| The most serious risk that smokers pose to those | | | | Passive smokers also are exposed to ammonia, |
| who do not smoke is exposure to their second hand | | | | carbon monoxide, methanol, and hydrogen cyanide. |
| smoke. Involuntary inhalation of tobacco smoke by | | | | Pregnant women are highly susceptible to the effects |
| non-smokers is also known as passive smoking | | | | of secondhand smoke. Their babies have an increased |
| because it involves breathing in a mixture of smoke | | | | risk to being born prematurely and with a lower then |
| exhaled by the smoker and from the burning cigarette, | | | | normal birth weight. After birth these children are also |
| cigar, or pipe. In fact research has shown that tobacco | | | | more at risk for developing allergies, asthma, asthmatic |
| smoke may continue to linger for several hours after a | | | | bronchitis, and other respiratory issues. Avoiding |
| cigarette has been extinguished, furthering unwanted | | | | smokers and smoky environments is an important part |
| exposure to its affects. | | | | of a healthy pregnancy. |
| The two kinds of secondhand smoke are known as | | | | As harmful as 2nd hand smoke is children are at the |
| side-stream and main-stream smoke. Side-stream is | | | | greatest risk to its effects. The American Lung |
| the smoke that is exhaled from the lungs while | | | | Association did a recent study that revealed that |
| main-stream comes from the burning tip of the | | | | secondhand smoke is responsible for between 150,000 |
| tobacco product. This smoke is as dangerous to the | | | | to 300,000 cases of bronchitis and pneumonia in |
| non-smoker as it is to the smoker as it contains a | | | | infants 18 months of age and younger. Approximately |
| number of chemicals are toxic and are known | | | | 15,000 of these children need to be hospitalized. |
| carcinogens. | | | | Secondhand smoke is not something to be ignored; |
| Some of the 4000 chemicals found in secondhand | | | | exposure to it can cause a multitude of dangerous |
| smoke include formaldehyde, arsenic, cadmium, | | | | health effects. Avoiding it is the best way to avoid |
| benzene, and ethylene oxide are all considered to | | | | these problems but if someone in your life is a smoker |
| increase the risk of lung cancer. In fact there are 60 | | | | helping them cut or quit the habit will improve not only |
| carcinogenic chemicals found in cigarette smoke. | | | | their health but the health of those around them. |