The World Health Organization (WHO) cites research from various countries including China and the U.S. that concludes there is no safe lower limit of cigarette smoke exposure; in other words, if you can smell it, it may be harming your health.
Both China’s Minister of Health and the U.S. Surgeon General, representing the health authorities of the respective countries, have stated that the smoke from a single cigarette can kill.
Unfortunately, it gets even more complicated. First, no ventilation system for a building, no matter how well designed, has been shown to be sufficient to keep so-called “smoke-free” areas free of smoke. Because there is no safe lower limit, anyone smoking in a building, residence or car is endangering others who are present. Second, and perhaps more alarming, is the little awareness to the concept of third-hand smoke, which sticks to your clothes, hair, skin, carpet, furniture, walls and to surfaces in enclosures like elevators and cars. Although it is not visible like second-hand smoke, research shows that it can be just as harmful. What’s more, it may take days, weeks, and in some circumstances years for the residual third-hand smoke to sufficiently dissipate from the affected area for it to be considered safe again.
If you’re a father who goes outside to smoke, and then goes into your house and picks up and holds your 3-year-old, their nose is next to your smoke-filled shirt, and you may be exposing them to your smoke. If you’re pushing your baby in a carriage and you’re smoking, they are exposed to your smoke.
Shenzhen fortunately has one of the more progressive smoking education campaigns, and is serving as a model for other cities. The WeChat official account “无烟深圳” (Smokeless Shenzhen), operated by Shenzhen Tobacco Control Association, not only provides informative and educational resources about smoking and about Shenzhen’s strict regulations, but also provides links that encourage citizens to report violations of the regulations. In Shenzhen, smoking is forbidden in all indoor public venues and office buildings as well as outdoor areas in schools and other places often visited by minors and pregnant women. For example, you can take and through the WeChat account submit photos of individuals who are smoking in no-smoking areas or in restaurants. Fines can be as much as 500 yuan (US$77.9) for violators; businesses may face much stiffer fines if they inappropriately permit smoking.
In some parts of the world, exposing children to smoke is considered to be child abuse; violators may be jailed, and even lose custody of their children in certain circumstances.
Hopefully, we can do more to protect the young from this health hazard.
(The author is a music teacher and freelance writer living in Shenzhen.)