Page 134 - GRIHA Manual Volume IV - Introduction to National Rating System
P. 134
Building planning and construction 125
CRIteRIon 30
tobACCo sMoke ContRol
Introduction
Tobacco smoking not only has detrimental effects on the health of smokers, it can also cause serious
health problems for people around them. Smoke coming out of the tip of a burning cigarette is called
sidestream smoke and smoke blown out by an active smoker is called exhaled mainstream smoke.
These two types of smoke together constitute what is known as environmental tobacco smoke
(ETS), which majorly pollutes the indoor air. ETS contains similar range of toxic and carcinogenic
substances (gases, chemicals, and fine particles) that active smokers inhale while smoking, thus,
exposing non-smokers to the same level of serious health risks.
The particles in the unfiltered smoke that drifts from burning cigarette tips can be fine and more
concentrated, meaning that they can be inhaled deeper into the lungs and stay longer in the body
of the passive smoker than in the person who is smoking. Obviously, the more time people spend
in close company with smokers, the more they are exposed to environmental tobacco smoke and
the worse the threat to their health. Even before it is born, a developing baby can be affected by
environmental tobacco smoke if the mother smokes or if she is exposed to tobacco smoke during
pregnancy. Inhaling environmental tobacco smoke causes acute irritation in the upper and (to a
lesser extent) the lower airways of even healthy people. It can worsen the condition of those with
existing breathing problems. There is growing evidence that exposure to environmental tobacco
smoke increases the risk of developing lung cancer. People who never smoke but live with a smoker
have 30% greater risk of developing lung cancer than people who never smoke and live with a non-
smoker. It may be linked to the development of other cancers as well—studies suggest that those
exposed to environmental tobacco smoke may be more likely to suffer heart disease, heart attacks,
10
and sudden death due to heart failure .
Thus, it is imperative to implement strategies in buildings to protect non-smokers from passive
smoking. This can be done by either completely prohibiting smoking on the building premises or by
providing designated smoking zones with controlled environment.
Solution
Design strategies
As discussed above, there are broadly two strategies that can be implemented in buildings to
prevent exposure of the non-smoking occupants to passive smoking.
10 Fact sheet on ‘The dangers of passive smoking’, one in a series produced under the National Tobacco Strategy, Department of Health and Ageing,
Australian Government.
CRIteRIon 30
tobACCo sMoke ContRol
Introduction
Tobacco smoking not only has detrimental effects on the health of smokers, it can also cause serious
health problems for people around them. Smoke coming out of the tip of a burning cigarette is called
sidestream smoke and smoke blown out by an active smoker is called exhaled mainstream smoke.
These two types of smoke together constitute what is known as environmental tobacco smoke
(ETS), which majorly pollutes the indoor air. ETS contains similar range of toxic and carcinogenic
substances (gases, chemicals, and fine particles) that active smokers inhale while smoking, thus,
exposing non-smokers to the same level of serious health risks.
The particles in the unfiltered smoke that drifts from burning cigarette tips can be fine and more
concentrated, meaning that they can be inhaled deeper into the lungs and stay longer in the body
of the passive smoker than in the person who is smoking. Obviously, the more time people spend
in close company with smokers, the more they are exposed to environmental tobacco smoke and
the worse the threat to their health. Even before it is born, a developing baby can be affected by
environmental tobacco smoke if the mother smokes or if she is exposed to tobacco smoke during
pregnancy. Inhaling environmental tobacco smoke causes acute irritation in the upper and (to a
lesser extent) the lower airways of even healthy people. It can worsen the condition of those with
existing breathing problems. There is growing evidence that exposure to environmental tobacco
smoke increases the risk of developing lung cancer. People who never smoke but live with a smoker
have 30% greater risk of developing lung cancer than people who never smoke and live with a non-
smoker. It may be linked to the development of other cancers as well—studies suggest that those
exposed to environmental tobacco smoke may be more likely to suffer heart disease, heart attacks,
10
and sudden death due to heart failure .
Thus, it is imperative to implement strategies in buildings to protect non-smokers from passive
smoking. This can be done by either completely prohibiting smoking on the building premises or by
providing designated smoking zones with controlled environment.
Solution
Design strategies
As discussed above, there are broadly two strategies that can be implemented in buildings to
prevent exposure of the non-smoking occupants to passive smoking.
10 Fact sheet on ‘The dangers of passive smoking’, one in a series produced under the National Tobacco Strategy, Department of Health and Ageing,
Australian Government.
