Secondhand Tobacco Smoke in Public Places in Latin America, 2002-2003

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Abstract
Passive smoking is a significant but avoidable cause of premature death and disease worldwide.1,2 While many municipalities and countries are controlling exposures of the population to secondhand smoke, the tobacco industry has vigorously attempted to counter the growing call for smoke-free indoor environments.3-5 To address these industry tactics and to provide an impetus for reducing exposure to secondhand smoke, data on nicotine concentrations in public places could help by documenting the extent and locations of exposure and identifying the most critical targets for control. Vapor-phase nicotine is a specific tracer for surveillance and quantitation of exposure to secondhand smoke, and the measurement methods are particularly useful because they are relatively simple, accurate, and inexpensive.6 While concentrations do not directly translate to health risk, the finding of nicotine indicates the presence of a carcinogenic and toxic mixture.2,7