Secondhand smoke, also know as environmental tobacco smoke, is a mixture of the smoke given off by the burning end of a cigarette, pipe or cigar and the smoke exhaled from the lungs of smokers. It is involuntarily inhaled by nonsmokers, lingers in the air hours after cigarettes have been extinguished and can cause or exacerbates a wide range of adverse health effects, including cancer, respiratory infections, and asthma.1
-Secondhand smoke has been classified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a known cause of cancer in humans (Group A carcinogen).2
Secondhand smoke causes approximately 3,000 lung cancer deaths and 35,000 heart disease deaths in adult nonsmokers in the United States each year.3
-A study found that nonsmokers exposed to environmental smoke were 25 percent more likely to have coronary heart diseases compared to nonsmokers not exposed to smoke.4
-Nonsmokers exposed to secondhand smoke at work are at increased risk for adverse health effects. Levels of ETS in restaurants and bars were found to be 2 to 5 times higher than in residences with smokers and 2 to 6 times higher than in office workplaces.5
-Since 1999, 70 percent of the U.S. workforce worked under a smoke-free policy, ranging from 83.9 percent in Utah to 48.7 percent in Nevada.6 Workplace productivity was increased and absenteeism was decreased among former smokers compared with current smokers.7
-Secondhand smoke is especially harmful to young children. Secondhand smoke is responsible for between 150,000 and 300,000 lower respiratory tract infections in infants and children under 18 months of age, resulting in between 7,500 and 15,000 hospitalizations each year, and causes 1,900 to 2,700 sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) deaths in the United States annually.8
-Secondhand smoke exposure may cause buildup of fluid in the middle ear, resulting in 700,000 to 1.6 million physician office visits per year. Secondhand smoke can also aggravate symptoms in 200,000 to 1,000,000 children with asthma.10
-In the United States, 21 million, or 35 percent of, children live in homes where residents or visitors smoke in the home on a regular basis.11 Approximately 50-75 percent of children in the United States have detectable levels of cotinine, the breakdown product of nicotine in the blood.12
New research indicates that secret research conducted by cigarette company Philip Morris in the 1980s showed that secondhand smoke was highly toxic, yet the company suppressed the finding during the next two decades.13
-Nine states are smoke-free as of 2005 (i.e. prohibit smoking in almost all workplaces, including restaurants and bars): CA, CT, DE, ME, MA, NY, RI, VT (2005), and WA (2005).
-For more information on secondhand smoke, please review the Tobacco Morbidity and Mortality Trend Report as well as our Lung Disease Data publication in the Data and Statistics section of our website, or call the American Lung Association at 1-800-LUNG-USA (1-800-586-4872).
Blood Flow to Brain Altered Weeks After Smoking Pot
Monday, February 07, 2005
Feb. 7, 2005 - The effects of marijuana in the brain may linger long after the last joint goes out.
A new study shows that blood flow to the brain in people who smoked marijuana remained altered up to a month after they last smoked pot.
Researchers say the findings may help explain the problems with memory and thinking found in previous studies of chronic marijuana users.
Marijuana’s Effects on the Brain
In the study, which appears in the Feb. 8 issue of Neurology, researchers studied the blood flow in brain arteries of 54 marijuana users and 18 nonusers.
The marijuana users volunteered to participate in an inpatient program and abstained from marijuana use for a month.
Blood flow in the brain was analyzed at the beginning of the study and at the end of the month for the marijuana users.
Researchers found blood flow was significantly higher in marijuana users than in nonusers, both at the beginning and at the end of the study.
However, the marijuana users also had higher scores on the pulsatility index (PI), which is a measure of resistance to blood flow.
Researchers say the level of resistance to blood flow among light and moderate marijuana users improved over the course of the abstinence month. But there was no improvement among heavy marijuana users.
This resistance is thought to be caused by the narrowing of blood vessels that happens when the body’s own ability to regulate the circulatory system becomes impaired.
“The marijuana users had PI values that were somewhat higher than those of people with chronic high blood pressure and diabetes,” says researcher Ronald Herning, PhD, of the National Institute on Drug Abuse in Baltimore, Md., in a news release. “However, their values were lower than those of people with dementia. This suggests that marijuana use leads to abnormalities in the small blood vessels in the brain, because similar PI values have been seen in other diseases that affect the small blood vessels.”
