Second-Hand Tobacco Smoke Can Cause Psychological Harm

A new study finds mental health issues such as depression and anxiety increase along with exposure to second-hand smoke. Dr. Mark Hamer of University College London says previous research found that smokers have a higher rate of mental illness, specifically depression.

"The problem with that body of research is that it's difficult to interpret because obviously people with existing mental health problems use cigarettes to self-medicate," he said.

In this study, Hamer and his colleagues combined measurements of tobacco exposure with interviews focused on mental health issues. They found that nonsmokers exposed to tobacco smoke were more likely to experience psychiatric distress, and that the mental health issues increased along with the tobacco exposure.

"We found that people with high exposure to second hand smoke had increased levels of depression and anxiety," says Hamer.

They also found that people exposed to second-hand smoke - like smokers - were more likely to be admitted to a hospital for a psychiatric illness than people without the exposure to tobacco smoke.

"The people that are at the highest level of passive smoke are actually the ones reporting exposure in their own homes. So in other words, if you live with a smoker, you really are at very high risk of demonstrating high levels of second-hand smoke exposure."

Dr. Mark Hamer's study on the psychological impact of second-hand tobacco smoke appears in the Archives of General Psychiatry, a journal published by the American Medical Association.