Private homes remain a major source of SHS exposure particularly for women and children. According to Global Adult Tobacco Surveys in Bangladesh, China, India and Indonesia, 36.5%¹¹, 38%¹², 39.3%¹³ and 75.4%¹⁴ of adult women are exposed to SHS at home, respectively. Globally, about 40% of children aged less than 14 years are also exposed to SHS within their homes¹⁵ and these estimates are much higher for LMICs in the South-East Asia, Western Pacific and Eastern Mediterranean regions. Studies that validated SHS exposure level using biomarkers have found even higher levels of SHS exposure among women and children^3,16–18. In Bangladesh, 95% of school children in urban and peri-urban areas were found positive of recent SHS exposure¹⁸. There is, therefore, an urgent need to reduce exposure to SHS in women and children through implementing effective, affordable, inclusive, feasible and sustainable solutions.

Authors: Rumana Huque, Kamran Siddiqi

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