| Secondhand smoke is a combination of the smoke | | | | In fact every time a person breathes in second-hand |
| produced from a burning cigarette and the smoke | | | | smoke, he/she consumes over 100 harmful chemical |
| exhaled by the smoker. Second-hand smoke is also | | | | agents - carcinogens and toxins. |
| known as passive smoke or environmental tobacco | | | | People who live with someone who smokes and are |
| smoke (ETS). Mostly the term second-hand smoke is | | | | exposed to tobacco smoke on a regular basis have |
| used as opposed to ETS because the latter infers a | | | | around 30 per cent increased risk of developing lung |
| relationship between tobacco smoke and the | | | | cancer and heart disease. Even as little as 8 to 20 |
| environment in general resulting in confusion about its | | | | minutes of passive smoking can cause physical |
| exact meaning. Such environmental tobacco smoke | | | | reactions linked to heart disease and stroke, such as |
| (ETS) can be easily recognized by its distinctive odor | | | | increased heart rate, less oxygen to the heart, and |
| as it contaminates the air and gets retained in clothing, | | | | constricted blood vessels that increases blood |
| curtains and furniture, etc. | | | | pressure and makes the heart work harder. |
| However, it is not just limited to irritation; ETS | | | | Effects on Infants: |
| represents a dangerous health hazards across the | | | | Children are at even higher risk because their lungs are |
| globe. Over 4,000 different chemicals have been | | | | still in a stage of development and can be more easily |
| identified in ETS, and around 50 of these chemicals | | | | damaged by second-hand smoke. Infants also inhale |
| are known carcinogens. Some of the commonly found | | | | more amount of the smoke because they breathe |
| chemicals in secondhand smoke include, but are not | | | | much faster than adults. Infants who breathe |
| limited to: | | | | second-hand smoke have a greater chance of dying |
| • Benzopyrenes: These are otherwise found in coal | | | | from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), also |
| tar, one of the most potent cancer-causing chemicals. | | | | known as crib death. More than three times as many |
| • Formaldehyde: It is normally used to preserve | | | | infants die from second-hand smoke-related SIDS as |
| dead animals. | | | | from child abuse or homicide. Effects of tobacco |
| • Hydrogen cyanide: It is used in rat poison! | | | | smoking on children is more than adult person. Children |
| • Ammonia: It is used to clean floors and toilets. | | | | who are exposed to second-hand smoke have double |
| Breathing second-hand smoke can be more | | | | the risk of getting bronchitis and pneumonia. |
| dangerous than inhaling smoke through a cigarette. It | | | | Second-hand smoke can affect children’s behavior |
| has twice as much nicotine and tar as the smoke that | | | | and their ability to understand and reason. Studies have |
| people smoking inhale and five times more carbon | | | | shown that children who are regularly exposed to |
| monoxide, a deadly gas that starves your body of | | | | second-hand smoke score lower on tests in reading, |
| oxygen. | | | | math, logic and reasoning skills. For children with |
| Harmful effects of Passive Smoking: | | | | asthma, exposure to even small amounts of |
| People who do not smoke, and who are exposed to | | | | second-hand smoke can trigger an asthma attack. |
| the toxic chemicals in second-hand smoke on a regular | | | | Breathing second-hand smoke can increase the |
| basis, can suffer serious and life-threatening health | | | | number of asthma attacks. Exposing children with |
| problems. In the long term, people exposed to | | | | asthma to second-hand smoke in the home increases |
| second-hand smoke have a greater risk of suffering | | | | the number of emergency room visits and hospital |
| from lung cancer, nasal sinus cancer, heart disease, | | | | stays. Exposure to second-hand smoke can cause |
| stroke, and breathing problems, including increased | | | | children without asthma to develop it. |
| coughing, wheezing, pneumonia, bronchitis, and asthma. | | | | |