NEW YORK, Apr 8, 2009 (UPI via COMTEX) -- More than half of New York City
non-smokers have been exposed to second-hand smoke at levels high enough to
leave residues in the body, researchers said.
A New York City health department study, published online in the journal
Nicotine and Tobacco Research, showed that 57 percent of adult non-smoking New
Yorkers have elevated cotinine levels -- a by-product of nicotine breakdown --
compared to 45 percent of non-smoking adults nationwide, a finding that may
reflect the city's dense, urban character.
The data, from the New York City Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, was
conducted in 2004 -- one year after New York City's smoke-free air law took
effect.
Although the law protects non-smokers from the dangers of second-hand smoke at
work and in some public places, this study shows that many non-smokers are not
fully protected, the study said. People are still exposed to smoke in homes, on
sidewalks and building entrances, officials said.
"Tobacco smoke is a toxic pollutant," Dr. Thomas R. Frieden, New York City
health commissioner said in a statement. "Most New York City non-smokers are
breathing in dangerous chemicals in second-hand smoke, potentially increasing
the risk of cancer and heart disease. Households with a smoker should set a 'no
smoking' policy at home to protect the family."
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