Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/surgeon-general-concludes-there-is-no-safe-level-of-second-hand-smoke Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Transcript The U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Richard Carmona discusses the report released Tuesday confirming that there is no risk-free level of exposure to second-hand smoke. The report reveals that the only way to protect non-smokers is to ban smoking in public places. Read the Full Transcript Notice: Transcripts are machine and human generated and lightly edited for accuracy. They may contain errors. JIM LEHRER: Secondhand smoke. The surgeon general of the United States, Vice Admiral Richard Carmona, released a report on that subject today, and he joins us now.Admiral, welcome. DR. RICHARD CARMONA, U.S. Surgeon General: Thank you. JIM LEHRER: No longer any question that secondhand smoke kills people? DR. RICHARD CARMONA: The debate is over. It causes disease and kills people. JIM LEHRER: Now, why do you say that? What evidence do you have that this actually does kill people? DR. RICHARD CARMONA: The first report on this subject was issued by one of my predecessors in 1986. In the 20 years after that, there have been hundreds of research papers that have come out, original research being done, to delineate the connection between certain risk factors and secondhand smoke.It is clear now that we have enough science to say that it causes significant disease, as well as death, across the board, from birth to the senior population. JIM LEHRER: The figure you used today in your report was 126 million Americans. Where does that come from? DR. RICHARD CARMONA: A hundred and twenty six million Americans are exposed to secondhand smoke. That's an estimate. And we're concerned because, every day that they're exposed, it's another day toward added risk for disease, cardiovascular disease, cancer, lung disease.This is a very significant problem. It adds to a huge disease burden in our society and an economic burden, as well. JIM LEHRER: Where does the major exposure come? DR. RICHARD CARMONA: Well, it really depends on what age group you're in. Interestingly enough, children's exposure is primarily in the home with their loved ones smoking around them, and that's a very… JIM LEHRER: Mom and dads smoke, the kids… DR. RICHARD CARMONA: Mom and dad, aunts and uncles, grandma, grandpa, but family in a home where children are exposed. JIM LEHRER: How in the world are you going to stop that? DR. RICHARD CARMONA: Well, education, we hope. We hope this information will get out and empower people to start thinking. I mean, a lot of people think, "Well, it's secondhand smoke. It's really not that worrisome. The kids will do fine." The fact is: They won't. We have evidence now that every day a child is exposed to secondhand smoke, they have higher incidents of asthma. Eventually, they'll develop cardiovascular disease and cancers over time. JIM LEHRER: And that has actually been traced and proven? DR. RICHARD CARMONA: Yes, the secondhand smoke relationship has been proven in certain areas. There are some areas that are still gray. We're not actually absolutely sure, you know, on aneurysm, vascular disease, but certainly for heart attacks and coronary disease, no question, unequivocally related to the disease, secondhand smoke.