Living with a smoker more than doubles risk of mouth cancer, study finds

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A person who does not smoke, but lives with a smoker, has a 51% higher risk of developing oral cancer than a person whose home does not smoke.

This is stated in a study by the Royal College London. It is the first of its kind to link passive smoking to oral cancer.

“Tobacco smoke, full of carcinogens, is responsible for one in five cancer deaths worldwide. “It is believed that one in three adults and 40% of children suffer from 'involuntary smoking' as a result of being around someone who smokes,” the article states.

Data on more than 6,900 people from around the world showed that people who are passively exposed to tobacco smoke have a 51% higher risk of oral cancer.

“A person who lives under the same roof with a smoker for 10-15 years is more than twice as likely to get cancer of the oral cavity than, for example, someone who completely avoids smoke,” the study says.

The professor noted that identifying the harmful effects of exposure to tobacco smoke is a guide for public health professionals, researchers and policymakers in the development and implementation of effective programs to prevent passive exposure to tobacco smoke.