What is passive smoking?
As you may have heard before not only the smoker theirselves are in danger when they smoke, but so are the people surrounding and breathing in the smoke.
Secondhand smoke comes from the smoke that smokers exhale which is called mainstream smoke and the smoke which comes and floats from the end of the cigarette, cigar, or pipe which is called sidestream smoke.
Passive smoking is also known as 'Second-hand smoke'.
This is when the smoker is smoking and there is a child or someone else breathing in the smoke. The people/person, who is around the smoker, inhales the same chemicals into their bodies.
Why is passive smoking dangerous?
Passive / secondhand smoking can significantly increases a person's risk for:
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Cancer
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Heart disease
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Asthma (can cause attacks for those who have asthma already)
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Sore throats, sniffling and sneezing
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Ability to be physically active
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Non-smokers who live with the second-hand smoke of a smoker increase their risk of lung cancer by 20-30%
It is estimated that in Australia years 2004-2005, 113 adults and 28 infants died from diseases caused by second-hand smoke in the home.
Smoke that burns off the end of a cigarette (called sidestream smoke) may be more toxic than the mainstream smoke a smoker would inhale.
