Exposure to second-hand smoke during childhood was associated with an increased risk for developing rheumatoid arthritis (RA) later in life, researchers said. In a large prospective cohort study involving women followed for up to 3 decades, active smoking, light smoking, and passive exposure to tobacco smoking in childhood were all associated with an increased arthritis risk, reported Marie-Christine Boutron-Ruault, MD, of the Institut Gustave Roussy in Villejuif, France.