HEALTH REPORT – New Warnings About Tobacco Smoke and Childr

HEALTH REPORT – New Warnings About Tobacco Smoke and Children
By Cynthia Kirk

Broadcast: Wednesday, February 09, 2005

I'm Gwen Outen with the VOA Special English Health Report.

A new study provides another warning of the dangers from cigarette smoke around children.

This was one of the largest studies ever of the risks to people who breathe tobacco smoke in the air. Experts call this "passive¹ smoking." Many studies have shown increased risks for lung cancer and other diseases³. But few studies have involved people who seemed healthy when the research began.

Doctor Paolo Vineis of Imperial⁴ College, London, led the new study. The British Medical Journal⁵ published the report.

More than one hundred twenty thousand people provided⁶ information about their history of exposure⁷ to tobacco smoke. They might have worked with smokers⁸, or had parents who smoked. The people were from ten countries in Europe. All said they had never smoked or had stopped for at least ten years.

The study followed their health for an average of seven years. During that time, ninety-seven people developed lung cancer. Twenty developed upper-respiratory cancers. And fourteen died from the lung disease² emphysema.

The report compares lung cancer rates in people who had been around tobacco smoke as children. Those who had breathed it for many hours a day were three-and-a-half times more likely to get lung cancer than those who reported no exposure. Yet the risk was still one-and-a-half times higher in adults who had breathed tobacco smoke as children even a few times a week.

The study also found that former smokers had a greater risk of lung cancer than people who never smoked. This link was limited to exposure at work. The report says former smokers may be more at risk from low levels of tobacco smoke. One possible explanation is that they already have damaged cells.

Smoking causes many disorders⁹. It is the main cause of lung cancer. Lung cancer is the world's leading cause of cancer deaths.

Last March, Ireland became the first country to ban smoking in all workplaces. That includes eating and drinking establishments¹⁰. Since then, other governments have also moved to limit smoking in public.

Italy put measures into effect last month. And this week smoking became illegal in many public places in Cuba, known for its cigars.

Smoking is banned in many public areas in the United States. Smoking in bars and restaurants is against the law in a few states and cities, including New York City.

This VOA Special English Health Report was written by Cynthia Kirk. I'm Gwen Outen.

1 passive   

adj.被动的；消极的

参考例句：

• He has a passive expression on his face.他脸上有一种漠然的表情。
• It lands the manager in a passive position.它使经理处于被动地位。

2 disease   

n.疾病，弊端

参考例句：

• The doctors are trying to stamp out the disease.医生正在尽力消灭这种疾病。
• He fought against the disease for a long time.他同疾病做了长时间的斗争。

3 diseases   

n.疾病( disease的名词复数 )；弊端；恶疾；痼疾

参考例句：

• Smoking is a causative factor in several major diseases. 抽烟是引起几种严重疾病的病因。
• The illness frequently coexists with other chronic diseases. 这种病往往与其他慢性病同时存在。

4 imperial   

adj.帝王的，至尊的；n.特等品

参考例句：

• They made an objection to the imperial system with resolution.他们坚决反对帝制。
• The Prince Imperial passed away last night.皇太子昨晚去世了。

5 journal   

n.日志，日记；议事录；日记帐；杂志，定期刊物

参考例句：

• He kept a journal during his visit to Japan.他在访问日本期间坚持记日记。
• He got a job as editor of a trade journal.他找到了一份当商业杂志编辑的工作。

6 provided   

conj.假如，若是；adj.预备好的，由...供给的

参考例句：

• Provided it's fine we will have a pleasant holiday.如果天气良好，我们的假日将过得非常愉快。
• I will come provided that it's not raining tomorrow.如果明天不下雨，我就来。

7 exposure   

n.暴露，面临；揭露，揭发；曝光

参考例句：

• After only a short exposure to sunlight he began to turn red.他在阳光下只晒了一会儿，皮肤就开始变红了。
• I threatened them with public exposure.我扬言要公开揭发他们。

8 smokers   

吸烟者( smoker的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Many smokers who are chemically addicted to nicotine cannot cut down easily. 许多有尼古丁瘾的抽烟人不容易把烟戒掉。
• Chain smokers don't care about the dangers of smoking. 烟鬼似乎不在乎吸烟带来的种种危害。

9 disorders   

n.混乱( disorder的名词复数 )；凌乱；骚乱；（身心、机能）失调

参考例句：

• Reports of anorexia and other eating disorders are on the increase. 据报告，厌食症和其他饮食方面的功能紊乱发生率正在不断增长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The announcement led to violent civil disorders. 这项宣布引起剧烈的骚乱。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 establishments   

n.企业( establishment的名词复数 )；建立；（通常反对变革的）当权派；反对改革的保守当权派

参考例句：

• Thoughts of love and elegant individual establishments were running in her head. 满脑袋装的是恋爱婚姻建立豪华小家庭的设想。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• This company includes several separate establishments and employs about ten thousand personnel. 这个公司包括几个独立的厂矿并雇佣约1万职工。 来自辞典例句