Secondhand Smoke

The health effects of secondhand smoke on individuals, society and the environment.

Health Effects of Secondhand Smoke

Secondhand smoke has many effects on the body. This project focuses on the short-term effects on the heart, blood and blood vessels. Even a few minutes' worth of exposure is dangerous. This research concentrates on estimating the size of these effects and also understanding the underlying biology.

Stanton Glantz, PhD

Professor of Medicine
Acute Effects of Secondhand Smoke Exposure in the Upper and Lower Respiratory Tract

Using a controlled exposure system, we are studying the effects of SHS on the upper and lower airways in healthy subjects and subjects with allergic rhinitis or asthma. We will also be studying the effects of 4 consecutive days of SHS exposure.

John Balmes, MD

Prrofessor in Residence
Chronic Effects of Secondhand Tobacco Smoke Exposure on Lung Function of Flight Attendants

This is an observational study to determine the long-term respiratory effects of secondhand tobacco smoke (SHS) in pre-smoking ban flight attendants via study of lung function and radiographic evidence of emphysema, and their association with estimates of cabin SHS exposure.

Mehrdad Arjomandi, MD

Assistant Professor In-Residence of Medicine
Estimating the Environmental Burden in Two Orphan Lung Diseases

The major goals of this project are to study the role of environmental factors in pulmonary alveolar proteinosis and extrinsic alveolitis.

Paul Blanc, MD MSPH

Professor of Medicine, Endowed Chair Occupational and Environmental Medicine
Impact of Cigarette Smoke Exposure on Acute Lung Injury

We are studying the effects of both active smoking and secondhand smoke exposure on susceptibility to acute lung injury, a major cause of respiratory failure among critically ill patients.

Carolyn Calfee, MD

Assistant Professor of Medicine
Lung Function Effects of SHS in Flight Attendants

Current research, as a member of the FAMRI (Flight Attendant Medical Research Institute) Center of Excellence, with Principal Investigator Rita Redberg, examines the long-term effects of second hand cigarette smoke on flight attendants. Pilot studies have shown that 40% of nonsmoking flight attendants who worked on commercial airlines prior to the ban on cigarette smoking developed diffusion defects.

Warren Gold, MD

Professor of Medicine
Tobacco Smoke Exposure and Its Detrimental Cardiopulmonary Effects

The aim of this research project is to develop a noninvasive index of cardiopulmonary impairment that reflects the presence and severity of residual detrimental effects resulting from occupationally encountered SHS exposure among flight attendants.

Rita Redberg, MD, MS

Professor
Effect of Aged Sidestream Cigarette Smoke Exposure on Humans

Professor Suzaynn Schick is recruiting healthy nonsmokers who are not exposed to SHS in daily life to study the effects of acute exposure to SHS on nasal congestion.

Suzaynn Schick, PhD

Assistant Adjunct Professor of Medicine
Long-Term Vascular Effects of Second Hand Smoke

We are assessing the dose- and time-response of vascular functional impairment caused by exposure to second hand smoke at very low levels and short exposure times in rats.

Matthew Springer, PhD

Associate Professor of Medicine
Economic Burden of Secondhand Smoke

The project examines the exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) among U.S. adults and children, and quantifies the economic burden of the SHS exposure in terms of healthcare costs and lost productivity from lost time and premature mortality. It also assesses the impact of exposure to SHS on two particularly vulnerable populations – African Americans and Hispanics.

Hai-Yen Sung, PhD

Adjunct Professor, Institute for Health & Aging
Genes-Environments & Admixture in Latino Asthmatics (GALA) & Study of African Americans, Asthma, Genes & Environments (SAGE)

We are studying gene-environment interactions in racially mixed (admixed) populations. We are also studying the effects of air pollution and second hand smoke on children.

Esteban González Burchard, MD

Associate Professor of Pharmacy and Medicine
Assessment of Flight Attendants’ Exposure to Second Hand Smoke for Epidemiologic Studies

The goals are to identify relationship between SHS exposure and pulmonary disease progression; develop methods for early detection of SHS-related cardiovascular disease; assess impact of SHS exposure on patients with pulmonary disease develop novel biomarkers of SHS exposure with validation in relation to disease progression; identify factors that influence the development and implementation of smoking restriction policies, and strategies to overcome barriers; and to estimate the economic impact of SHS on cardiovascular disease in the U.S. (UC San Francisco/FAMRI)

Katharine Hammond, PhD

Professor of Environmental Health Sciences, UC Berkeley
Evaluating a City's Smokefree Policy in multi-Unit Housing

This project will evaluate what community stakeholders know about a new citywide ordinance that bans smoking in multi-unit housing (MUH) in Richmond, California. In this in-depth case study, we will use focus groups and one-on-one interviews to identify and document successes and challenges of implementing a smoke-free policy in multi-unit housing.

Valerie Yerger, ND

Assistant Adjunct Professor