A preliminary risk analysis of environmental tobacco smoke and lung cancer using a cohort of Mormons in New Haven County

Environmental tobacco smoke exposure has been recognized as an important source of lung cancer morbidity and mortality. Measuring environmental tobacco smoke exposure for risk analysis depends much on the methodologies for determining ETS levels of nicotine and RSP. The author decided to measure the linear multistage dose-response curve relating the level of ETS exposure to the lung cancer incidence. The research was conducted using human time-activity patterns and microenvironmental ETS measurements through a self-designed questionnaire. A cohort of New Haven Mormons was selected for a low-dose group and the subjects from the NHAPS study were utilized for the high-dose group. Lung cancer incidences for both groups were taken from research papers and the EPA documents. Both a nicotine and RSP multi-stage model were derived from these results. Using the two models, the regulatory doses for nicotine and RSP levels were determined at the EPA default 10-6 regulatory level. Based on these estimates, the author concludes that there is a measurable positive link between a higher ETS exposure level and an increased risk of ETS-related lung cancer and also proposes a stronger national standard to regulate ETS levels in both workplaces and public areas