Anti-Smoking Group Targets Cigarettes As Environmental Threat

Not only are cigarettes bad for your health – they also threaten the environment, an anti-smoking group says. It points to the millions of cigarette butts that end up on roads, waterways, parks and beaches -- a reason to outlaw smoking in public parks and beaches, it suggests. "Cigarette butts contain heavy metals that can leach into waterways, posing a threat to acquatic life," the group called Legacy said in a news release on Tuesday. It noted that in one laboratory test, one cigarette butt soaked in a liter of water was lethal to half of the fish exposed. Cheryl G. Healton, the president and CEO of Legacy, said the data “sets the stage for a new research agenda – one focused both on preserving our environment and protecting our public health."...more