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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

Scientific Evidence Brief: Secondhand Smoke Exposure and the Impact of Smokefree Policies

About this resource:

Non-Systematic Review

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Last Reviewed: November 2021

Workgroups: Tobacco Use Workgroup

This CDC brief summarizes the scientific evidence on the harmful effects of secondhand smoke and evidence on the impact of smokefree policies. Researchers found that smokefree laws do not have a negative impact on businesses, like restaurants or bars. Researchers also looked at current evidence about the risks of secondhand aerosol (small particles released into the air when a person uses e-cigarettes). They found that while more research is needed into the harmful effects of e-cigarettes, there is sufficient evidence to suggest that secondhand aerosol is not harmless and should be covered by the same policies as secondhand smoke.

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Objectives related to this resource (18)

Reduce the lung cancer death rate — C‑02
Improving
Reduce current tobacco use in adults — TU‑01
Improving
Reduce current cigarette smoking in adults — TU‑02
LHI label
Improving
Reduce current tobacco use in adolescents — TU‑04
LHI label
Getting worse
Reduce current e-cigarette use in adolescents — TU‑05
Little or no detectable change
Reduce current cigarette smoking in adolescents — TU‑06
Target met or exceeded
Reduce current cigar smoking in adolescents — TU‑07
Improving
Reduce current use of flavored tobacco products in adolescents who use tobacco — TU‑09
Baseline only
Eliminate cigarette smoking initiation in adolescents and young adults — TU‑10
Improving
Increase past-year attempts to quit smoking in adults — TU‑11
Little or no detectable change
Increase the proportion of adults who get advice to quit smoking from a health care provider — TU‑12
Little or no detectable change
Increase successful quit attempts in adults who smoke — TU‑14
Little or no detectable change
Increase the number of states, territories, and DC that prohibit smoking in worksites, restaurants, and bars — TU‑17
Little or no detectable change
Increase the proportion of smoke-free homes — TU‑18
Improving
Reduce the proportion of people who don't smoke but are exposed to secondhand smoke — TU‑19
Little or no detectable change
Increase the national average tax on cigarettes — TU‑21
Improving
Reduce current cigarette, cigar, and pipe smoking in adults — TU‑03
Improving
Eliminate policies in states, territories, and DC that preempt local tobacco control policies — TU‑20
Little or no detectable change

Suggested Citation

1.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). Summary of Scientific Evidence:
Secondhand Smoke Exposure and the Impact of Smokefree Policies. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/evidence/pdfs/secondhand-smoke-smokefree-policies-508.pdf