Secondhand smoke: Ventilation systems are not the answer, says new study

Some of the effects of secondhand smoke on the cardiovascular system in nonsmokers are comparable to the effects of active smoking and occur within a half hour of exposure, says Joaquin Barnoya, MD, a research assistant professor in the Department of Surgery at Washington University School of Medicine.

In a scientific study of secondhand smoke exposure in St. Louis bars and restaurants, researchers at Washington University in St. Louis found that ventilation systems and “voluntary” smoke-free policies do not protect employees and customers from exposure to nicotine in the air.

Exposure to secondhand smoke is an established cause of cancer, heart disease and serious lung ailments, according to the U.S. surgeon general.

Researchers from the Center for Tobacco Policy Research at Washington University’s George Warren Brown School of Social Work and at the Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine analyzed nicotine levels in randomly selected bars and restaurants in the City of St. Louis and St. Louis County, and in hair samples from employees of the monitored venues.

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A sword, a hat and three unforgettable days in Helsinki

Alan L. Schwartz, PhD, MD (left), receives the sword of truth as part of an honorary doctorate ceremony at the University of Helsinki.

Honorary degrees are a time-honored tradition among universities to recognize achievements of the best and brightest in a field. While they are all a great honor, the University of Helsinki is unique among institutions in how it bestows this honor, and a Washington University School of Medicine faculty member was the fortunate recipient.


Alan L. Schwartz, PhD, MD, recently received an honorary doctorate of medicine and surgery from the University of Helsinki that came steeped in nearly 400 years of tradition and ceremony and included some unique, symbolic gifts.

Schwartz, the Harriet B. Spoehrer Professor and head of the Department of Pediatrics, was one of 15 physician-scientists from around the globe to receive one of the honorary doctorates, which the university’s medical faculty awards only once a decade. The University of Helsinki is one of the world’s leading research-intensive universities.

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