The Health Risks of Smoking - Without Taking a Puff
By now, nearly everyone knows about the dangers of smoking. But a report released by the U.S. Surgeon General warns that secondhand smoke may be more dangerous than we realize. In fact, regular exposure to secondhand smoke increases the risk for cardiovascular disease and lung cancer in nonsmokers.
Working or living in an environment
where there’s smoking poses the
greatest health risks associated
with secondhand smoke—the smoke that’s
emitted from the tip of a cigarette or exhaled
from a smoker. But experts now know that
any amount of exposure may be harmful.
The Cardiovascular Connection
Breathing in secondhand smoke can have a dramatic impact on the cardiovascular system. The Surgeon General’s report states that spending just a short amount of time in a smoky room can cause immediate, adverse effects, such as damage to the lining of the blood vessels, a decrease in blood flow, and blood platelets becoming stickier— all increasing the risk for a heart attack.Other studies agree. A recent article in the European Heart Journal explains that just 20 minutes of secondhand smoke exposure negatively affects blood platelets to the same degree as actively smoking one or two cigarettes.
Cancer Link
According to the American Cancer Society, secondhand smoke contains 60 known or suspected cancer-causing chemicals. In fact, about 3,000 nonsmokers die each year due to lung cancer from secondhand smoke alone.A Focus on Children
Infants and children are most affected by the dangers of secondhand smoke because their bodies are still developing. Those exposed to smoke have a higher risk for:- sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
- ear infections
- asthma attacks
- pneumonia
- bronchitis.
Steps to Minimize Exposure to Secondhand Smoke
Take the following actions to protect yourself and your family:- Don’t rely on air filters, fans, or open windows to eliminate secondhand smoke. Moving to another room won’t help enough either. For clean air, maintain a no-smoking policy in your home and car.
- Ensure your children’s daycare and school are smoke-free.
- Choose restaurants and businesses that are nonsmoking.
