Second hand smoke linked to mental health risks by new study

New research from University College London indicates that exposure to second hand smoke could pose health risks beyond the already acknowledged respiratory and cancer problems.

The potential damage of second hand smoke upon others is one of the chief reasons that many people give up their habit. Many people who begin stop smoking hypnotherapy treatments are not primarily thinking of their own health but of their children, their partners or their friends.

With this new research, this motivation may become even more compelling.

In a study of 8,155 men and women published in the journal Archives of General Psychiatry, researchers found that there was a 50% greater risk of psychological distress in non-smokers who had the highest levels of nicotine residue in their blood than those with the lowest levels.

This research builds upon previous data that has suggested smoking is linked to mood disorders, primarily based upon research that revealed that animals exposed to nicotine can display significantly altered behaviour including depression, stress and anxiety.

Speaking in Time, study leader Mark Hamer said: "Clearly something is going on even at very low levels, which is quite worrying."

"Passive smoke is very harmful, and if you smoke and live with a nonsmoking partner, we need to help them realise that they are not only doing themselves quite a lot of harm but they could also be affecting the people living with them."