Wunderlich

If your co-workers love smoking at the workplace, you better be careful for a new study says that secondhand smoke at the workplace doubles the risk of lung cancer in nonsmokers.

Those who inhale secondhand smoke or in other words indulge in passive smoking are at a 50 percent increased risk of developing lung cancer. The study reviewed 22 previous research initiatives on secondhand smoke in the US, Canada, Europe, India, Japan and China

Inhaling the smoke of other people is called passive, involuntary or secondhand smoking. The non-smoker breathes the so-called "sidestream" smoke, which is leftover after the smoker has inhaled from the burnt tobacco.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has classified environmental tobacco smoke as a known human cancer-causing agent.

The current study only reinforces this finding. Researchers led by Leslie Stayner of the University of Illinois at Chicago say that the risk of a nonsmoker developing lung cancer increases by 100 percent if he/she is exposed to large amounts of secondhand smoke at the workplace.

"We believe that our study provides the strongest evidence to date that smoking in the workplace does present a substantial risk to workers -- and particularly to workers who are working in highly exposed areas such as bar workers or restaurant workers," Stayner said.

Passive smoking causes some immediate effects like eye irritation, headache, cough, sore throat, dizziness and nausea. Non-smokers exposed to second-hand smoke have a 30 percent increased risk of heart disease and a 20 percent to 30 percent increased risk for lung cancer.

Writing in the American Journal of Public Health, the researchers observed that nonsmokers exposed to secondhand smoke at the job had a 50 percent increased risk of lung cancer as compared to those not exposed to the smoke.

Furthermore the study found that nonsmokers exposed to any kind of secondhand smoke had a 24 percent increased risk of developing lung cancer.

Most corporate workplaces do have limits on smoking. But people like waiters and waitresses in bars and restaurants that permit smoking are at high risk for developing smoke-related illnesses.

The best example is that of Heather Crowe, a Canadian woman who died of lung cancer in May 2006. A nonsmoker, Ms Crowe worked in restaurants and the inhaled secondhand smoke caused lung cancer leading to her death.

That is why in the US Surgeon General Richard Carmona had called for a ban on public smoking in a hard-hitting report last year. "The science is clear. Secondhand smoke is not a mere annoyance but a serious health hazard," Surgeon General Richard Carmona had said. "The debate is over."

Other countries are taking the lead in banning smoking from public places. Starting this week smoking is banned in offices, stores, schools and hospitals in France.

It is estimated that banning smoking in all workplaces in the United States would prevent 1,500 heart attacks and 360 strokes, and would save $49 million in direct medical costs. Around 14 states have banned smoking in workplaces, restaurants or bars since 1994. And 2,000 local governments also restrict smoking in public places.

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Well I guess Hillary Clinton can rest a little easier now that the Rev. Jerry Falwell, founder of the so-called Moral Majority is dead. He said the election of Ms. Clinton to the presidency would represent a grave threat to the country. The controversial minister vowed to campaign against her, but God apparently had other plans for him. Falwell, a fundamentalist preacher who supported segregation at home and apartheid in South Africa and was anti-gay rights, died in Lynchburg, Va. Dare we guess how his home town got its name? He was 73. The cause of Mr. Falwells death remains a mystery, so lets just call it providence.

We usually elevate the dead to a stature they didnt deserve in life, this neednt be done with Falwell. The truth of the matter is he was a greedy hateful man. He raked in millions for his own coffers and hated anyone who didnt believe as he believed. This applied to religion and politics. In 1999 Falwell identified the anti-Christ as a male Jew, who was probably already alive. He once called the Prophet Muhammad a terrorist, which he was forced to recant. He blamed Nine-Eleven on Americas moral decline, and even attacked Tinky Winky, the purple teletubby as a tool of the gay lobby. Mr. Falwell said he chose God on Jan. 20, 1952. It might have been better had God chosen him. Falwell was a staunch critic of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Preachers are not called to be politicians, but soul winners, he said in a sermon titled Ministers and Marchers. He felt the energy being used for civil rights would have been better spent winning people to Jesus. The pro-life minister was a vocal critic of Rowe v Wade, which legalized abortion, took it from the back alley. Mr. Falwell talked the Christian talk, but failed to walk the Christian walk. He further enriched himself by taking over the cash cow. PLT ministry when Jim Bakker got caught in a sex and money scandal.

To Mr. Falwells credit or blame he inspired the religious right. He deserves a good deal of the credit for Republican Party icon Ronald Reagans election. Falwell once called former President Bill Clinton, an ungodly liar. He forced perennial Presidential candidate John McCain to genuflect and kiss his ring, after having been dissed by McCain, whom he had previously branded with evangelist Pat Robertson as forces of evil. Politicians had to be careful with Falwell who exerted his political influence where he chose. It could probably be argued that he affected electoral politics more than mainstream culture. His effort to clean up television went up like a lead balloon. He preached at the Thomas Road Baptist Church that he founded. Under his leadership Thomas Road Baptist became a mega church that boasts of a membership of 22,000. He also leaves behind Liberty University and a faith-based conservative political movement. Republicans aspiring to higher office still found it necessary to kiss the ring in an effort to seek his endorsement.

051607cm--Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.

Cedric McClester is an award winning journalist who has written for local, national and international publications. He has a Masters of Science Degree in Education from New York's Fordham University. The Boston born journalist is married and resides in New York. Mr. McClester is the author of the leading selling book on the topic of Kwanzaa, the African-American cultural holiday. His latest effort is a childrens book entitled: The Legend of Nia Umoja, on the Gumbs and Thomas imprint.