US Pharm. 2009;34(11):5.

Washington, DC — A report from the Institute of Medicine says that smoking bans are effective at reducing the risk of heart attacks and heart disease associated with secondhand smoke. The report also provides evidence that breathing secondhand smoke boosts the risk for heart problems in nonsmokers, adding that there is evidence that relatively brief exposures could lead to a heart attack. About 43% of nonsmoking children and 37% of nonsmoking adults are exposed to secondhand smoke in the U.S., according to public health data.