According to a report released Friday by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over a million residents of Massachusetts are being a victim of passive smoke because of the neighbors who smoke regularly.
Regardless of smoke-free rules being enforced 29 million Americans are exposed to sever health issues due to passive tobacco smoking. According to the study, depending on a 2009 household survey, nearly 2 million Americans are exposed to cigarette smoke through their homes' ventilation systems, floorboards and windows, says a report in The Boston Globe.
"These are conservative estimates because it's very easy to have exposure to significant second-hand smoke without being able to smell it," said Dr. Tim McAfee, director of the CDC's Office on Smoking and Health, according to The Globe.
Boston Housing Authority enforced a new law which does not allow smoking in their housing units. Violation of this rule can lead to severe circumstances leading to vacating the apartment. Residents are allowed to smoke in a far off place from the building.
"I heard it's going well, and they've had no problems so far," said Margaret Reid, director of the Boston Public Health Commission's healthy homes division, reports The Globe. "This is something residents wanted overwhelmingly, and we worked with tenants and housing managers for a year to prepare them."
Danny McGoldrick, vice president for research at the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, a nonprofit advocacy group, enlightened the health issues due to cigarette smoking or smoke intake( passive smoking).
"Cigarette smoke contains a toxic stew of 7,000 chemicals and 60 carcinogens, and kids, with their developing lungs, are particularly vulnerable to its effects," McGoldrick told The Globe. "It can increase asthma attacks in those who have the condition."
This study is published in the journal Nicotine and Tobacco Research.
