Tobacco smoke pollution
Tobacco smoke pollution, also known as second-hand smoke (SHS) and environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), is contamination of the air by tobacco smoke. Exposure to such smoke is sometimes referred to as involuntary (or passive) smoking. Exposure to tobacco smoke pollution involves inhaling carcinogens and other toxic components in the mixture of mainstream smoke exhaled by the smoker and side-stream smoke released from a smouldering cigarette or other smoking device (cigar, pipe, bidi, etc.).
Tobacco smoke pollution is addressed in Article 8 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, adopted by all WHO Member States in May 2003, which reads:
Protection from exposure to tobacco smoke
- Parties recognize that scientific evidence has unequivocally established that exposure to tobacco smoke causes death, disease and disability.
- Each Party shall adopt and implement in areas of existing national jurisdiction as determined by national law and actively promote at other jurisdictional levels the adoption and implementation of effective legislative, executive, administrative and/or other measures, providing for protection from exposure to tobacco smoke in indoor workplaces, public transport, indoor public places and, as appropriate, other public places.
Fact sheets
[more fact sheets]
News and press releases
27 May 2010
WHO warning: The tobacco industry is targeting women
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9 December 2009
Clear the air of tobacco smoke, WHO says
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29 May 2007
Stop the untruths, WHO tells the tobacco industry
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23 September 2005
WHO Member States take action in the fight against tobacco use
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Relevant publications and documents
Tobacco Free Plan-It: A Tool for Planning and Managing Tobacco Programs (2010)
Viet Nam Global Adult Tobacco Survey Country Report (2010)
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Regional Action Plan 2010-2014 for the Tobacco Free Initiative (2010)
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Philippines Global Adult Tobacco Survey Country Report (2009)
The 2009 Philippines Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS), was a nationally representative household survey of all non-institutionalized men and women aged 15 years and older, designed to produce internationally comparable data on tobacco use and tobacco control measures using a standardized questionnaire, sample design, data collection, and management procedures.
WHO Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic, 2008 - The MPOWER Package
Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death in the world and one of the biggest public health threats the world is facing today. In the 20th century, the tobacco epidemic killed 100 million people worldwide. During the 21st century, it could kill one billion. Currently it kills 5.4 million people a year. Unless urgent action is taken, it will kill more than 8 million people a year by 2030.
Policy Recommendations Protection from Exposure to Second-hand Tobacco Smoke
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2005 USDA Tobacco Yearbook
U.S. and world date on production, supply, trade, disappearance, and price data for tobacco products. Includes data on U.S. tobacco acreage, yield, production, stocks, and marketings by type.
[more publications and documents]
Upcoming meetings and events
No meeting/event planned at this time.