Secondhand smoke is also called passive smoke or environmental tobacco smoke. It consists of two types of smoke: sidestream smoke, which emanates from a lighted cigarette, and mainstream smoke, which the smoker exhales. Non-smokers who inhale secondhand smoke also take in toxic chemicals such as nicotine.

Secondhand smoke Diseases

Health experts have classified secondhand smoke as a known carcinogen. Tobacco smoke hosts about 4,000 chemicals. Out of these, about 60 chemicals are known to cause cancer. In the U.S., secondhand smoke causes the following health effects:

• About 46,000 non-smokers die from heart disease as they live with smokers.
• About 3,400 non-smoking adults die of lung cancer.
• Secondhand smoke can cause reduced lung function, chest discomfort, mucus and coughing.
• Passive smoke even affects toddlers less than 18 months old. It causes about 50,000 to 300,000 lung infections in toddlers, that cause up to 15,000 hospitalizations each year.
• Secondhand smoke increases the severity of asthma attacks in children.
• Passive smoke causes about 750,000 middle ear infections in non-smoking children.
• Non-smoking pregnant women who are exposed to passive smoke, suffer the risk of giving birth to babies with low-birth weight.

Secondhand Smoke may Cause Breast Cancer

Researchers are studying the link between secondhand smoke and breast cancer. Secondhand smoke hosts about 20 chemicals, which in high amounts, lead to breast cancer in lab rodents. In humans, tobacco smoke chemicals reach the breast tissue and are also present in breast milk.

More Health Effects of Secondhand Smoke

Read on to learn about more health hazards caused by secondhand smoke:

• Passive smoke causes disease and premature death in non-smoking adults and children.
• Secondhand smoke affects children by making them more vulnerable to severe asthma, ear problems, respiratory infections and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
• Passive smoke immediately impacts blood circulation and the heart. Long-term passive smoking can lead to lung cancer and heart disease.
• Despite greater tobacco regulation, millions of non-smoking adults and children are still being exposed to passive smoke in homes and workplaces.
• • This form of smoking is a leading reason for indoor air pollution. Also, it is considered to be a major source of particle air pollution.
  • According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), it has been estimated that chances of developing cancer due to passive smoking is 57 times greater than combined risk due to other outdoor contaminants.