Clearing The Air

Thursday, June 08, 2006

Three independent air quality test results confirm that secondhand smoke was never a health hazard

Those who visit this weblog know about the St. Louis Park, MN. Environmental Health department air quality test results which measured secondhand smoke and determined that levels at 19 establishments ranged from 15 -500 times SAFER than OSHA regulations for secondhand smoke components.

Then I discovered that the California EPA also measured air quality in the exact same manner as above except they measured secondhand smoke outdoors, and obtained readings 100-50,000 times SAFER than OSHA regulations for secondhand smoke components.

Now, Clearing the Air has discovered, with help from a commentator, that the American Cancer Society and the Erie/Niagara Tobacco Free Coalition also conducted an air quality study on secondhand smoke concentrations indoors in 2002 and obtained test results which ranged from 0.02 - 0.94 ug/cu. M (same as 20 - 940 nanograms) , which is 532 - 25,000 times SAFER than OSHA regulations for secondhand smoke components.

(Keep in mind while reading the ACS story above that the argument "....secondhand smoke is a proven human carcinogen with no safe threshold of exposure...." is a bogus argument, OSHA has a safe exposure limit regulation for all the chemicals in secondhand smoke......indeed the very existence of OSHA is to determine the safe exposure limit of all potentially hazardous substances. Example radiation is a naturally occurring substance within our atmosphere, instead of relying on government to ban all sources of radiation, OSHA has determined the safe level of exposure to radiation.....the same goes for secondhand smoke.)

Checking the math: The OSHA safe 8 hour exposure level to secondhand smoke trace chemical nicotine is 0.5 mg / cu. M, which is the same as 500 ug/ cu. M., so 500 divided by American Cancer Society test result numbers 0.02 = 25,000, and 500 divided by 0.94 = 532.

Chart of American Cancer Society test results.

The St. Louis Park health department air quality testing has been more than replicated.....and the incredible thing is that the groups who conducted the testing were trying to prove how hazardous secondhand smoke is .........but in fact they all three proved quite the opposite.

These test results should be brought forward to all lawmakers being pressed by the special interest groups for smoking ban legislation.

Why is nicotine used as the test chemical for air quality testing of secondhand smoke, by all the scientific experts? Answer is found here.