Dima, You could go to jail if you did a successful human experiment and proved what is now well known - that ozone will damage both normal lungs and further damage lungs with existing asthma. Ozone is a toxic air pollutant that is a concern for people’s health when levels in outdoor are high. It is the principal component of the mixture of air pollutants known as “smog” that is produced from the action of sunlight on air contaminants from automobile exhausts and other sources. Ozone levels are most likely to be elevated after noon through early evening on hot, sunny days. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) last revised the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for ozone in 2008. The standard is currently set at 0.075 parts per million (ppm) averaged over 8 hours.
Breathing outdoor air with high ozone levels for long periods of time (years) may permanently affect health. Animal studies suggest that long-term exposure to elevated ozone levels may be associated with permanent changes in airway structure and reductions in lung function. Current information about permanent health effects from long-term exposure in humans is inconclusive. Some human studies reported evidence of permanently reduced lung function development associated with long-term childhood exposure to elevated ozone levels, while other have not. An increased risk of developing asthma was found among children who likely experienced long-term elevated ozone exposure because they participated in athletic programs in areas with high average ozone levels.

When an Ozone Health Advisory is issued, people should consider limiting their time outdoors doing strenuous physical activities. This is especially true for young children, the elderly and for people with respiratory or heart problems.

Additional Links
Ozone Questions and Answers
DEC Ozone Forecast
For more information call:
NYS Department of Health at 1-800-458-1158
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation at 1-800-535-1345
Or visit DEC’s Ozone website