Second-hand smoke: how damaging is it to health?

In the 20th century, over half the English population smoked, but this figure has now dropped to a quarter (Office for National Statistics, 2003). A combination of scientific evidence, health education campaigns and larger warnings on cigarette packets has contributed to achieving this change. Public opinion has also shifted dramatically, and most people now accept that being a smoker is damaging to health. In 1992, the World Health Organization International Agency for Research and Cancer classified second-hand smoke as being 'carcinogenic' to humans (WHO International Agency for Research on Cancer, 2002). Following this report, New York became one of the first cities in the world to introduce a comprehensive ban on smoking in public places to protect employees. In the UK, however, many employees, including nurses, are still routinely exposed to tobacco smoke in the workplace.