Passive smoking can occur anywhere and everywhere. By inhaling tobacco smoke, non-smokers are exposed to the same chemicals as smokers are, such as nicotine and carbon monoxide.
But what are the effects of secondhand smoke?
More than 7,000 chemicals have been identified in cigarette smoke and 250 are considered dangerous, with 69 of them being carcinogenic. Therefore, secondhand smoke can cause cancer.
But in addition to its carcinogens, secondhand smoke can cause many other diseases, such as:
- Lung cancer
Living with a smoker and inhaling his smoke can increase the risk of developing lung cancer by 20-30%.
- Heart disease
Inhalation of smoke can damage the cardiovascular system and increase the chances of heart attack, especially in those who already have a heart disease. Non-smokers exposed to other people’s tobacco are 25-30% more likely to develop heart disease.
- Consequences for children
It has been observed that children exposed to cigarette smoke are more likely to develop ear infections and fluid accumulation in their ears.
For children with asthma, even the slightest exposure to cigarette smoke can cause an asthma attack.
Children also have an increased rate of respiratory tract infections when exposed to second-hand smoke.
So make your GOAL. Quit smoking for you and your loved ones!