Surgeon General Warns of Secondhand Smoke
By LAURAN NEERGAARD

WASHINGTON (AP) - Breathing any amount of someone else's tobacco smoke harms nonsmokers, the surgeon general declared Tuesday - a strong condemnation of secondhand smoke that is sure to fuel nationwide efforts to ban smoking in public.

``The debate is over. The science is clear: Secondhand smoke is not a mere annoyance, but a serious health hazard,'' said U.S. Surgeon General Richard Carmona.

More than 126 million nonsmoking Americans are regularly exposed to smokers' fumes - what Carmona termed ``involuntary smoking'' - and tens of thousands die each year as a result, concludes the 670-page study. It cites ``overwhelming scientific evidence'' that secondhand smoke causes heart disease, lung cancer and a list of other illnesses.

The report calls for completely smoke-free buildings and public places, saying that separate smoking sections and ventilation systems don't fully protect nonsmokers. Seventeen states and more than 400 towns, cities and counties have passed strong no-smoking laws.

But public smoking bans don't reach inside private homes, where just over one in five children breathes their parents' smoke - and youngsters' still developing bodies are especially vulnerable. Secondhand smoke puts children at risk of sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS, as well as bronchitis, pneumonia, worsening asthma attacks, poor lung growth and ear infections, the report found.

Carmona implored parents who can't kick the habit to smoke outdoors, never in a house or car with a child. Opening a window to let the smoke out won't protect them.

``Stay away from smokers,'' he urged everyone else.

Even a few minutes around drifting smoke is enough to spark an asthma attack, make blood more prone to clot, damage heart arteries and begin the kind of cell damage that over time can lead to cancer, he said.

Repeatedly questioned about how the Bush administration would implement his findings, Carmona would only pledge to publicize the report in hopes of encouraging anti-smoking advocacy. Passing anti-smoking laws is up to Congress and state and local governments, he said.

``My job is to make sure we keep a light on this thing,'' he said.

Still, public health advocates said the report should accelerate an already growing movement toward more smoke-free workplaces.

``This could be the most influential surgeon general's report in 15 years,'' said Matthew Myers of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. ``The message to governments is: The only way to protect your citizens is comprehensive smoke-free laws.''

The report won't surprise doctors. It isn't a new study but a compilation of the best research on secondhand smoke done since the last surgeon general's report on the topic in 1986, which declared secondhand smoke a cause of lung cancer that kills 3,000 nonsmokers a year.

Since then, scientists have proved that even more illnesses are triggered or worsened by secondhand smoke. Topping that list: More than 35,000 nonsmokers a year die from heart disease caused by secondhand smoke.

Regular exposure to someone else's smoke increases the risk of a nonsmoker getting heart disease or lung cancer by up to 30 percent, Carmona found.

Some tobacco companies acknowledge the risks. But R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., which has fought some of the smoking bans, challenges the new report's call for complete smoke-free zones and insists the danger is overblown.

``Bottom line, we believe adults should be able to patronize establishments that permit smoking if they choose to do so,'' said RJR spokesman David Howard.

And a key argument of some business owners' legal challenges to smoking bans is that smoking customers will go elsewhere, cutting their profits.

But the surgeon general's report concludes that's not true. It cites a list of studies that found no negative economic impact from city and state smoking bans - including evidence that New York City restaurants and bars increased business by almost 9 percent after going smoke-free.

To help make the point, Carmona's office videotaped mayors of smoke-free cities and executives of smoke-free companies, including the founder of the Applebee's restaurant chain, saying business got better when the haze cleared.

In addition to the scientific report, Carmona issued advice for consumers and employers Tuesday:

Choose smoke-free restaurants and other businesses, and thank them for going smoke-free.

Don't let anyone smoke near your child. Don't take your child to restaurants or other indoor places that allow smoking.

Smokers should never smoke around a sick relative.

Employers should make all indoor workspace smoke-free and not allow smoking near entrances, to protect the health of both customers and workers, and offer programs to help employees kick the habit.

On the Net:

Report: http://www.surgeongeneral.gov


06/27/06 23:06 � Copyright The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained In this news report may not be published, broadcast or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. 

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I went to the doctor on friday, for my depression, I told him all that I have been feeling, and he put me on wellbutrin. The first time I took it was today, so far it is ok. 

When mom and I had our late nights, while watching tv, mom would sit on the floor and I would rub her back, and she would rub my feet while I was rubbing her back...Kinda funny looking....good memories. 

I really miss my mother, my best friend. I miss staying up all night and watching tv together. Mom and I would stay up all night and watch Lord of the Rings together. That is the last movie I saw with my mom, two days before she passed away. I have tried to get my husband to watch it with me, but he won't, I just miss her, and I get warm fuzzies watching lotr: fellowship of the ring.  

Angel print in Bathroom 

Bathroom, we are replacing white wall outlet covers with gold or brass ones 

closer of bathroom wall/mirror 

Bathroom (one that is accessible from living room 1/2 bath) We are going to add Gold crown molding and remove the white towel bar, and outlet covers with brass/gold colored ones. 

wall to the right of the fish tank..front door in right corner of picture. Sill haven't decided what we are doing here either. 

This is the wall to the right of the creation picture....again, needs major work. 

This is the wall you see as soon as you walk in the front door....this room needs painting and some furniture 

Boy...this needs some work...still trying to decide what to do with dining room 

More after (before pics can be seen on picture blog)...I know, my sconces need candles. 

More before and after....Here is dining room, we still havent' painted yet 

Before and After

Here are some pictures of our livingroom before all the painting and decorating 

And here is After (dad making a call) 

after 

after 

After (huck studying....what he does all the time) 

Just wanted to post some before and after pictures of my livingroom. Here is Before we decorated the livingroom 

Yesterday we all went to Universal Studios on Orlando. We had a blast. You can view more pictures on our picture blog. We rode the Jimmy Neutron ride, saw the Shrek 3D show, the boys had their pictures taken with Shrek and Donkey. We rode the ET ride, then went to Fievel's Playland, then we all rode the Back to the Future ride, then the Men in Black ride. Somewhere between those we went to see the Twister show, and the Terminator 2. After that Huck and the boys went on the Jaws ride while dad and I sat down and rested a little. After that we headed over too see the Beetlejuice graveyard review, it was a great show, singing, dancing. After that, we took the boys to get some food, and dad sat with them while Huck and I rode the Mummy returns ride. After that, Huck took the boys back on the Jimmy Neutron ride again, while dad and I looked in a couple of stores. At the end of the day, we had our picture taken in front of the big universal sign, then we headed out of Orlando. Our final stop before home was a late dinner at Cracker Barrell.