BACKGROUND NOTE: These Philip Morris Tobacco Company documents reveal that dioxins are
present in secondhand tobacco smoke. Dioxins are a product of
combustion. The following description of dioxin is taken from the
Dioxin Home Page, a page which also has links tostudies and other
information about dioxins at:
[http://www.enviroweb.org/issues/dioxin]
"Dioxin is one of the most toxic chemicals known. A report
released for public comment in September 1994 by the US
Environmental Protection Agency clearly describes dioxin as a
serious public health threat. The public health impact of
dioxin may rival the impact that DDT had on public health in
the 1960's.
According to the EPA report, not only does there
appear to be no "safe" level of exposure to dioxin, but levels
of dioxin and dioxin-like chemicals have been found in the
general U.S. population that are "at or near levels associated
with adverse health effects."
The EPA report confirmed that
dioxin is a cancer hazard to people; that exposure to dioxin
can also cause severe reproductive and developmental problems
(at levels 100 times lower than those associated with its
cancer causing effects); and that dioxin can cause immune
system damage and interfere with regulatory hormones."
To my knowledge, no warning of the presence of dioxins in cigarette
smoke (either primary or secondhand smoke) has ever been given to
consumers of the product nor to bystanders exposed to secondhand smoke,
nor otherwise been made public information.
Quotes:
Dioxins in ETS
The proposed project is intended to determine the parameters which
influence the concentrations of polychlorinated dioxins and furans
(PCDD/PCDF). The objective is to further decrease the already very low
concentrations of dioxins in ETS.
In order to simplify the process, the amount of dioxins in sidestream
smoke is used as a measure for the amount originating from the
cigarette. Eventually, it makes sense to investigate only those
parameters which have a clear impact on dioxin release; in the early
phase of the project however, all parameters must be considered which
could possibly have an effect on the formation of dioxins and furans.
Based on current knowledge, the following must be included:
- dioxin level in components: tobacco, paper filters
- dioxin level in sidestream smoke
- different tobacco varieties: Burley, Oriental, Virginia
- stems
- chlorine/chloride levels in: tobacco, papers...
...In the basic study on the release of PCDD/PCDF into sidestream smoke,
double determinations each should be done with samples of different
parameter levels...
Title: Project Proposal: Dioxin in ETS
Type of Document: Research Proposal, scientific
Date: 19940503
Author: Ergo
Site: Philip Morris document site: http://www.pmdocs.com/
Bates No. 2028373111/3112
URL: http://www.pmdocs.com/getallimg.asp?DOCID=2028373111/3112
(NOTE: Another PM document about dioxin in ETS can be found at
http://www.pmdocs.com/getallimg.asp?DOCID=2028373109/3110
"Dioxins in ETS")
source: Anne Landman, Regional Program Coordinator
American Lung Association of Colorado, West Region Office
