Health Effects of Environmental Tobacco Smoke

The Public Health Amendment (Smoke-Free-Areas) Act 2001 has been enacted in response to concerns about tobacco smoke pollution and its effect on the health of all Tasmanians.

Other terms used to describe tobacco smoke pollution include passive smoking, second-hand smoke, and environmental tobacco smoke.

Tobacco smoke pollution of indoor environments can cause a number of serious diseases such as heart disease and lung cancer, exacerbate existing conditions such as asthma, and cause other irritant effects to eyes and respiratory systems. Tobacco smoke pollution has also been linked to nasal sinus cancer, meningococcal disease, pneumoccoccal disease, spontaneous abortion (miscarriage) and other forms of cancer of the respiratory tract.

Contents of Environmental Tobacco Smoke

Tobacco smoke is a combination of 'sidestream smoke' and 'exhaled mainstream smoke'.

Sidestream Smoke (SS)

• smoke originating from a smouldering cigarette
• principal contributor to ETS

Exhaled Mainstream Smoke (MS )

• smoke exhaled by a smoker
• contents of environmental tobacco smoke (link to heading above)

Tobacco smoke contains the following:

For a detailed explanation of ventilation and tobacco smoke in the hospitality industry see: FedOHSHAets.pdf or Report by James L Repace, commissioned by the Cancer Council of New South Wales, April 2004.