A major report finds that exposure to second-hand smoke continues to cause a large number of deaths worldwide, estimated at about 1.7 million each year. The outlets report that the analysis attributes these deaths to illnesses linked to passive smoking and presents the burden as persistent rather than improving.
The reporting also includes a UK-specific estimate: researchers calculate that second-hand smoke is responsible for about 6,100 deaths in the UK in 2023. Both outlets frame this figure in comparative terms, saying the estimated toll is higher than deaths from certain cancers, such as bladder cancer.
While the sources emphasize similar overall findings—global annual deaths and a UK 2023 estimate—they mainly differ in how they highlight impact. One outlet stresses where the toll is highest, while the other foregrounds the UK comparison to other diseases. Both rely on the same reported figures from the underlying report and do not describe specific policy responses or named authors in the provided text.
