A study published in the scientific journal The Lancet Public Health revealed that more than 2.7 billion people, including children, were exposed to secondhand smoke worldwide in 2023, resulting in nearly 1.7 million deaths. The research analyzed studies published in the PubMed database of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) in conjunction with population surveys.
Tobacco remains one of the leading causes of disease worldwide, according to the study. Many of the "non-smokers exposed to secondhand smoke" were among the estimated total of 8 million people who died in 2023 from tobacco-related diseases.
The study emphasized that there is no safe level of secondhand smoke inhalation, with exposure being a globally recognized health risk. The research reinforces the need for stricter public policies to protect the population from the harmful effects of tobacco.
