Secondhand smoke is not just an annoyance -- it's a known killer

Link: The Daily Times - www.delmarvanow.com - Salisbury, Md..

Last summer, U.S. Surgeon General Richard H. Carmona issued a comprehensive scientific report that concluded that there is no safe level of secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke causes heart disease, lung cancer, asthma, emphysema and stroke. Even brief exposure can cause immediate harm. This finding is a major public health concern due to the fact that nearly half of all nonsmoking Americans are still regularly exposed to secondhand smoke. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have reported that as little as 30 minutes' exposure to secondhand smoke can have a serious and even lethal effect for people with heart disease or at risk for heart disease.