You May Be Smoking More Than You Think

Submitted by Vanessa Fri 02/05/2010

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Exposure to the secondhand smoke generated by smoking 14 cigarettes per day is equal to smoking almost 3 additional cigarettes.

The Study

As described by Maria Teresa Piccardo, of the National Cancer Research Institute in Italy, "We studied the contribution environmental tobacco smoke made to carcinogen exposure in 15 active smokers." The results of this small study found that smoking 14 cigarettes per day causes secondhand smoke exposure equivalent to smoking another 2.6 cigarettes.

What Does This Mean?

Secondhand smoke is considered a risk to non-smokers, but we rarely consider the additional impact it has when combined with "firsthand" smoke. This new study shows that the impact of secondhand smoke on smokers is actually not as insignificant as many believe, and should be considered as a legitimate health concern among smokers.

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