Rapid responses are electronic comments to the editor. They enable our users
to debate issues raised in articles published on bmj.com. A rapid response
is first posted online. If you need the URL (web address) of an individual
response, simply click on the response headline and copy the URL from the
browser window. A proportion of responses will, after editing, be published
online and in the print journal as letters, which are indexed in PubMed.
Rapid responses are not indexed in PubMed and they are not journal articles.
The BMJ reserves the right to remove responses which are being
wilfully misrepresented as published articles or when it is brought to our
attention that a response spreads misinformation.
From March 2022, the word limit for rapid responses will be 600 words not
including references and author details. We will no longer post responses
that exceed this limit.
The word limit for letters selected from posted responses remains 300 words.
Alain Braillon is quite wrong in claiming everyone can avoid inhaling the smoke of a heavy smoker. If a person is unable to give up or even cut down much, is very elderly and has smoked all their life the stress of trying to give up because of another's discomfort would be another factor in causing withdrawal symptoms plus guilt on top of everything else they are suffering if already unwell. If they have little else to help get through the day those who love the person are not going to upset them by complaining. If they live together they are not going to inhabit separate rooms or be able to go outside every time the person wants to smoke. The rooms are full of smoke anyway. People who smoke are aware of the effect on others but everyone cannot do much about it and they are certainly not all pariahs.
If anybody could tell me how long it might take to offset around 15 years of inhaling the smoke of a heavy smoker I would be grateful.
The title "Living with a smoker is equivalent to living in a heavily polluted city" is not correct. Moreover, everyone can avoid passive smoking (except foetus and children) or help smokers to quit. Last, passive smoking is decreasing but pollution is rising.
Re: Living with a smoker is equivalent to living in a heavily polluted city, say researchers
Alain Braillon is quite wrong in claiming everyone can avoid inhaling the smoke of a heavy smoker. If a person is unable to give up or even cut down much, is very elderly and has smoked all their life the stress of trying to give up because of another's discomfort would be another factor in causing withdrawal symptoms plus guilt on top of everything else they are suffering if already unwell. If they have little else to help get through the day those who love the person are not going to upset them by complaining. If they live together they are not going to inhabit separate rooms or be able to go outside every time the person wants to smoke. The rooms are full of smoke anyway. People who smoke are aware of the effect on others but everyone cannot do much about it and they are certainly not all pariahs.
If anybody could tell me how long it might take to offset around 15 years of inhaling the smoke of a heavy smoker I would be grateful.
Competing interests: No competing interests