Light marijuana users smoked two to 15 joints per week, moderate users smoked 17 to 70 joints per week, and heavy users smoked 78 to 350 joints per week.
I have said I read both sides. I see this is from lungusa. that’s real unbiased opinion.
A lot of people in my family smoke. None of them have any sort of lung problems and none of the people who do not smoke have any lung problems. :dunno:
I could really care less about drugs and tobacco. I do not do it and feel that second hand smoke is a bunch of BS. If you were locked in a room for 12 hours a day breathing the stuff, something might happen to you, but if you go to a restraunt and get a little smoke in your face it’s not going to make a difference. And the workers in these places have every right to get another job if they don’t want to be exposed to this type or work enviroment.
Impaired perception
Diminished short-term memory
Loss of concentration and coordination
Impaired judgement
Increased risk of accidents
Loss of motivation
Diminished inhibitions
Increased heart rate
Anxiety, panic attacks, and paranoia
Hallucinations
Damage to the respiratory, reproductive, and immune systems
Increased risk of cancer
Psychological dependency
So again this boils down to everyone else has to change for you to enjoy freedoms? what about their Freedom to work and povide for their family without being exposed to undue harm.
Freedom is a two way street.
The only argument any pot smoker is going to have is “its an infringment on my personal rights”.
The law enforcment thing will be a wash because you are now faced with a new set of problems on how and where to regulate uses.
Tax money, thats a joke look how much all those taxes collected on Cigarettes are solving problems. :rolleyes:
Well, they’ll stone ya when you’re trying to be so good,
They’ll stone ya just a-like they said they would.
They’ll stone ya when you’re tryin’ to go home.
Then they’ll stone ya when you’re there all alone.
But I would not feel so all alone,
Everybody must get stoned.
Well, they’ll stone ya when you’re walkin’ ‘long the street.
They’ll stone ya when you’re tryin’ to keep your seat.
They’ll stone ya when you’re walkin’ on the floor.
They’ll stone ya when you’re walkin’ to the door.
But I would not feel so all alone,
Everybody must get stoned.
They’ll stone ya when you’re at the breakfast table.
They’ll stone ya when you are young and able.
They’ll stone ya when you’re tryin’ to make a buck.
They’ll stone ya and then they’ll say, “good luck.”
Tell ya what, I would not feel so all alone,
Everybody must get stoned.
Well, they’ll stone you and say that it’s the end.
Then they’ll stone you and then they’ll come back again.
They’ll stone you when you’re riding in your car.
They’ll stone you when you’re playing your guitar.
Yes, but I would not feel so all alone,
Everybody must get stoned.
Well, they’ll stone you when you walk all alone.
They’ll stone you when you are walking home.
They’ll stone you and then say you are brave.
They’ll stone you when you are set down in your grave.
But I would not feel so all alone,
Everybody must get stoned.
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Morbid obesity increases CVD risk due to its effect on blood lipid levels.
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Weight loss improves blood lipid levels by lowering triglycerides and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and increasing HDL (“good”) cholesterol.
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Weight loss of 5% to 10% can reduce total blood cholesterol.
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The effects of morbid obesity on cardiovascular health can begin in childhood, which increases the risk of developing CVD as an adult.
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Morbid obesity increases the risk of illness and death associated with coronary heart disease.
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Morbid obesity is a major risk factor for heart attack, and is now recognized as such by the American Heart Association.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) from Morbid Obesity
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Morbid Obesity has been established as a risk factor for CTS.
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The odds of an obese patient having CTS were found in one study to be almost four times greater than that of a non-obese patient.
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Morbid Obesity was found in one study to be a stronger risk factor for CTS than workplace activity that requires repetitive and forceful hand use.
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Seventy percent of persons in a recent CTS study were overweight or obese.
Chronic Venous Insufficiency (CVI) from Morbid Obesity
Patients with CVI, an inadequate blood flow through the veins, tend to be older, male, and have obesity.
Daytime Sleepiness from Morbid Obesity
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People with morbid obesity frequently complain of daytime sleepiness and fatigue, two probable causes of mass transportation accidents.
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Severe obesity has been associated with increased daytime sleepiness even in the absence of sleep apnea or other breathing disorders.
Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) from Morbid Obesity
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Morbid Obesity increases the risk of DVT, a condition that disrupts the normal process of blood clotting.
