2nd Hand Smoke

[thaiboxerken]

"But if you agree with workplace health and safety laws in general, I don't see how you can justify making an exception for tobacco."

I agree with the workplace non-smoking laws and other public places laws, I don't agree with forcing private businesses to become non-smoking. I also don't support junk-science that the EPA uses on a consistent basis.

 

[shanek]

I agree with the workplace non-smoking laws...I don't agree with forcing private businesses to become non-smoking.

Uh, aren't those two positions completely contradictary?

 

[zakur]

I agree with the workplace non-smoking laws and other public places laws, I don't agree with forcing private businesses to become non-smoking.

If a private business has employees, isn't it a workplace?

 

[JAR]

I doubt the second hand smoke studies that say 50,000 people a year die from it are accurate. Anyone who has inhaled both second hand and first hand smoke can tell you that the tingling feeling nicotine provides is not present with second hand smoke which suggests that people aren't getting enough tobacco in their system from second hand smoke for it to do any harm.But I do support having non-smoking areas because second hand smoke has an irritating aroma. My older brother rightly compared smoking around other people to breaking wind when one is around other people.

 

[NWilner]

Not really so, JAR. Serum cotinine, a metabolite of nicotine, is elevated significantly in passive smokers. Beyond that observation, your remark implies a threshold for carcinogenic or pathogenic effect, but most thinking today supports a linear no threshold model for dose response.

 

[JAR]

most thinking today supports a linear no threshold model for dose response.

I agree with you assuming that you mean that the dosage required to get a nicotine buzz, precancerous lesions(which cause cancer) or any other tobacco related disease differs from person to person. I'll believe the 50,000 death toll from now on until I have good evidence that it is inaccurate.

 

[NWilner]

Well, I don't necessarily adopt 50K, because I think the real "number" is probably a matter of some speculation, but....

The nicotine buzz you mention is definitely affected by individual factors, especially tolerance from chronic use. Neversmokers may feel nicotine in much less concentration that experienced smokers.

Not only cotintine but also certain tobacco specific nitrosamines, very carcinogenic compounds found only in tobacco, are found in the urine of passively exposed nonsmokers. There is no way for these compounds, known as nitrosonornicotine (NNN), NNK, and NAM, to get into the body of nonsmokers, except through sidestream cig smoke.

For one I don't want these carcinogens, in any quantity, in me, if I can help it.

 

[JAR]

Re: Re: 2nd Hand Smoke

I've always found it bizarre that Penn frowns upon liquor consumption, but then turns around and smokes.

Strange.

I'd rather be in a room with a person smoking than be on the road with a drunk driver.

 

[NWilner]

Sure, but to be fair, the comparison would be whether you would want to be in a room with a drinker or with a smoker.

Unlike tobacco, etoh *can* be used safely and responsibly. Consumption of 2 oz or so per day seems to be beneficial.

This does not condone intoxicated driving, whether intoxication comes from alcohol or drugs.

 

[arcticpenguin]

http://reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=healthNews&storyID=2363894

Second hand smoke linked to children's tooth decay.