SECONDHAND SMOKE AND RADON

Secondhand Smoke and Radon Cause Lung Cancer  Kentucky has the highest rates of lung cancer in the U.S.  Smoking and secondhand smoke combined are the leading cause of lung cancer.  Radon is the 2nd leading cause of lung cancer.

Smoking: Leading Cause of Lung Cancer  Smoking causes an estimated 160,000 deaths in the U.S. every year (American Cancer Society, 2004) (American Cancer Society, 2004)

Radon: 2 nd Leading Cause of Lung Cancer  Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer. Radon is responsible for about 21,000 lung cancer deaths every year. About 2,900 of these deaths occur among people who have never smoked.

What is Recommended?  The Nation’s Chief Physician urged Americans to test their homes for radon.  The Nation’s Chief Physician urged Americans to test their homes for radon.  Remedy the problem as soon as possible when the radon level is 4 pCi/L or more.  Remedy the problem as soon as possible when the radon level is 4 pCi/L or more. US Surgeon General Richard Carmona

Secondhand Smoke: 3 rd Leading Cause of Lung Cancer  Secondhand smoke is the third leading cause of lung cancer and responsible for an estimated 3,000 lung cancer deaths every year.

Secondhand Smoke and Lung Cancer  Nonsmokers exposed to secondhand smoke at home or work increase their risk of developing heart disease by 25 to 30 percent and lung cancer by 20 to 30 percent.  Nearly half of all nonsmoking Americans are still regularly exposed to secondhand smoke. US Surgeon General Richard Carmona

Is There a Safe Level? There is no risk-free level of exposure to firsthand tobacco smoke, secondhand tobacco smoke, or radon.

 The mixture of smoke given off by the burning end of a cigarette, pipe or cigar and the smoke exhaled from the lungs of smokers.  Involuntarily inhaled by nonsmokers. What is Secondhand Smoke?

Why Is Secondhand Smoke Toxic?  It contains higher concentrations of many of the toxins found in inhaled cigarette smoke.  Lingers in the air hours after cigarettes have been extinguished

What Does Secondhand Tobacco Smoke Contain?   Methanol   Carbon Monoxide   Hydrogen Cyanide   Acetone   Tar   DDT   Naphthalene   Vinyl Chloride   Benzene There is no risk-free level of exposure to firsthand or secondhand tobacco smoke SHS contains at least 250 toxic chemicals  Formaldehyde  Mercury  Lead  Arsenic  Toluene  Cadmium  Ammonia  Butane  Ethanol

How Many Kentucky Adults are Exposed to First and Secondhand Smoke? Most (72%) do NOT smoke cigarettes. Yet nearly all (91%) ARE exposed to secondhand smoke.

What Are Some of Radon’s Characteristics that Work with Secondhand Smoke?  Has a static electric charge  Is radioactive  Attaches to the tiny particles in secondhand smoke that are easily inhaled

How Is Radon Measured?  Radon is measured in picoCuries per liter of air (pCi/L). While no level of radon exposure is considered safe, EPA has set an action level at 4 pCi/L.  If a radon test shows levels at or above 4 pCi/L, the building should be fixed.

How is Secondhand Smoke Measured?  Aerosol monitors measure the particulate matter in the air.  There is no standard for indoor air quality.  EPA has established 65 PM 2.5 ug/m 3 as the outdoor National Ambient Air Quality Standard for a 24 hour period.

What is Particulate Matter?  A mixture of liquid aerosols or solids  When 2.5 microns in diameter or smaller, they are small enough to pass from the lung into the bloodstream.  Fine particulate matter can cause significant damage to the small airways of the lungs, and increased risk of dying from lung cancer and heart disease.

What Difference Do Smoke-free Laws Make?

Why is the combination of secondhand smoke and radon so dangerous?  Secondhand smoke particles linger in the air and are small enough to be inhaled directly into the lungs.  Radon byproducts have a static charge and are attracted to secondhand smoke particles in the air.  The combination of radon attached to secondhand smoke particles greatly increases the likelihood of lung cancer.

Radon exposure and smoking may have a synergistic relationship. Either smoking or radon exposure can independently increase the risk of lung cancer; however, exposure to both enhances that risk. Exposure to Both Secondhand Smoke and Radon

Types of Lung Cancer  Primary lung cancer starts in the lungs  Secondary lung cancer starts elsewhere and spreads to the lungs  Two types of primary lung cancer –Small cell lung cancer –Non-small cell lung cancer

Small Cell Lung Cancer  Accounts for 20 of every 100 cases of lung cancer  Usually always caused by tobacco smoke  Linked to secondhand exposure in non-smokers  Also caused by exposure to radon  Often spreads early on in the disease  Most aggressive type of lung cancer with the worst prognosis

Three Types of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer  Squamous cell carcinoma –About 30% of cases –Develops from the cells that line the airways –Linked to secondhand smoke exposure in nonsmokers  Adenocarcinoma –Most common type in U.S. today –Develops from mucus-producing cells that line the airways –The predominant lung cancer in women –Linked to secondhand smoke exposure in non-smokers  Large cell carcinoma –About 10% of cases –Tends to grow quickly –Linked to radon exposure

Children and Radon  Children are exposed to larger doses of radiation from radon because they have different lung architecture and breathing patterns.  Children have longer latency periods in which to develop cancer.  There is no conclusive data on whether children are at greater risk from radon.

Are You Breathing Healthy Air?  If you smoke, stop. Call QUIT-NOW or your local health department for help.  If you must smoke, take it outside.  If you don’t smoke, don’t start.  Get involved with local public health advocacy groups.  Test your home for radon.  Ask your employer to test your workplace for radon.

Radon Test Kits

How Does Radon Enter Buildings? 1. Cracks in solid floors 2. Construction joints 3. Cracks in walls 4. Gaps in suspended floors 5. Gaps around service pipes 6. Cavities inside walls 7. The water supply

How Can I Fix My House If It Has Elevated Levels of Radon?  Mitigate Your Home for Radon. A Contractor can: –Install a system to reduce radon levels. –Prevent it from ever entering the living space.  Contact your local health department for a list of qualified radon mitigators.  EPA’s booklet A Consumers Guide to Radon is helpful in understanding radon mitigation in your home.

How Sub-slab Depressurization Works in a Home  Suction created by a fan draws radon from beneath the concrete slab and safely vents radon outdoors.

For More Information on Radon  Contact your local Cooperative Extension Office or call the state radon office at (502) or  Call the National Safety Council at SOS- RADON for an informational recording and to order a brochure.  Call RADON to speak to a radon specialist.  Call the Consumer Federation of America at regarding radon mitigation.  Call the National Alliance for Hispanic Health at , a Spanish language hotline for radon questions.  Visit EPA’s Radon Web Site:

For More Information on Secondhand Smoke  Contact the Tobacco Prevention Specialist at your local health department or contact the Kentucky Center for Smoke-free Policy at (859) or  Call the QUITLINE at QUIT-NOW for cessation assistance.  Visit for additional information on secondhand smoke and smoke- free laws.  Call the National Alliance for Hispanic Health at , a Spanish language hotline for secondhand smoke and cessation questions.  Visit KDPH’s Web Site: