[OEM] Reuters: Calif. classifies passive smoke a toxic air contaminant (fwd)

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California Classifies Second-Hand Smoke a Toxic Risk

http://www.enn.com/today.html?id=9761

January 27, 2006 — By Reuters

SACRAMENTO — A California agency voted Thursday to classifysecond-hand tobacco

smoke as a " toxic air contaminant, " afirst-in-the-nation move that could

ultimately toughen stateregulations against smoking.

The designation by California's Air Resources Board starts a processthat could

lead to further smoking bans in the nation's largest state,which has often

pioneered in health and environmental regulation.

Scientific studies in recent years have warned about the health impactfrom

second-hand smoke and linked it to a wide array of ailmentsincluding heart

disease, lung cancer and other respiratory ailments,and breast cancer.

" I think there is no question that this puts California way ahead, " said

Froines, chairman of the Air Resources Board's ScientificReview Panel.

" To actually have the major air pollution agency in the state ofCalifornia to

list ETS (environmental tobacco smoke) as a toxic aircontaminant is going to

have immense impact, we think, in terms ofpublic education around other

states, " he said. " It will clearly leadto regulatory changes within the state. "

....

California's Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessmentestimates that as

many as 5,500 non-smoking Californians die annuallyof heart disease related to

second- hand smoke and as many as 1,100die from lung cancer caused by

second-hand smoke.

GROWING TOBACCO BANS

The decision in the California state capital kicks off a process thatwill

likely take two or three years as officials study ways to reduceexposure to

second-hand smoke.

....

Source: Reuters