Media Release

CONTACT: Robert J. Marshall, Ph.D. 401-222-1017
FOR: Immediate Release
DATE: March 30, 2001

CDC Study Confirms Effectiveness of Smokefree Policies
Exposure to secondhand smoke drops 75 % over last decade 
Children and Minorities more exposed than Others

Providence, Rhode Island. – On March 21, 2001 the National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a new report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals. The report described the exposure of the US population to 27 environmental chemicals. Cotinine, one of the chemicals measured, occurs when someone is exposed to nicotine—either by smoking or, among nonsmokers, by breathing environmental tobacco smoke (ETS). CDC found a 75% reduction in cotinine levels among non-smokers, an indicator that people experience less exposure to ETS than 10 years ago—when 90% of the US population tested positively for the chemical.

The CDC report confirms that efforts to ensure clean indoor air through smoking restrictions in workplaces, restaurants and other public places really work. However, children and teenagers (age 1-19) had higher levels of cotinine than adults (age 20 or more). In addition, certain ethnic/racial minority groups, such as non-Hispanic Blacks, had exposure levels nearly three times higher than non-Hispanic Whites. Since more than half of American youth are still exposed, and the degree of exposure is highest among minorities populations (who already demonstrate huge disparities in other health indicators), ETS remains a major public health concern.

"I worry that restrictions on ETS may not be strong enough in our state to protect citizens, especially children and youth, said Dr. Patricia A. Nolan, Director of the RI Department of Health (HEALTH). "Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) causes cancer in humans. In some states, notably California, virtually all indoor workplaces are smokefree, including restaurants, bars and gaming clubs. In Rhode Island, many public places, restaurants, bars and worksites still permit smoking. Of all occupations, food service industry employees, including many part time and seasonal youth workers, are least likely to be protected by a smokefree workplace policy."

In a related area, HEALTH recently released a report on Rhode Island’s progress toward reaching the Healthy People 2000 health objectives for the state. Among other findings, HEALTH reported a modest reduction, since 1991, in adult smoking (age 20+) from 25% to 22.2%. However, smoking increased from 23% to 28.3% among young adults (age 18-24). More than 25% of high school seniors now smoke in RI, according to this report.

For the CDC report go to: www.cdc.gov/nceh/dls/report
For the RI Healthy People 2000 report, go to: www.health.ri.gov/hp2000.pdf