secondhand smoke in vehicles

The Impacts of Secondhand

Smoke in Vehicles Research Findings and Policy Recommendations

March 2, 2017

Live Webinar

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Today: The Impacts of SHS in Vehicles

Expert Presenters

Emily M. Anderson Program Director

Assoc. for Nonsmokers, Minnesota

Dave Bohac, P.E. Director of Research

Center for Energy & Environment

Goals for Today’s Webinar

• Describe the impact of secondhand smoke (SHS) on

children.

• Talk about rates at which children are still exposed to SHS

in vehicles.

• Discuss previous research on the impact of smoking in

vehicles.

• Provide details about CEE’s research study

• Define the policy “lay of the land” and policy options for

Minnesota and other states

• Debut our “Smoke Free Cars for Kids” video!

This work was supported by ClearWay Minnesota. Any public dissemination of information relating to the grant was made possible by Grant Number RC 2014-0013

from ClearWay Minnesota. The contents of this information are the sole responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of ClearWay Minnesota.

Kids are Exposed to SHS in Cars

National Youth Tobacco Survey, 2009

More than one-

fifth of

nonsmoking

students in

grades 6 through

12 are exposed to

SHS in vehicles.

MN Kids are Exposed to SHS in Cars

Minnesota Youth Tobacco and Asthma Survey, 2011

1 in 4 middle

school students

report that they

have ridden in a

car with

someone who

was smoking

cigarettes in the

preceding week

Kids, Cars and SHS: What We Know

While there is no safe level of exposure to SHS,

SHS in cars is particularly bad.

Kids, Cars and SHS: What We Know

What else do we need to know?

• What if I only smoke with

my window open?

• What if I hold my

cigarette out the window

between puffs?

• What if I always turn the

air vents to “fresh air”

mode?

• What if my child only sits

in the far back of my

minivan?

Comprehensive Study Design • 138 Smoking Trials

• Sedan, Minivan, SUV (46/vehicle)

• Why So Many Trials?

• Windows • closed

• 2” open

• driver open (summer only)

• all open (summer only)

• Ventilation • Summer: off, recirculation, fresh

• Winter: defrost, heat, both

• Speed • local (30mph)

• Expressway (60mph)

• Smoking Behavior • towards window

• away from window

• Seasons (summer/winter)

http://www.worthypause.com/2014/03/m

innesota-seasons-pie-chart.html

https://www.tispol.org/image-galleries/stock-

photos/car/car-speedometer-mph-and-

kph?size=preview

http://www.theguardian.com

/commentisfree/2011/nov/2

0/smoking-ban-in-cars

http://www.worthypause.com

/2014/03/minnesota-

seasons-pie-chart.html

http://www.8thcivic.com/forums/civic-hybrid/112950-temperature-c-

screen.html

Fine Particulates Used To Measure

Secondhand Smoke

http://www.tceq.texas.gov/publications/pd/020/2013-NaturalOutlook/pm2.5-

standards-may-be-set-lower-than-scientifically-justifiable

• Fine particulates (PM2.5)

emitted by smoking

• Often SHS is only significant

source of PM2.5

• Reliable instruments for real-

time measurements

• Most common tracer for SHS

research

Measurement Protocol • Vehicle Set-Up

• Trials

• Data Management

CO2

Tank Outdoor

Monitors

Inside Monitors

Sample PM2.5 Measurements

Vehicle: SUV

Windows: 2” open

Ventilation: Fresh Air Mode

Vehicle Speed: 30 mph

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

<< smoking >> 4 to 6 minutes

<< after smoking >>

Front passenger

Rear seat (behind driver)

Typical Minnesota bar

EPA Air Quality Index Air Quality Air Quality Index 24-hr PM2.5

(mg/m3)

Health Concern

Hazardous ≥ 301 > 250 Health alert: everyone may experience more serious

health effects

Very Unhealthy 201 -300 151 - 250 Health warnings of emergency conditions. The entire

population is more likely to be affected

Unhealthy 151 - 200 56 - 150

Everyone may begin to experience health effects;

members of sensitive groups may experience more

serious health effects.

Unhealthy for

Sensitive Groups 101 - 150 36 -55

Members of sensitive groups may experience health

effects. The general public is not likely to be affected.

Moderate 51 - 100 13 - 35

Air quality is acceptable; there may be a moderate

health concern for a very small number of people who

are unusually sensitive to air pollution.

Good 0 - 50 0 - 12 Air quality is considered satisfactory, and air pollution

poses little or no risk

Associated health effects from air pollution

71 ug/m3 = typical Minnesota bar on weekend night (before Freedom to Breath)

Sample PM2.5 Measurements

Vehicle: SUV

Windows: 2” open

Ventilation: Fresh Air Mode

Vehicle Speed: 30 mph

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

<< smoking >>

Unhealthy

Very Unhealthy

Hazardous

Typical Minnesota bar

Sample PM2.5 Measurements

Vehicle: SUV

Windows: All Closed

Ventilation: Fresh Air Mode

Vehicle Speed: 30 mph

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22

Hazardous

Unhealthy

Very Unhealthy Typical Minnesota bar

Hazardous: Health warnings of emergency

conditions. The entire population is more

likely to be affected.

