BACKGROUND In April 2007, smoke-free legislation was enacted in workplaces throughout N. Ireland. The effects of this legislation on bar workers' health and their exposure to second-hand smoke at home, work and social environment, and their attitudes to the legislation before and after its implementation remain to be documented. METHODS A self-completed questionnaire of bar staff in 35 Belfas...

S moking has been well recognised as the main cause of lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, peripheral atherosclerosis, and as one of the most important risk factors for cardiovascular disease. One should keep in mind that tobacco smoke contains over 400 chemicals, more than 60 of which are known or suspected to be carcinogenic. Tobacco smoke also contains carbon monoxide, a pois...

BACKGROUND Despite the high prevalence of smoking among Aboriginal youth, there is a paucity of research related to tobacco use and other risk behaviours among Aboriginal youth living off-reserve in Canada. We used data from the national Youth Smoking Survey to characterize non-traditional tobacco use, exposure to second-hand smoke, and alcohol and drug use among Aboriginal youth living off-res...

T cells mediate the inflammatory responses observed in asthma among genetically susceptible individuals and have been suspected to be prone to epigenetic regulation. However, these relationships are not well established from past clinical studies that have had limited capacity to control for the effects of variable genetic predisposition and early environmental exposures. Relying on a cohort of...

We assessed 12 urine metals in tobacco smoke-exposed and not exposed National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey participants. Our analysis included age, race/ethnicity, and poverty status. Gender and racial/ethnic differences in cadmium and lead and creatinine-adjusted and unadjusted data for group comparisons are presented. Smokers' had higher cadmium, lead, antimony, and barium levels t...

BACKGROUND There is considerable evidence that tobacco control mass media campaigns can change smoking behaviour. In the UK, campaigns over the last decade have contributed to declines in smoking prevalence and been associated with falls in cigarette consumption among continuing smokers. However, it is less evident whether such campaigns can also play a role in changing smokers' behaviour in re...

Smoking during pregnancy is associated with various adverse effects on pregnancy and fetal development, carries a lot of serious complications such as spontaneous abortion, placental abruption, and reduced birth weight of the newborn. Children of smoking mothers have an increased risk of premature birth, low birth weight, sudden infant death syndrome and respiratory diseases during infancy. Smo...

Introduction: In America, it is common knowledge that smoking cigarettes is bad for one’s health; however, it is less well known that secondhand smoke exposure can affect the neurological health of children. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in the U.S. 1 in 5 children are at greater risk for mental health problems due to postnatal ETS exposure (Centers for Disease Co...