Second-hand smoke linked to adult asthma

Finnish researchers have found that exposure to second-hand smoke makes adults more likely to develop asthma.

According to their findings, exposure to second-hand smoke in the workplace can double a non-smoker’s risk of developing asthma. If a non-smoker also lives with a smoker and is exposed to second-hand smoke at home, he or she will be five times more likely to develop asthma.

“Our results demonstrate conclusively that passive smoking plays a role in the development of adult asthma,” said Maritta Jaakkola of the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health in Helsinki.