Health Effects of Exposure to Environmental Tobacco Smoke

Sep 1, 1997

The California Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) has developed a comprehensive health assessment of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS). The final report, Health Effects of Exposure to Environmental Tobacco Smoke, is now available. This overall assessment of ETS includes chapters on respiratory health effects, reproductive and developmental effects, cardiovascular effects, cancers, and exposure measurement and prevalence; the Executive Summary provides an overview of the report.

To ensure a comprehensive review of the scientific data and adequate opportunities for public input, a lengthy process of public review, described in the Preface, was undertaken. This process has been completed. The Scientific Review Panel (SRP) on Toxic Air Contaminants has reviewed the report and released their Findings (which appear as an attachment to the Executive Summary).

This report will be presented as an informational item at a public meeting of the members of the Air Resources Board on October 23, 1997. The report will be forwarded to the Department of Health Services (DHS) Tobacco Control Program for appropriate action under their mandate as the State’s lead agency for addressing health effects related to tobacco use.

The final report, Health Effects of Exposure to Environmental Tobacco Smoke, is posted on the OEHHA Web site. To obtain a copy of the report, you may also contact (916) 327-1099. For press inquiries, please contact (916) 324-1945.