Condition |
Strength of evidence of cause and effect | Comments | Estimate of time from exposure to death | |
Lung cancer | +++++ | Numerous aetiological studies and weight of evidence reviews reporting increased mortality following exposure to SHS | 10–20 years | |
Coronary heart disease | +++++ | 5–10 years | ||
Sudden infant death syndrome | ++++ | High quality research reports increased death rates with SHS (this includes studies from New Zealand) | < 1 year | |
Stroke | +++ | 5–10 years | ||
Asthma | ++ | Many studies report increased morbidity with exposure to SHS, particularly in vulnerable groups, but little evidence of effects on mortality | ||
Lower respiratory infections | ++ | |||
Low birth weight | ++ | |||
Meningococcal disease | + | Literature is limited: association with SHS has not been demonstrated consistently in a range of settings | ||
Breast cancer | + | |||
Other respiratory tract cancers | + | |||
Cancer of cervix | + |