What is SHS (secondhand smoke)?

SHS, secondhand smoke, is indoor air pollution caused by burning tobacco cigarettes. It has been proven by hundreds of scientific studies to contain deadly substances that result in over 50,000 deaths (of non-smokers) per year in the USA. Most of those killed by SHS are non-smoking workers who got the majority of their SHS exposure from their workplace.

A worker who is exposed to SHS during an 8-hour workday, has the same exposure to harmful toxins as a smoker who smokes one pack per day. Hence, non-smoking workers are involuntarily subjected to these health risks, and are essentially being forced to "smoke" a pack of cigarettes every day!

SHS contains many known human carcinogens (cancer-causing chemicals) and over 200 toxins (substances proven to be poisonous to humans).

SHS has been shown to cause many types of cancer in humans, including lung cancer and breast cancer. Even more workers die from heart disease and strokes caused by SHS.

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Michael Leavitt, United States Secretary of Health and Human Services, wrote the following in his introduction to the 2006 Surgeon General's Report:

"People are exposed to secondhand smoke in the home, in the workplace, and in other public places such as bars, restaurants, and recreation venues. It is harmful and hazardous to the health of the general public and particularly dangerous to children. It increases the risk of serious respiratory problems in children, such as a greater number and severity of asthma attacks and lower respiratory tract infections, and increases the risk for middle ear infections. It is also a known human carcinogen (cancer-causing agent). Inhaling secondhand smoke causes lung cancer and coronary heart disease in nonsmoking adults."

"Despite the great progress that has been made, involuntary exposure to secondhand smoke remains a serious public health hazard that can be prevented by making homes, workplaces, and public places completely smoke-free. As of the year 2000, more than 126 million residents of the United States aged 3 or older still are estimated to be exposed to secondhand smoke. Smoke-free environments are the most effective method for reducing exposures."

[It looks like he got the message of the Surgeon General's Report, yet he has done nothing to promote smoke-free environments in the workplace via OSHA, which is under the US Department of Health and Human Services.]

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Julie Gerberding, MD (Director of the CDC) also wrote part of the introduction to the 2006 Surgeon General's Report, which included the following:

"Research reviewed in this report indicates that smoke-free policies are the most economic and effective approach for providing protection from exposure to secondhand smoke."

"Policies prohibiting smoking in the workplace have multiple benefits."

[Where do smoke-free policies in the workplace come from? They come from the source of all safety and health-related policies for the workplace: OSHA.]