[C-U Smokefree] CDC strong warning against secondhand smoke exposure

[Theotskl at aol.com]

Hi there--

thia just in from the CDC on the high risks of heart attack from exposure to 
second hand smoke.

This is a very stron gwarning and it was discussed on CNN this mornig in the 
transcript below.

The lesson:  Anyone local decision maker, anyone local business (hospitality 
industry, chamber of commerce, any other business organization or individual 
business) must be held totally accountable for opposing, whithering, or 
delaying the development, enactment, implementation, and enforcement, of the 
strongest possible clean indoor air  (smoke-free) local legislation.  No 
accountability measures will result in undesirable negative effects for the health, safety, 
and welfare of all residents in the CU community.  

So keep up the good work CU-Smoke Free Alliance towards the actualization of 
healthy indoor air environments in the CU community!!!!!

Dr. Theo Tsoukalas

CNN Story Follows:

<< CNN April 27, 2004 Tuesday
Content and programming Copyright 2004 Cable News Network Transcribed under
license by FDCH e-Media, Inc. (f/k/a Federal Document Clearing House,
Inc.). Formatting Copyright 2004 FDCH e-Media, Inc. (f/k/a Federal Document
Clearing House, Inc.). All rights reserved. No quotes from the materials
contained herein may be used in any media without attribution to Cable News
Network. This transcript may not be copied or resold in any media.
CNN
SHOW: AMERICAN MORNING 07:00
April 27, 2004 Tuesday 9:31 AM Eastern Time
Transcript # 042703CN.V74
(NOTE: Excerpted from full transcript)
O'BRIEN: Still to come this morning, a very new important warning on
secondhand smoke. Dr. Sanjay Gupta's going to joins us with details on
that. Stay with us. You're watching AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: New warnings from the CDC suggesting that secondhand smoke even is
more dangerous than previously thought. Health officials now advising
anyone at risk of heart disease avoid all areas that allow indoor smoking.

And Dr. Sanjay Gupta is looking into it here in New York to talk more about 
it.

Good morning to you. Unprecedented, is it?

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Unprecedented. Very strong
warning, one of the first of its kind really by the Centers for Disease
Control, regarding secondhand smoke. No surprise that secondhand smoke is
bad for you. We've been hearing that for years. But this is a very specific
recommendation regarding patients with heart disease and their exposure to
secondhand smoke. Could it cause a heart attack? That was the question
posed to the CDC. Their answer, yes. Thus causing these new regulations.

Let's break it down a little bit for you here. What the CDC is specifically
saying is that in only 30 minutes of secondhand smoke exposure, you can get
a substantial biological change in the blood vessels, less than four hours
of exposure. And, look, you're effect on the arteries is going to be
similar to that as if you were a smoker. Long-term exposure to secondhand
smoke. That is, if you live with it, if you work with it. That's going to
give you a 30 percent increased risk of heart disease.

Bottom line is this, exposure to secondhand smoke works quick, and it
doesn't take very much to cause the effects. That's why these new warnings
in place. Just 30 minutes in a place of work, and a restaurant, someplace
like that; if you have heart disease; could be a significant problem.

HEMMER: Do we know the connection as to why smoke has such a grave effect
on heart patients? What is the cause and effect there?

GUPTA: Right, and this has been studied a lot. You talk about smoke and
smokers, but you also talk about secondhand smoke as well. What is
happening to the body when you're expose to do that? One of the things
they're saying is that your actually blood becomes more likely to clot.
Call it thicker, if you will. If it's thicker, it's less likely to flow as
well, and that can make you a setup for heart attack. Also, it also causes
general inflammation in the body, most specifically concerning in the blood
vessels. Again, if the blood vessels get inflamed, again, they're most
likely to cause blockages.

HEMMER: One of the big stories in this country. Dublin, Ireland did, in
fact, not too long ago. L.A. San Francisco, New York City, stopping all
indoor smoking in bars and restaurants. Is it too soon to say whether or
not this ban is actually helping the health of people and individuals?

GUPTA: This is really interesting, Bill. And Delaware as well. And also
Helena, Montana. A lot of people don't know about this, a smaller city, but
interesting city, because a lot of health officials citing Helena, Montana
as an example. Here's what happened, they actually banned smoking in all
public buildings for about six months. During that six-month period, what
they saw was a 40 percent decrease in heart attacks and heart disease
deaths, 40 percent decrease during those six months.

Here's the thing. Subsequently, the ban was overturned, people were allowed
to smoke again -- the rate of heart attacks went right back up again.

So you're seeing it was a small number of cases across the board. Certainly
Helena not a big city overall, but that was some of the most striking
evidence in terms of banning smoking.

HEMMER: In a word, do you think that's going to sweep the country?

GUPTA: Well, I mean, I think that people who have heart disease should be
very concerned about exposing themselves to secondhand smoke. I think it's
a fair and important warning.

HEMMER: Thank you, Sanjay.

GUPTA: Thank you.

HEMMER: Good to see you in New York.

Here's Soledad.

O'BRIEN: Still to come this morning, the price of being part of the
"Friends" finale. It is a record-setter, and Andy's got the details, coming
up. That's ahead as AMERICAN MORNING continues. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)