The Nation - News from July 6, 1987

Teen-age athletes exposed to passive smoking at home are four times more likely to have problems with coughing and diminished lung capacity than athletes from non-smoking families, according to a study. Research from the Long Island Jewish Medical Center adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting adverse health effects of passive smoking, said Dr. George Tsimoyianis, who directed the study, published in the journal Pediatrics. Athletes exposed to passive smoking had a 13.6% incidence of coughing or reduced lung capacity, compared to only 3.3% of the athletes from smoke-free homes, and girls were more severely affected than boys.