Second-hand smoke and indoor air quality in public places in Gaza city

Abstract

Second-hand smoke is a major cause of preventable disease and death in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. To assess how second-hand smoke impacts air quality, respirable suspended particles [‎PM[‎2.5]‎]‎, which are emitted during cigarette and waterpipe smoking, were measured inside and outside of 18 smoking and 5 nonsmoking public venues in Gaza city. Median PM[‎2.5]‎ level inside the smoking venues was 117 microg/m[‎3]‎, which exceeds the WHO guidelines for daily PM[‎2.5]‎ exposure [‎25 microg/m[‎3]‎]‎ by more than 4-fold. The median level inside the smoking venues [‎117 microg/m[‎3]‎]‎ was significantly higher than outside the venues [‎43 microg/m[‎3]‎]‎, and significantly higher than the median level inside non-smoking venues [‎40 microg/m[‎3]‎]‎. By contrast, particulate levels outside non-smoking venues [‎35 microg/m[‎3]‎]‎ did not differ from the corresponding levels inside [‎40 microg/m[‎3]‎]‎. To protect employees and the public from second-hand smoke exposure, policies prohibiting smoking in public places are needed in Gaza city