The Health Department says 57 percent of nonsmoking New York City adults have secondhand smoke residue in their blood. That compares to 45 percent nationwide.
The residue is a byproduct of nicotine breakdown. It is not harmful itself but signals exposure to toxic chemicals. The Health Department says more than 2.5 million nonsmoking New Yorkers have it in their blood.
The figures, released Wednesday, come from a survey conducted in 2004, one year after New York City's smoke-free air law took effect.
The law protects nonsmokers from secondhand smoke at work and in some public places. The Health Department says it's also important to create a smoke-free home.
Copyright AP - Associated Press
