Secondhand smoke kills more than half a million people worldwide annually

Secondhand smoke kills more than half a million people worldwide annually

Secondhand smoke exposure that can lead to lethal diseases claims 600,000 lives per year around the world according to a study measuring the impact of secondhand smoke to the global population. The study published on Friday in the medical journal Lancet analyzed information from 192 countries and discovered that more than 30 percent of non-smokers and 40 percent of kids are often victims of passive smoking.

Health authorities calculate that exposure to second-hand smoke is responsible for up to 379,000 cases of heart disease worldwide. Lower respiratory diseases stemming from passive smoking are estimated to be around 165,000 cases and 36,900 have died from asthma. In addition, 21,400 die every year from lung cancer. The total amount equals one percent of the deaths in the world. The World Health Organization says that the number is not included in the tally of 5.1 million deaths from smoking alone annually. The agency said its main focus is in Africa and Southeast Asia, where up to 165,000 kids die from conditions associated with smoking.

Europeans and Asians were found to the most exposed to secondhand smoke while those in the Eastern Mediterranean, Africa and the Americas were the least exposed. More women than men are susceptible to secondhand smoke, with women having a 50 percent more likelihood of breathing in passive smoke and about 281,000 of them die every year.

Many countries have instituted laws to curb smoking in public places, but the WHO says more legislation and anti-smoking campaigns against smoking and secondhand smoke is still needed.

Posted by George Daniels on Friday November 26 2010, 5:12 AM EST. Ref: AP. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Featured News, Health. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0