Is air pollution as harmful as smoking?

The clean-air advocacy group Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment launched a heavy attack Wednesday against statements by a state toxicologist concerning the danger of smoking versus air pollution.

The state's Air Quality Board, which helps determine policy regarding pollution, heard a briefing Feb. 6 from Steven Packham, toxicologist for the Utah Division of Air Quality. He had objected to comparisons between air pollution's harmful effects and smoking five to 10 cigarettes a day, according to a copy of his statement that he provided to the Deseret Morning News.

"Most importantly, comparisons such as this grossly minimize the serious health effects of smoking, which is one of the leading causes of preventable death in the United States," he said. "Nicotine addiction and cancer put cigarettes in a league of their own. Breathing outdoor air, even on bad days, is not like smoking cigarettes."

He said citizens concerned about air quality are important allies to public agencies that enforce air standards. "But exaggerated claims by public agencies or citizens regarding pollution and its impact on health are counterproductive," the statement said.

Putting aside the question of cancer, Packham said, the dose of particulates in the air per day and per lifetime is 200 times smaller than that from five cigarettes a day.

Dr. Brian Moench, president of the physicians group, commented, "Does anyone really see a danger that Utah will become overly zealous in protecting public health?"

That would be a miracle, he added.

"More people die of air pollution than die of traffic accidents, but they seldom make the evening news," said Dr. Howie Garber. "We're selling the idea that all of us suffer from poor air quality, especially our children."

Concerning smoking and air pollution, said Dr. Courtney Henley, the physicians feel it "is a valid comparison that is substantiated by the medical literature." She cited a long list of health-oriented groups that have taken that position.

The American Heart Association says air pollution can cut from 1.8 to 3.1 years from a person's life in badly polluted cities. The American Lung Association put it at one to three years, according to Henley.

"The Wasatch Front typically ranks in the top 10" in terms of spikes of air pollution, she said.

Dr. Scott Hurst said that even more dangerous than the PM2.5 and PM10 air pollution particles that are monitored and regulated are "ultra-fine" particles smaller than 2.5 microns. A report shows that the smallest pollution particles pose the greatest danger because of their chemistry and surface area.