Asbestos

The Facts About Asbestos Exposure
Knowing the facts about asbestos exposure will help you to protect yourself and your loved ones. The U.S. and many other governments have compiled fact sheets and created guidelines and laws for handling and reporting asbestos exposure, as well as strict guidelines for asbestos removal and abatement. Being informed about asbestos and the dangers of asbestos exposure can help you avoid becoming a statistic.

Why Asbestos Exposure is a Problem

The danger of asbestos exposure arises from inhaling and swallowing tiny dust particles and fibers. Those particles are released when asbestos is broken up or disturbed in anyway.

How Asbestos Exposure Happens

There are many ways to be exposed to asbestos, but the most common type of asbestos exposure is occupational, or work related. Asbestos was used in the construction industry, the auto industry, on the railroads and in shipyards and in many factories that made items coated with or woven with asbestos. Family and household members of people who worked with asbestos were also often exposed to the dust when it was carried home in clothing and hair. People who lived in the vicinity of asbestos plants may have been exposed to asbestos in the environment.

How to Protect Yourself from Asbestos Exposure

Although the use of asbestos in new products is now heavily regulated, there are still ways that you might be exposed to asbestos. If your home was built before 1978, for instance, it likely contains many materials that were made with asbestos. If you're not certain about materials in your home that may contain asbestos, it's best to contact your local town offices or health department to find out about having your home evaluated for asbestos and what sort of asbestos abatement regulations apply in your area.

What You Can Do If You Believe You Were Exposed to Asbestos

Mesothelioma affects thousands of people every year. If you were exposed to asbestos in the past and you smoke, quitting now can significantly reduce your chances of developing lung cancer.

Why Asbestos Exposure is a Legal Issue

Asbestos was one of the most widely used industrial minerals through the early to mid 1970s. The companies that mined, distributed and used asbestos were very aware of the danger that asbestos posed to their workers.
Smoking Cigarettes
Cigarette smoking decreases lung function and may even lead to cancer of the lungs, esophagus, tongue, mouth.
Does Smoking Cigarettes Cause Mesothelioma?
Cigarettes do not cause mesothelioma as the cancer is almost always caused by an asbestos exposure. There is a well known-link between asbestos and lung cancer as well as cigarettes and lung cancer. Often if you have develop lung cancer, have smoked, and also had an asbestos exposure, your doctor will probably tell you both were contributing factors. Both smoking cigarettes and mesothelioma decrease the functioning of the lungs. Although smoking cigarettes does not cause mesothelioma it does have a multiplying affect on the risk of getting cancer from asbestos.
Asbestos in Cigarettes
Mesothelioma is not caused by directly smoking cigarettes unless asbestos was used in the manufacturing of the cigarette. Many people who developed mesothelioma were current smokers or had smoked. Crocidolite fiber is known to cause cancer more effectively than any other asbestos type. The Kent cigarettes used asbestos in the cigarette filters because of its strong resistance to heat. Asbestos were also used in loose leaf tobacco in pipe smoking for the same reason.
Why Smoking Cigarettes and Mesothelioma Do Not Mix
Individuals who smoke cigarettes may have a decrease in their lung function. If that individual also has an asbestos-related disease—such as mesothelioma—their lung function is further decreased. Smoking cigarettes also may increase the risk of getting mesothelioma from an asbestos exposure.
If you have had an asbestos exposure or have already been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease such as mesothelioma, this may just be the excuse you've been looking for.