Analysis of Each Smoking Trial

• Peak concentration for shorter intervals

(5, 10,15, & 30 seconds)

• Average concentration during smoking, after smoking,

and entire period

• Total exposure until concentrations return to outdoor

baseline (=average concentration * time)

• Length of time concentration equal to or greater than

EPA Air Quality Index Levels

PM2.5 30 Second Peak Results

average = 2,013 ug/m3

(359 to 5,612 ug/m3) 87% lower

55% lower

Average PM2.5 Concentration

> 70 ug/m3 for closed and 2” open windows for local driving

Comparison of 30 Second Peak to

Average PM2.5 Concentration

Average over all three vehicles and three summer ventilation modes

with windows closed

About a 3 to 1 ratio

between 30 second

peak and average over

entire exposure

Hazardous

Exposure Duration

How long after smoking done does it take to get rid of

secondhand smoke?

• Windows closed: 4.3 – 25+ minutes

• Open driver window 2”: average = 4.2 minutes

• Driver window full open: average = 1.7 minutes

Regression Analysis of Exposure • Opening drivers window reduces exposure by 93%

and fully opening windows reduces by another 62%

• Sedan had lowest exposure • Minivan 46% greater

• SUV 69% greater

• Not much difference between fan off and recirculation mode, but 40 – 50% lower exposure for “fresh” mode

• Exposure at least two times greater for 30 mph than 60 mph

• Holding cigarette towards window reduced exposure by 34% to 75%

• No significant difference for location in vehicle except van far back

Take Away Messages

Secondhand smoke exposure in vehicles is extremely

dangerous.

With windows closed, SHS fine particulate matter concentrations range from 359 to 5612 with an

average of 2013 μg/m3.

Those levels are higher than concentrations typically found in bars were smoking is permitted.

Take Away Messages

Secondhand smoke remains a concern even after the

driver has stopped smoking.

A passenger’s total average exposure during and after

smoking is about equal to sitting in a typical smoky bar for

3 hours.

Take Away Messages

There is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke, and kids are at

particular risk.

1 in 4 middle school students report being in a vehicle while someone is

smoking in the past 7 days.

Take Away Messages

Kids being exposed to

secondhand smoke in

vehicles is STILL a problem!

How can we protect kids?

Smoke-Free Cars for Kids! • States can pass laws that would prohibit smoking in a

vehicle when children under the age of 18 are present in

order to protect kids from dangerous SHS.

Smoke-Free Cars for Kids Laws

Do people support smoke-free cars

for kids?

What could a MN law look like?

• Protect kids under 18

• State and local law

enforcement

• NOT a primary

offense

Kids in Cars Video

Next Steps?

• Educate decision makers and community members about

the dangers of exposure to SHS, especially for kids.

• Let them know that SHS exposure is still a problem for MN

kids.

• Tell decision makers that MN is not a leader on this issue, but

can catch up!

• Share the video!

• Keep our eyes a few years down the road, which

legislators might be ready to tackle this issue in MN.

References 1. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Smoking—50 Years of Progress: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 2014.

2. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Coordinating Center for Health Promotion, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 2006.

3. American Academy of Pediatrics, Committee on Environmental Health, “Environmental Tobacco Smoke: A Hazard to Children,” Pediatrics 99(4), April 1997.

4. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (2016). Air Quality Index (AQI) Basics. Retrieved March 21, 2016, from https://airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=aqibasics.aqi

5. Rosow Chrisman, K. (2014). Plotting China’s Air Quality: The Good, The Bad, The Un-Breathable. Retrieved April 25, 2016, from http://breakingenergy.com/2014/04/16/plotting-chinas-air-quality-the-good-the-bad-the-un-breathable/

6. Center for Energy and Environment. (2016). Measuring Secondhand Smoke Exposure in Vehicles. Retrieved March 21, 2016, from http://mncee.org/Innovation-Exchange/Projects/Current/Secondhand-Smoke-in-Vehicles/

7. Minnesota Youth tobacco and Asthma Survey (2011).

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Videos

• ‘Kids in Cars’ (ANSR MN): https://youtu.be/-e_YnLSIKvI

• ‘How Dangerous is Smoking in Cars’ (TobaccoFreeCA): https://vimeo.com/1513382

• Technical information on SHS in vehicles (CEE):

www.mncee.org/SHS-vehicles

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Audience

Question & Answer

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Dave Bohac, P.E.

dbohac@mncee.org

Emily Anderson

emily@ansrmn.org

How To Measure Secondhand Smoke?

PM2.5

(ug/m3 )

Ott et al., 2008 avg in smok vehicle (high end of

range) 1140

Ott et al., 2008 avg in smok vehicle (low end of

range) 371 Reese and

Connolly, 2005 avg in smok vehicle 271

Semple et al., 2012 avg in smok vehicle 85

Ott et al., 2008 2 hr avg in MN bars 71

MN Dept of Health MN Standard 15

MN Dept of Health avg 2012 ambient levels in Hennepin

Co 8.8

Semple et al., 2012 avg in non-smok vehicle 7.5

http://www.tceq.texas.gov/publications/pd/020/2013-NaturalOutlook/pm2.5-

standards-may-be-set-lower-than-scientifically-justifiable