IARC update on the link between exposure to SHS and cancer reports limited evidence showing an association with cancers of the larynx and pharynx. For example, passive smoking has been associated with a 40% increased risk of developing cervical tumours (cervical neoplasia). There is some evidence of a link between SHS exposure and other types of cancer.
11 A recent meta-analysis found that the risk of breast cancer was increased by 67% in those exposed to SHS. An expert panel’s review reported a causal link between passive smoking and breast cancer in non-smoking premenopausal women.
8 Similarly, the US Surgeon General’s report and review of the evidence concluded a causal link between SHS exposure and lung cancer, with the risks of developing lung cancer increasing by between 20-30% for non-smokers who live with a smoker. The Scientific Committee On Tobacco and Health (SCOTH) report’s review of the evidence concluded that exposure to SHS increased the risks of lung cancer in non-smokers by 24%. 7 8 Other studies have estimated this risk to be as high as 50-60%, 9 with another review reporting the risks of heart disease caused by passive smoking were 80-90% - as large as those caused by active smoking. It has been estimated that non-smokers exposed to SHS have a 25%-35% increased risk of heart disease. There is existing evidence of secondhand smoke being associated with a myriad of conditions linked to regular smoking. Exposure to other people’s smoke increases the risk of lung cancer in non-smokers by 20-30% and coronary heart disease by 25-35%.
In the longer-term, passive smokers suffer an increased risk of a range of smoking-related diseases. Short term exposure to tobacco smoke also has a measurable effect on the heart in non-smokers. Adults with asthma can experience a significant decline in lung function when exposed, while new cases of asthma may be induced in children whose parents smoke. Short-term effects of exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) include eye irritation, headaches, coughs, sore throat, dizziness and nausea.
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