Second-hand smoke reached 2.7 billion people in 2023, with 1.66 million deaths attributed to it
A Global Burden of Disease analysis in The Lancet Public Health estimates that 2.7 billion people breathed other people's tobacco smoke in 2023. The authors attribute 1.66 million premature deaths to that exposure, along with 5.2 million respiratory tract infections in exposed children aged 0 to 14.
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The Global Burden of Disease analysis covers 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2023
A Global Burden of Disease analysis published in The Lancet Public Health covering 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2023 estimates that 2.7 billion people breathed other people's tobacco smoke in 2023. Among them were 767 million children aged 0 to 14. The authors attribute 1.66 million premature deaths to that exposure. They also report 5.2 million respiratory tract infections in exposed children. The paper is titled Global, regional, and national prevalence of second-hand smoke and attributable disease burden in 204 countries and territories, 1990-2023. It was written by Luisa S Flor and colleagues. The paper carries the DOI 10.1016/s2468-2667(26)00168-4. Smoking itself was linked to 8 million deaths in the same year. The authors describe no safe level of inhalation. France 24 reported that nearly 1.7 million deaths were linked to second-hand smoke in 2023. The researchers looked at the available data and published their estimates.[1], [2]
The modelled systematic analysis builds upon surveys and published studies
The study is a modelled systematic analysis of surveys and published studies rather than a trial. In this analysis, attributable burden is estimated under assumptions about exposure and relative risk. Every figure carries an uncertainty interval. The authors attribute 1.66 million premature deaths to that exposure, along with 5.2 million respiratory tract infections in exposed children aged 0 to 14. France 24 covered the same paper and reported that nearly 1.7 million deaths were linked to second-hand smoke in 2023. A Global Burden of Disease analysis in The Lancet Public Health covering 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2023 estimates that 2.7 billion people breathed other people's tobacco smoke in 2023. Smoking itself was linked to 8 million deaths in the same year. Luisa S Flor and colleagues ran the modelled systematic analysis of surveys and published studies rather than a trial.[1], [2]
Luisa S Flor and colleagues list estimates covering 1990 to 2023
The authors attribute 1.66 million premature deaths to that exposure, along with 5.2 million respiratory tract infections in exposed children aged 0 to 14. Smoking itself was linked to 8 million deaths in the same year, and the authors describe no safe level of inhalation. France 24 reported that nearly 1.7 million deaths were linked to second-hand smoke in 2023. The paper is titled Global, regional, and national prevalence of second-hand smoke and attributable disease burden in 204 countries and territories, 1990-2023 by Luisa S Flor and colleagues, with DOI 10.1016/s2468-2667(26)00168-4. It is a modelled systematic analysis of surveys and published studies rather than a trial. Attributable burden is estimated under assumptions about exposure and relative risk. Every figure carries an uncertainty interval. The Global Burden of Disease analysis in The Lancet Public Health covering 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2023 lists the numbers.[1], [2]
