Act Now BC - Second-hand smoke

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Second-hand smoke

Second-hand Smoke

What is second-hand smoke?
Second-hand smoke is a mix of the smoke that comes from the burning end of a lit cigarette, pipe or cigar and the smoke blown into the air by the person smoking.

How dangerous is second-hand smoke?
Second-hand smoke is poisonous and has over 4,000 chemicals in it, including 50 that can cause cancer. Second-hand smoke can be more dangerous than smoking. Smokers inhale their chemical cocktail through a filter; second-hand smokers aren’t so lucky.

Second-hand smoke has twice as much nicotine and tar as the smoke smokers inhale, and 5 times more carbon monoxide, a deadly gas that starves your body of oxygen. Other chemicals found in second-hand smoke include:

Benzo[a]pyrene – found in coal tar, is a chemical likely to cause cancer in humans.
Formaldehyde – used to preserve dead animals.
Hydrogen cyanide – used in rat poison.
Ammonia – used to clean floors and toilets.

Each year in Canada , second-hand smoke causes more than 1,000 deaths among non-smokers, mainly from lung cancer and heart disease, and keeps many more from leading healthy lives.

How does second-hand smoke harm your health?
Health experts do not know of a safe level of exposure to second-hand smoke.

People who do not smoke, and who are exposed to the toxic chemicals in second-hand smoke on a regular basis, can suffer serious and life-threatening health problems.
In the long term, people exposed to second-hand smoke have a greater risk of suffering from lung cancer, nasal sinus cancer, heart disease, stroke and breathing problems, including increased coughing, wheezing, pneumonia, bronchitis and asthma.
People who live with a smoker and are exposed to smoke on a regular basis have a 30% higher risk of developing lung cancer and heart disease.
People who do not smoke will suffer from the effects of second-hand smoke right away. Even as little as 8 - 20 minutes’ exposure can cause physical reactions linked to heart disease and stroke, such as increased heart rate, a reduced supply of oxygen to the heart, and constricted blood vessels that increase blood pressure and make the heart work harder.
Pregnant women exposed to second-hand smoke can have a greater risk of miscarriages and babies with low birth weight.

How does second-hand smoke harm infants and children?

Infants and children are exposed to second-hand smoke in 1 out of 5 BC homes every day.
These children are at higher risk of getting sick because their lungs are still developing and are more easily damaged by second-hand smoke. Infants also inhale more of the smoke because they breathe faster than adults.

Second-hand smoke is harmful to infants and children in the following ways:

Infants who breathe second-hand smoke have a greater chance of dying from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), also known as crib death.
More than 3 times as many infants die from second-hand smoke-related SIDS as from child abuse or homicide. For more information, see BC HealthFile Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) .
Children who are exposed to second-hand smoke have double the risk of getting bronchitis and pneumonia. They also get more ear infections and suffer more from chronic coughing, wheezing and breathlessness.
Second-hand smoke can affect children’s behaviour and their ability to understand and reason. Studies have shown that children who are regularly exposed to second-hand smoke score lower on tests in reading, math, logic and reasoning skills.

Does second-hand smoke harm children with asthma?

Asthma is a chronic lung condition that causes problems with breathing. An asthma attack can involve wheezing, coughing, tightness, pressure or pain in the chest and shortness of breath. In rare cases, asthma can be fatal.
For children with asthma, exposure to even small amounts of second-hand smoke can trigger an asthma attack.
Breathing second-hand smoke can increase the number of asthma attacks and can make the attacks worse. It also increases the number of emergency room visits and hospital stays for affected children.
Exposure to second-hand smoke can cause children without asthma to develop it.

What can you do about second-hand smoke?

Make your home smoke-free. Remember, the smoke from one cigarette can stay in a room for hours, even if the window is open. Air purifiers and ventilation systems might remove some of the smoke, but cannot remove all the toxic chemicals.
Do not allow smoking in your car. As most cars are airtight, the smoke has no place to escape. Opening a window can change the airflow and cause the smoke to be blown directly back at the people in the car.
Talk to your family and friends about the dangers of second-hand smoke and encourage them to have smoke-free homes and cars.
Do not let family, friends or babysitters smoke around your children.
Ask your family and friends to respect your smoke-free environment.

Taken from the BC Health File, The Harmful Effects of Second-Hand Smoke .

Links:

Canadian Council for Tobacco Control

Physicians for a Smoke Free Canada

Clean Air Coalition

If you would like to quit smoking, call the toll-free Quitnow helpline at 1-877-455-2233 or visit Quitnow.ca .