Health effects of secondhand smoke

May 15th, 2010, Author: admin, Categories: General information on tobacco, nicotine, marijuana

Tobacco smoke in an Irish pub before a smoking...

Image via Wikipedia

Although most people know that smoking is dangerous, many smokers cannot seem to quit. They defend their habit by saying that they are only affecting themselves if they smoke. However, smoking also has an effect on the health of those who don’t smoke. Family, children, friends, co-workers, and even bystanders may suffer health effects from passive smoking.

What is passive smoking? You probably are familiar with the term “secondhand smoke” to describe the smoke inhaled by someone within close proximity to a smoker. Secondhand smoke is a combination of smoke from a burning cigarette, pipe, or cigar, and the smoke exhaled by a smoker. It often contains greater amounts of harmful chemicals than inhaled smoke, for instance, double the amount of tar and nicotine. This puts passive smokers at a higher risk of smoking related diseases and health issues.

Studies of the effects of passive smoking on health show increased risks for heart disease, lung disease, and various illnesses for people constantly exposed to secondhand smoke. Statistics on smoking and passive smoking show a link between secondhand smoke and cancer, with people exposed to secondhand smoke having an increased risk of lung cancer and heart disease. Sadly, it is not uncommon for the nonsmoking spouse or child of a smoker to develop illnesses related to smoking because of long-term secondhand smoke inhalation.

Secondhand smoke is especially damaging to infants and children. Young children exposed to secondhand smoke are at a higher risk of respiratory infections and other respiratory health problems. Children who have asthma are at a higher risk of having more frequent attacks. Passive smoking is also responsible for raising a pregnant woman’s risk of having a low birth weight baby or a miscarriage.

Due to the negative health effects of secondhand smoke, smoking has been outlawed in many public areas, such as restaurants and bars. Secondhand smoke can also be an issue in the workplace.

Workers who inhale secondhand smoke have an increased risk of illness and even miss more days of work. This has led many offices to ban smoking on the premises, and some areas have even passed legislation against smoking at work.

Among workplaces with a ban on smoking, employers report more productive employees and fewer absences from work.