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Patients with obesity have an increased risk of DVT after surgery.
Diabetes (Type 2) from Morbid Obesity
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As many as 90% of individuals with type 2 diabetes are reported to be overweight or obese.
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Morbid Obesity has been found to be the largest environmental influence on the prevalence of diabetes in a population.
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Morbid Obesity complicates the management of type 2 diabetes by increasing insulin resistance and glucose intolerance, which makes drug treatment for type 2 diabetes less effective.
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A weight loss of as little as 5% can reduce high blood sugar.
End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) from Morbid Obesity
Morbid Obesity may be a direct or indirect factor in the initiation or progression of renal disease, as suggested in preliminary data.
Gallbladder Disease from Morbid Obesity
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Morbid Obesity is an established predictor of gallbladder disease.
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Morbid Obesity and rapid weight loss in obese persons are known risk factors for gallstones.
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Gallstones are common among overweight and obese persons. Gallstones appear in persons with obesity at a rate of 30% versus 10% in non-obese.
Gout from Morbid Obesity
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Morbid Obesity contributes to the cause of gout -- the deposit of uric acid crystals in joints and tissue.
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Morbid Obesity is associated with increased production of uric acid and decreased elimination from the body.
Heat Disorders from Morbid Obesity
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Morbid Obesity has been found to be a risk factor for heat injury and heat disorders.
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Poor heat tolerance is often associated with obesity.
Hypertension from Morbid Obesity
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Over 75% of hypertension cases are reported to be directly attributed to obesity.
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Weight or BMI in association with age is the strongest indicator of blood pressure in humans.
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The association between obesity and high blood pressure has been observed in virtually all societies, ages, ethnic groups, and in both genders.
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The risk of developing hypertension is five to six times greater in obese adult Americans, age 20 to 45, compared to non-obese individuals of the same age.
Impaired Immune Response from Morbid Obesity
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Obesity has been found to decrease the body’s resistance to harmful organisms.
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A decrease in the activity of scavenger cells, that destroy bacteria and foreign organisms in the body, has been observed in patients with obesity.
Impaired Respiratory Function from Morbid Obesity
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Obesity is associated with impairment in respiratory function.
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Obesity has been found to increase respiratory resistance, which in turn may cause breathlessness.
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Decreases in lung volume with increasing obesity have been reported.
Infections Following Wounds from Morbid Obesity
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Obesity is associated with the increased incidence of wound infection.
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Burn patients with obesity are reported to develop pneumonia and wound infection with twice the frequency of non-obese.
Infertility from Morbid Obesity
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Obesity increases the risk for several reproductive disorders, negatively affecting normal menstrual function and fertility.
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Weight loss of about 10% of initial weight is effective in improving menstrual regularity, ovulation, hormonal profiles and pregnancy rates.
Liver Disease from Morbid Obesity
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Excess weight is reported to be an independent risk factor for the development of alcohol related liver diseases including cirrhosis and acute hepatitis.
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Obesity is the most common factor of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, a major cause of progressive liver disease.
Low Back Pain from Morbid Obesity
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Obesity may play a part in aggravating a simple low back problem, and contribute to a long-lasting or recurring condition.
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Women who are overweight or have a large waist size are reported to be particularly at risk for low back pain.
Obstetric and Gynecologic Complications from Morbid Obesity
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Women with severe obesity have a menstrual disturbance rate three times higher than that of women with normal weight.
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High pre-pregnancy weight is associated with an increased risk during pregnancy of hypertension, gestational diabetes, urinary infection, Cesarean section and toxemia.
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Morbid Obesity is reportedly associated with the increased incidence of overdue births, induced labor and longer labors.
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Women with maternal obesity have more Cesarean deliveries and higher incidence of blood loss during delivery as well as infection and wound complication after surgery.
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Complications after childbirth associated with obesity include an increased risk of endometrial infection and inflammation, urinary tract infection and urinary incontinence.
Pain from Morbid Obesity
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Bodily pain is a prevalent problem among persons with obesity.
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Greater disability, due to bodily pain, has been reported by persons with obesity compared to persons with other chronic medical conditions.
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Morbid Obesity is known to be associated with musculoskeletal or joint-related pain.
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Foot pain located at the heel, known as Sever’s disease, is commonly associated with obesity.
