Ventilation
Too often you hear that better ventilation will solve the secondhand smoke problem in an indoor public place. The truth is ventilation cannot purify the air at rates fast enough to protect people from secondhand smoke exposure.Even the U.S. Surgeon General has stated, the debate is over about the science of secondhand smoke, concluding that separating smokers from nonsmokers, air cleaning technologies, and ventilating buildings cannot eliminate secondhand smoke exposure. (2006)
The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers, the international standard-setting body for indoor air quality, has adopted a position document that states: "At present, the only means of effectively eliminating health risks associated with indoor exposure is to ban smoking activity... No other engineering approaches, including current and advanced dilution ventilation or air cleaning technologies, have demonstrated or should be relied upon to control health risks from ETS [environmental tobacco smoke] exposure in spaces where smoking occurs..." (ASHRAE position document, 2005)
Additionally, the following air filtration companies agree that ventilation systems do not eliminate health risks associated with secondhand smoke:
Airtime Media, Allergy Control Products, Inc, Allergy Buyers Club, Inc, Brookstone, Espitech Air Products, Honeywell, IQAir North America, Peak Pure Air, Radio Shack, The Sharper Image, United Air Specialists, Inc., Wein Products, Inc.
Even Philip Morris USA carries a disclaimer on its web site under a section entitled "Policies, Practices and Positions - Public Place Smoking" that admits ventilation does not address health issues: "While not shown to address the health effects of secondhand smoke, ventilation can help improve the air quality of an establishment by reducing the sight and smell of smoke and by controlling smoke drift." (2003)
Just last August, indoor air quality testing was done at the newly renovated Casino Queen, across the river in Illinois. For information on the results click here.
The only solution to completely eliminating secondhand smoke exposure in our community is a 100% smoke-free policy.
Leave a comment