Smoking bans could help reduce the incidence of heart attacks by 6-47 percent, in non-smokers, according to U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"The repeated finding of decreased heart attack rates overall after bans were implemented conclusively demonstrates that smoke-free policies help protect people from the cardiovascular effects of tobacco smoke," said a committee from the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies.
With the recent bans on smoking in public settings, second hand smoke inhalation has declined and heart attacks in non-smokers. The higher excise taxes and bans have caused major volumes of deficit for the major American cigarette companies.
6-47% reduction in heart attacks is quite a wide range. This does not sound like a reliable source and the wide varying range does not tell much about the new research.
Welcome to the boards hok917. Conversations have been slow lately so it is nice to have a new voice. Invite in some of your friends so that the pace can enliven.
The reason for the wide variation of results is that this is a summary of a number of papers. I agree that such a wide disparity makes the results somewhat suspicious. However, currently any results showing that smoking is dangerous to everyone are greeted with glee by the press and others. What we do know for certain is that smoking is an active danger for the smoker and is a primary cause of a number of cancers including lung, bladder, pancreatic, mouth, pharynx, and some others. It is also a primary cause of hypertension, atherosclerosis, ulcers, and emphysema. If one chooses to ignore all these threats to one's health, smoking causes bad breath, stinky clothes and homes, and yellow teeth while waiting for one of the diseases to appear. You have to admire the fortitude of smokers to continue in spite of all these factors.
Among proven dangers to innocent bystanders is increased asthma in children of smokers. There appears to be high likelihood of increases in many of the illnesses associated with active smoking but the data are not as overwhelming as they are for active smokers.
While it is proven and clear that smoking has many negative effects to health, it is hard to evaluate the statistic of the reduction of heart attacks. I think this is also because there are many other factors that go into the cause of heart attacks- obesity, stress, and overall poor life styles.
Yes, there are a number of contributors to cardiac vascular disease. However, there is absolutely no question that smoking is one of the most potent. You listed four of the others. In addition, consider sugar intake, genetics, fat in one's diet, and a number of others.
Passively inhaled smoke may or may not be a significant danger, the data are not reliable at this point in time. The article you reference points out the flaws in those data.
As a non smoker, I tend to avoid patronizing restaurants that allow smoking as I find the pungent smell of burning tobacco detracts from the pleasantry of a fine meal. As a libertarian, I would prefer that restaurant owners would be allowed to make their own choice; however, I must say that it is pleasant to go out in those states where I do not need to ask what the smoking policy is. I am not concerned about my health from their second hand smoke but find the acrid reek to be unpleasant.
PS, welcome to the center, snowbird. Does your title indicate that you like my wife and I go south during the winter? We leave Tuesday having once again missed an opportunity to be gone before the first snow that occurred yesterday.
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