Institute of Medicine Reports Smoke-free Laws Decrease the Rate of Heart Attacks and Save Lives

 A new landmark report from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) in the United States concludes smoke-free laws banning smoking in public and workplaces reduce the number of heart attacks and save lives.  The report confirms that there is conclusive scientific evidence that secondhand smoke causes heart disease and compelling evidence that even relatively brief exposure to secondhand smoke can cause heart attacks.

Findings

The report reviewed 11 studies looking at the relationship between smoking bans and cardiovascular disease from the United States, Canada, and Scotland and a multitude of other scientific studies on the relationship between second-hand smoke and heart disease and found that: 

·         There is a causal relationship between secondhand smoke exposure and heart disease.  Studies consistently indicate that exposure to second hand smoke increases the risks of heart disease by 25 percent to 30 percent. Even very low levels of exposure to second hand smoke increase the risk of heart disease.  As exposure levels to second hand smoke increases, the risk of heart disease increases.  

·         Even brief exposure to secondhand smoke may cause heart attacks.  While calling for more research on the topic, the IOM concluded that there is compelling evidence that even relatively brief exposure to secondhand smoke can precipitate a heart attack.  Studies have found that secondhand smoke exposure causes adverse changes in the cardiovascular system, such as immediate increases in blood clotting and restrictions in blood vessels that increase the risk of a heart attack.

·         Smoke-free bans in public places and work places decrease the number of heart attacks. Studies of smoking bans report reductions in the incidence of heart attacks ranging from 6 percent to 47 percent.  Given the variations in types of smoking bans studied and in how the studies were conducted, the IOM could not determine more precisely how great the effect is  However, the consistent findings of lower heart attack rates after bans were implemented conclusively demonstrate that smoke-free policies help protect people from the cardiovascular effects of tobacco smoke.

Secondhand smoke contains more than 4,000 chemicals, including at least 69 carcinogens.  In addition to causing heart disease, secondhand smoke is a proven cause of lung cancer, serious respiratory illnesses such as bronchitis and asthma, low birth weight and sudden infant death syndrome.

Key Messages

·         Comprehensive smoke-free laws in public and work places save lives and reduce heart attacks.

·         Even short term exposure to secondhand smoke is dangerous and increases the risk of a heart attack. 

·         Governments around the world have the responsibility to protect their citizens from the dangers of second hand smoke by enacting comprehensive smoke-free laws that include all workplaces and public places, including restaurants and bars.

Full document available in English from: http://www.iom.edu/

Full citation: Institute of Medicine of the National Academies. Secondhand Smoke Exposure and Cardiovascular Effects: Making Sense of the Evidence. Washington DC; Institute of Medicine: 2009.

For fact sheets on smoke-free bans in English, French, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Portuguese and Arabic, go to:  http://tobaccofreecenter.org/resources/smoke_free_laws

If you have questions about the study or how you may use it in your advocacy efforts, please contact Miranda Wang at research@tobaccofreecenter.org.

The report was sponsored by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and conducted by the Institute of Medicine.  Established in 1970 under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences, the Institute of Medicine provides independent, objective, evidence-based advice to policymakers, health professionals, the private sector, and the public in the United States.