Second Hand Smoke and Mental Illness

Exposure to secondhand smoke may increase symptoms of psychological distress.
The New York Times (6/11, Rabin) reports in Vital Signs that "even people exposed to secondhand smoke are at significantly increased risk -- and more likely to be hospitalized for -- mental illness," according to a study published online June 7 in the Archives of General Psychiatry. In a study of "about 5,560 nonsmoking adults and 2,595 smokers" whose "mental-health was assessed by a 12-item questionnaire," researchers discovered that "nonsmokers exposed to secondhand smoke were 1.5 times as likely to suffer from symptoms of psychological distress as unexposed nonsmokers...and the risk increases the greater their exposure to passive smoking."