Secondhand Smoke

The U.S. Surgeon General has concluded that breathing even a little secondhand smoke poses a risk to your health.
Secondhand smoke, also known as environmental tobacco smoke, is a complex mixture of gases and particles that includes smoke from the burning cigarette, cigar, or pipe tip (sidestream smoke) and exhaled (mainstream) smoke.
Secondhand smoke contains at least 250 chemicals known to be toxic, including more than 50 that can cause cancer.
Separating smokers from nonsmokers, cleaning the air, and ventilating buildings cannot eliminate secondhand smoke exposure.

Ever wonder how much secondhand smoke you are breathing in?

Sitting behind a smoker for 3 hours at an outdoor sporting event = 1 cigarette.
Spending 2 hours in the non-smoking section of a restaurant that allows smoking = 1.5 cigarettes.
Living with a pack-a-day smoker = 3 cigarettes.
Sitting behind a smoker inside a bar or restaurant for 2 hours = 4 cigarettes.
Working for 8 hours in a smoker-friendly office = 6 cigarettes.
Working an 8 hour shift in a smoky bar = 16 cigarettes.

Secondhand smoke exposure causes heart disease and lung cancer in nonsmoking adults.
Nonsmokers who are exposed to secondhand smoke at home or work increase their heart disease risk by 25 to 30% and their lung cancer risk by 20 to 30%.
Breathing secondhand smoke has immediate harmful effects on the cardiovascular system that can increase the risk of heart attack. People who already have heart disease are at especially high risk.

Secondhand smoke can cause sudden infant death syndrome and other health consequences in infants and children.
Secondhand smoke exposure causes respiratory symptoms in children and slows their lung growth.
Secondhand smoke causes acute respiratory infections, ear problems, and more frequent and severe asthma attacks in children.

Hazards at Home

The home is the place where children are most exposed to secondhand smoke and a major location of secondhand smoke exposure for adults.
Children who live in homes where smoking is allowed have higher levels of cotinine (a biological marker of secondhand smoke exposure) than children who live in homes where smoking is not allowed. As the number of cigarettes smoked in the home increases, children’s cotinine levels rise.
Although secondhand smoke exposure among children has declined over the past 15 years, children remain more heavily exposed to secondhand smoke than adults.
Smoke-free rules in homes and vehicles can reduce secondhand smoke exposure among children and nonsmoking adults. Some studies indicate these rules can also help smokers quit and can reduce the risk of adolescents becoming smokers.