Second-hand smoke

Second-hand smoke and cancer

Adults and children exposed to second-hand smoke inhale many of the same carcinogens as smokers do. Second-hand smoke can cause lung cancer in people who have never smoked, and it may also be linked to other cancers in adults (e.g. breast cancer) and children. Second-hand smoking may increase the overall risk for all cancers by up to 16% in never smokers (Kim et al., 2018). Around 31% of the European population on average is exposed to second-hand tobacco smoke at home, at work, during leisure activities, in educational institutions or in public settings (Henderson et al., 2020). That exposure can be significantly reduced by implementing total smoking bans in public places, as shown by Nogueira et al. (2022).

Trends in exposure to second-hand smoke in Europe

It is difficult to assess exposure to second-hand smoke across a multitude of settings and age groups, and there seems to be considerable heterogeneity across European countries. A study by Ma et al. (2021) found a mixed picture in Europe in adolescents aged 12-16: from 1999 to 2018 their exposure increased, decreased or remained unchanged depending on the country. Another study covering 12 EU countries found very different levels of second-hand smoke outdoors (including around hospitals and schools): the presence of second-hand smoke was higher in countries with a higher prevalence of smoking and with less comprehensive tobacco control policies (Henderson et al., 2021).

What the EU is doing about second-hand smoke

In parallel to adopting a body of regulations and action on tobacco control, advertising, promotion and sponsorship (DG SANTE, 2021), the EU has issued a Council recommendation on smoke-free environments and is supporting Member State’s efforts in implementing the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. In addition, several EU Member States have banned smoking in public places, mainly indoors but in some cases also in outdoor areas (Henderson et al., 2021). To support the reduction of secondhand smoking, Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan will help creating a ‘Tobacco-Free Generation’ where less than 5% of the population uses tobacco by 2040, compared to around 25% today. The European Code against Cancer addresses exposure to second-hand smoke at work and at home by calling upon citizens to ‘Make your home smoke free. Support smoke-free policies in your workplace’.

Cover photo © Pascal Meier on unsplash.com