Second Hand Smoke ... It's a Health Rights Issue
November 27, 2008 | 09:04 AM Posted by the
Health
Department
For your New Year’s resolution, consider giving your
health a boost by resolving to avoid environments
where you and your family would be exposed to second
hand smoke.
Dr. Robert Shepard, co-author of the landmark Helena Heart Study, recently spoke to a group of Greendale and Greenfield residents about second hand smoke and heart disease. His study, now confirmed by 10 other studies, showed that exposure to second hand smoke increases the risk of fatal and non-fatal coronary heart disease in non-smokers by about 30%. After only 20 min exposure to second hand smoke, the platelets in a non-smoker are as “sticky” as a smoker’s. This stickiness can cause the platelets to clump together to form clots that can block the arteries in the heart, causing a heart attack. This stickiness can take up to 24 hours to decrease to normal levels. In addition, second hand smoke causes inflammation in the inside of the artery, problems with the ability of the blood vessels to dilate, and increases cholesterol deposits in the blood vessels, further contributing to heart problems.
In Helena (Montana) and other cities, states and countries, it has been demonstrated that enacting smoke free workplace laws leads to an immediate decrease in the number of hospital admissions for heart attacks. Wisconsin is nearly surrounded by smoke-free states. Minnesota, Illinois, and Iowa, have smoke-free workplace laws to protect the health of their citizens and Michigan is working on one. Twenty four states and 24 foreign countries, including Ireland, also protect their citizens with smoke-free laws. Wisconsin does not.
More information can be found at: www.ittimewisconsin.org; www.tobwis.org; www.tobaccofreekids.org and www.anr.org
Available FREE from the Health Department: Make It Your Business: Strategies for a Tobacco-Free Workplace in Wisconsin. This is booklet describes 3 steps for making your workplace tobacco-free, how to use your company’s health plan to help employees quit, ideas for implementing policies, materials and resources.
Dr. Robert Shepard, co-author of the landmark Helena Heart Study, recently spoke to a group of Greendale and Greenfield residents about second hand smoke and heart disease. His study, now confirmed by 10 other studies, showed that exposure to second hand smoke increases the risk of fatal and non-fatal coronary heart disease in non-smokers by about 30%. After only 20 min exposure to second hand smoke, the platelets in a non-smoker are as “sticky” as a smoker’s. This stickiness can cause the platelets to clump together to form clots that can block the arteries in the heart, causing a heart attack. This stickiness can take up to 24 hours to decrease to normal levels. In addition, second hand smoke causes inflammation in the inside of the artery, problems with the ability of the blood vessels to dilate, and increases cholesterol deposits in the blood vessels, further contributing to heart problems.
In Helena (Montana) and other cities, states and countries, it has been demonstrated that enacting smoke free workplace laws leads to an immediate decrease in the number of hospital admissions for heart attacks. Wisconsin is nearly surrounded by smoke-free states. Minnesota, Illinois, and Iowa, have smoke-free workplace laws to protect the health of their citizens and Michigan is working on one. Twenty four states and 24 foreign countries, including Ireland, also protect their citizens with smoke-free laws. Wisconsin does not.
More information can be found at: www.ittimewisconsin.org; www.tobwis.org; www.tobaccofreekids.org and www.anr.org
Available FREE from the Health Department: Make It Your Business: Strategies for a Tobacco-Free Workplace in Wisconsin. This is booklet describes 3 steps for making your workplace tobacco-free, how to use your company’s health plan to help employees quit, ideas for implementing policies, materials and resources.
