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Smoking ban reduces heart attacks
24 September 2009: Smoking bans in public and work places significantly cut heart attacks, according to US scientists.
The research, published this week in the American Heart Association’s journal Circulation, looked at the effect of smoking bans on the rate of heart attacks in several states of North America and some countries in Europe. Since the first smoking bans were introduced, there have been many reports showing a decline in hospital admissions for heart attacks in both smokers and non-smokers.
The scientists carried out a review of several existing studies that examined the reduction in heart attacks since the public and workplace smoke-free laws came into effect. The scientists were specifically interested in estimating the effect of smoking bans on passive smokers.
They found that there was a significant drop in the rate of heart attacks after implementation of the smoking bans, with a 15 percent drop during the first year and a 36 percent drop over three years.
Dr Sneh Khemka, medical director for Bupa International, commented: “This is an important study and highlights the enormous health benefits of smoke-free legislation. The study shows that tobacco smoke is harmful not only to smokers, but also those who inhale second-hand smoke.
“Laws implementing bans on smoking in public and work places have been introduced in many countries. However, there are still several countries without legislation. This study highlights the need for a global smoking ban.
“If you smoke, the best way to protect your family and those around you from second-hand smoke is to quit. There are many benefits to giving up smoking, some of these you’ll feel after just a few days of quitting. By giving up smoking you can reduce your risk of a number of health problems and diseases including heart disease, diabetes and lung cancer. If you want to quit, talk to your doctor for help and advice.”
Key facts
- Smoking causes one in 10 deaths among adults worldwide.
- Passive or second-hand smoking means breathing other people's smoke, which can have serious health risks.
- If you’re a non-smoker and exposed to second-hand smoke, it can increase your risk of getting lung cancer and heart disease by a quarter.
- Tobacco smoke also affects children's health. It puts them at greater risk of developing lung diseases, such as bronchitis and pneumonia, and middle ear diseases.
- Half of the world’s children breathe air polluted by tobacco smoke, especially at home.
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To find out more about this research, see:
Lightwood J, Glantz S. Declines in acute myocardial infarction after smoke-free laws and individual risk attributable to secondhand smoke. Circulation 2009:1374-1379.
DOI: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.109.870691
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