. Many homeowners use a large number of petrochemical cleaners and other toxic products like pesticides, disinfectants, and air deodorizers liberally around the house. These products produce hazardous fumes when used and leave residues behind that then gradually dissolve into the air over time. The constant application of such a wide variety of chemical compounds throughout the average home greatly increases both the number of dangerous indoor air pollutants and their concentration levels.
The materials we use to build and furnish our homes. Modern residences contain a staggering variety of synthetic materials from carpets and foam cushions to insulation and chemically-treated pressed wood products. These products outgas which means that the chemical compounds they contain break down with age and are slowly released into the air over time in the form of toxic fumes.
Modern construction techniques. Following the oil shocks of the 70s, American homes began to be built with energy efficiency in mind. Today's homes are better insulated and better sealed than any in the past. This is good for energy conservation. But bad for indoor air quality because without a system that ensures adequate air exchanges to remove hazardous indoor air pollutants or dilute their concentrations, indoor air can quickly reach become unsafe.
Household combustion equipment like furnaces, hot water heaters, and gas stoves. If improperly maintained or vented, these devices can introduce combustion by-products into indoor air that range from particulates like soot to deadly gases like carbon monoxide. In spite of the fact that these basic factors have introduced over 900 identified air pollutants to modern indoor air, the American Lung Association found that 87% of homeowners were not aware that indoor air quality was even an issue. That's probably because such air pollution can be very difficult to detect. Many pollutants have little or no smell, and those that do smell often go largely unnoticed thanks to olfactory fatigue, a fancy name for the fact that the nose almost immediately adapts to the presence of new odors and effectively removes them from conscious notice. In fact, odors that persist in a house can even lead the nose to develop a semi-permanent fatigue that sometimes even a day away from home can't overcome.
In her book, Home Safe Home, healthy home expert Debra Lynn Dadd recommends that anyone concerned about their home's air spend a day away in the best air they can find in order to "rinse out" their nose. Windows and doors at home should be closed to concentrate any odors and a big sniff should be taken immediately upon return. In this way it may be possible to detect odors that indicate problems. Friends whose noses aren't immune to your home's smells can also help. More precise results can be obtained by indoor air quality tests. However, these are often costly to conduct. An effective alternative strategy is to examine your home for potential sources of indoor air pollution and then take steps to either remove those sources (as in the case of toxic cleaners or household materials) or assure that they are functioning properly and therefore not producing airborne toxins (as in the case of furnaces and water heaters).
What sources should you be looking for? Here's an alphabetical list of the most common kinds of indoor air pollutants and the places they come from. If you have any of the source materials or devices listed below in your home it's advisable to either remove them or have a knowledgeable professional verify that no contaminants like these are being emitted:
Carbon Monoxide: An invisible, odorless, and tasteless gas produced by the incomplete burning of carbon-based fuels like gas and oil in devices like furnaces, gas ranges, and non-electric space and hot water heaters.
Combustion by-products (CBPs): Gases and particles created by cigarette smoking, fireplaces, woodstoves, furnaces, gas ranges, and non-electric space and hot water heaters.
Dust: Believe it or not, the average 6-room home accumulates roughly 40 pounds of dust each year, and there's not much we can do about it because dust is being made around us all the time as the materials we use in our daily lives breakdown and shed microscopic particles. Household dust can contain tiny pieces of textiles, wood, and food; mold spores; pollens; insect fragments; furs and hairs; and particles of smoke, paint, nylon, rubber, fiberglass, plastic, and paper.
Formaldehyde:(saw a public service commercial regarding formaldehyde in cigarettes, guess they forgot to mention the other sources) A chemical used in everything from carpet and pressed wood products like plywood to bed linens. Formaldehyde is a volatile organic compound (VOC) but it's so common that some experts believe it to be the single most important indoor air pollutant. For this reason, it warrants a separate mention among the many hundreds of VOCs that can exist in indoor air. Formaldehyde is colorless gas with a sharp odor, although at the concentrations typically found in indoor air, it is undetectable by the nose. Composite or pressed-wood products are a common source of indoor formaldehyde. Wood resins and glues containing it are found in particleboard, plywood, paneling, furniture, wallboard and ceiling panels. Other sources include carpets, decorative wallpapers, and fabrics in which formaldehyde is used as a finish to create permanent press, flame-resistant, water-repellant, and shrink-proof materials. ,b>Formaldehyde can also come from gas stoves, glues, room deodorizers, cosmetics, personal care products, paper grocery bags, waxed paper, paper tissues and towels, and even feminine protection products.
Nitric Oxide and Nitrogen Dioxide (Nitrogen Oxides): Colorless, odorless and tasteless gases produced by gas ranges.
Ozone: A gas created by the breakdown of volatile compounds found in solvents; reactions between sunlight and chemicals that are produced by burning fossil fuels; and reactions between chemicals found in materials like paint and hair spray. Most ozone in the home comes from outside and results predominantly from automobile exhaust which is why this pollutant is more problematic in urban and suburban homes than rural homes. Ozone can also come from copy machines, laser printers, and ultraviolet lights.
Particulates: Tiny particles of soot and other materials. The biggest sources of indoor particulates are windblown dust, house dust, and tobacco smoke. Secondary sources include wood stoves and appliances like furnaces and non-electric heaters.
Pesticides: The mere act of applying these toxic materials spreads them around the house and introduces them to indoor air. Residues that remain continue to pollute the home and its occupants.
Radon: A natural radioactive gas that seeps from the rocks and soil surrounding certain homes. Radon is odorless, colorless, and tasteless and largely a problem only in basements in regions where soils have a large radon content.
Tobacco smoke: A mixture of over 4,700 different chemical compounds and the single most preventable indoor air pollutant on this list.
(so remove tobacco and you still have problems)
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs): Chemical compounds that exist in a gaseous form at room temperature. In the home, the presence of these chemicals in the air comes predominantly from two sources: the outgassing of synthetic materials like foams and plastics and the use of toxic cleaning products and other household chemicals. Common VOCs include benzene, toluene, xylene, vinyl chloride, naphthalene, methylene chloride, and perchloroethylene. But such materials are just the tip of the indoor air/VOC iceberg. There are hundreds of VOCs capable of causing everything from neurological and organ damage to cancer. Interestingly, many victims of Multiple Chemical Sensitivities think their troubles began with an exposure to VOCs. Because of this high toxicity, VOCs are a major indoor air concern. That ends our look at common indoor air pollutants and their sources. As to what to do about them-stay tuned. In our next issue, we'll have a complete look at the strategies you can use to help your family breathe a little easier.
I am sorry but fair is fair, if you are going to crusade then do it equally. There are obviosly many "man-made" substances that should irritate you as much as tobacco smoke.
Don't go to private property where smoking is allowed and you won't have to meet mean people.