A study at the Northumbria University suggests that regular exposure to second-hand smoke may damage memory. The findings are first of its kind that has linked passive smoking to everyday memory problems.
Researchers of Collaboration for Drug and Alcohol Research Group at Northumbria University made a comparative evaluation of a group of regular smokers and two groups of non-smokers. First group of non-smokers were regularly exposed to second-hand smoke, whereas second group was not. [Read: What Smoking Does to your Body]
It was found that the non-smoker group who had been exposed to second-hand smoke scored 20 per cent less than non-exposed group in a memory test. However, both the groups outperformed smoker’s group which scored 30 per cent less in memory test.
The findings indicate that the deficits associated with second-hand smoke exposure increases risk of cognitive dysfunctions. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports in the past have confirmed the serious consequences on the health of people who don’t smoke, but are exposed to other people's tobacco smoke.