The study, recently published online by the scientific journal Addiction, is the first to examine the link between secondhand smoke and everyday memory problems. The researchers compared a group of smokers with two groups of nonsmokers – one group of people who were regularly exposed to secondhand smoke, and the other group of nonsmokers who were not exposed to secondhand smoke. Those who were regularly exposed to secondhand smoke were people who either lived with a smoker or spent a lot of time in the company of smokers. On average, people in this group reported being exposed to secondhand smoke for 25 hours per week for 4,5 years.
The three groups were given memory tests. The researchers found that the non-smokers who were regularly exposed to tobacco smoke forgot almost 20 percent more on the tests than the non-smokers who were free from other people's tobacco smoke. However, the smokers forgot the most.
The researchers behind the study say the results suggest that the negative memory effects of secondhand smoke are so pronounced that they likely affect how people function in everyday life, and that this is an important area for further research.
