The much-publicised "4,000 constituents" sound byte is correct information but, of course, it is incomplete.

The amount of tobacco combustion by-products is infinitesimally small even in rooms where heavy ETS is present (1, 2). Those 4,000 constituents are also the by-products of ALL burning organic materials, including paper, wood, and vehicular emissions.

Vehicular emissions contribute several tons per day of those by-products in the BC Lower Mainland alone, yet BC WCB does not see fit to forbid exposure to anybody, including workers in the automotive business or in the airports.

For more information about smoking as a source of pollution compared to other sources, click here.