Pancreatitis from Morbid Obesity
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Obesity is a predictive factor of outcome in acute pancreatitis. Obese patients with acute pancreatitis are reported to develop significantly more complications, including respiratory failure, than non-obese.
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Patients with severe pancreatitis have been found to have a higher body-fat percentage and larger waist size than patients with mild pancreatitis.
Sleep Apnea from Morbid Obesity
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Obesity, particularly upper body obesity, is the most significant risk factor for obstructive sleep apnea.
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There is a 12 to 30-fold higher incidence of obstructive sleep apnea among morbidly obese patients compared to the general population.
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Among patients with obstructive sleep apnea, at least 60% to 70% are obese.
Stroke from Morbid Obesity
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Elevated BMI is reported to increase the risk of ischemic stroke independent of other risk factors including age and systolic blood pressure.
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Abdominal obesity appears to predict the risk of stroke in men.
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Obesity and weight gain are risk factors for ischemic and total stroke in women.
Urinary Stress Incontinence from Morbid Obesity
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Morbid Obesity is a well-documented risk factor for urinary stress incontinence, involuntary urine loss, as well as urge incontinence and urgency among women.
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Morbid Obesity is reported to be a strong risk factor for several urinary symptoms after pregnancy and delivery, continuing as much as 6 to 18 months after childbirth.
I guess that means be better start locking up the fatties. I mean, look at all those health risks. We cant let the freedom to eat unhealthy food drive up our medical costs.
you like putting words in my mouth like a fat kid likes cake.
I never said that marijuana isnt unhealthy. I never said that marijuana tax revenues will be the panacea to all of society’s ills.
And YES! everyone should have to change for my freedoms. I pay my fucking taxes just like you and everyone else. This is a FREE country. I know that doesnt mean anything to you, but it does to me. I’ll stand up for causes that I dont believe in and dont affect me, in the name of freedom (gay marraige, religion…). America should be free for everyone.
You really are fucking unbelieveable. By that I mean a fucking stupid retard.
You do realize that there is a big campainge going on right now trying to CORRECT THAT FUCKING PROBLEM RIGHT??
Oh wait I fogot you were never a fat fuck and have always been inshape. Oh wait, you changed that right yeah well evidetly that shit is reversible. Cancer as of now is not.
Maybe if you wern’t pot smoking pool boy with a fucking reasoning capability greater than a 6 year old you might understand WHY pot isn’t legal.
Instead you stomp you feet cry because you want to do it and do it anyways, and then bring up stupid fucking analogies.
Still you DON’T FUCKING POST ANY CREDIBLE SOURCES to back up your fucking claims.
wait a minute. I though 2 pages ago people that called people names were little immature babies?
I’m just trying to find some continuity in your arguements. Or rather point out to you that there isnt any.
As far as me stomping my feet and crying… I suppose it wasnt ok for all those black people to stomp their feet and cry for being used as slaves. And it wasnt ok for women to stomp their feet and cry because they werent allowed to vote.
Sorry kid, you’re in the wrong on this one. Jail is supposed to be a place to keep people that are a threat to others out of society. Marijuana isnt a threat to anyone besides the person using it, outside of your pathetic “secondhand smoke” arguement. Besides the pot, I’m pretty much obey the law. I am not a criminal, these stupd laws make me and millions of other tax paying, law abiding citizens into criminals.
You’re just too obtuse/selfish/lazy to stand up for another persons rights that are being violated.
I have to change for you? I pay more taxes than you because I’m not a fucking looser so why the fuck should I have to change or be affected form your piss poor decision.
Freedom is only ok when it benifits you, I fucking hate people like you, you cry about yoru freedoms but don’t take anyone esle’s freedom into consideration.
Going from darkstars opinion, we should just legalize all drugs. Lets legalize crack. Its peoples right if they wanna get all cracked out and play video games right?
Freedom is only ok when It benefits me? So why do I argue for gay marraige and freedom of religion? I hate religion. But I stand up for it. Im not gay, and the thought of two gay guys doing their thing doesnt exactly enthrall me, but I stand up for them.
And what freedoms for other people do I oppose? I’m a fucking libertarian. I’m ALL ABOUT FREEDOM. But since you dont really know anything about politics or the way the world really works, I suppose this really isnt a surprise.
