Chris Murphy: “while this week we are discussing ways to treat disease with stem cells, let us not overlook what we should also be…”

“while this week we are discussing ways to treat disease with stem cells, let us not overlook what we should also be doing to prevent disease. Each year nearly 50,000 adult nonsmokers die from lung cancer or heart disease from secondhand smoke. A recent U.S. Surgeon General report found 60 percent of nonsmokers, about 126 million people, have biologic evidence of nicotine, carbon monoxide and tobacco-specific carcinogens in their systems from secondhand smoke. In adults, secondhand smoke can increase the risk of developing lung cancer and heart disease by up to 30 percent. And in children secondhand smoke leads to premature birth, asthma, respiratory illness and ear infections. Encouraging smoke-free workplaces will help to reduce $10 billion in annual medical costs. Offering deductions in health insurance, and smoking-cessation treatment are just a couple of ways that the Federal Government and employers can cut health care costs. To learn more about ways to save lives and money in health care, I urge my colleagues to visit my Web site at murphy.house.gov. ____________________”