What is secondhand smoke?
New York's Smoke-Free Workplace LawSecondhand smoke is a combination of a smoker’s exhaled smoke and the smoke from a burning cigarette. It contains more than 4,000 substances, including 200 known poisons and 43 cancer-causing substances and kills an estimated 62,000 nonsmokers each year in the United States.
Related QuestionsHeart Disease, Diseases Caused by Smoking at Quit TobaccoSmoking is not only a "drag" on you, but it also can harm your nonsmoking friends and family members, including any children in your life. Secondhand smoke includes both: Secondhand smoke contains the same nasty poisons and chemicals that the smoker inhales. It's hard enough to imagine ingesting insect poison or ammonia yourself, but imagine putting them into a baby or small child! Exposure to secondhand smoke doubles a baby's risk of dying from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).Related Questions
Secondhand Smoking Ordinance FAQSecondhand smoke, is the combination of two forms of smoke from burning tobacco products: sidestream smoke and mainstream smoke. Sidestream smoke, which makes up about half of all secondhand smoke, comes from the burning end of a cigarette, cigar, or pipe. Mainstream smoke is exhaled by the smoker. Exposure to secondhand smoke is also called involuntary smoking or passive smoking.Related Questions
How can secondhand smoke hurt the unborn baby and the newborn?
Our Most Frequently Asked QuestionsCigarette smoke in the pregnant woman cuts the flow of oxygen to her unborn baby. This can be very dangerous, even life threatening to the fetus. Infants who are born to mothers who smoke are more likely to be born premature, which is the leading cause of infant death. Infants that are around secondhand smoke are at risk of dying of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
Related QuestionsHow can I measure secondhand smoke exposure?
www.WorkingSmokeFree.comEvidence that you have been exposed to secondhand smoke can be found in your lungs (increased levels of carbon monoxide), blood and urine (in cotinine, a byproduct of nicotine). Your local health department or primary care physician likely can test you for elevated levels of these substances.
Related QuestionsMaking UWM A Smoke-Free CampusSecondhand smoke is the combination of the smoke that people who smoke breathe out, plus the smoke that comes directly from the burning end of a cigarette, cigar, or pipe. Secondhand smoke is known to increase the risk for lung cancer and coronary artery disease in nonsmoking adults. Secondhand smoke is associated with an estimated 3,000 lung cancer deaths and more than 35,000 coronary heart disease deaths in nonsmokers in the US annually.Related Questions
Frequently asked questionsSecondhand smoke is composed of sidestream smoke (the smoke released from the burning end of a cigarette, pipe or cigar) and exhaled mainstream smoke (the smoke exhaled by the smoker).Related Questions
What chemicals are present in secondhand smoke?
Secondhand Smoking Ordinance FAQMore than 4,000 chemicals have been identified in mainstream tobacco smoke; however, the actual number may be more than 100,000. Of the chemicals identified in secondhand smoke, at least 60 are carcinogens (substances that cause cancer), such as formaldehyde. Six others are substances that interfere with normal cell development, such as nicotine and carbon monoxide. Following is a partial list of chemicals found in tobacco smoke:
Related QuestionsWhere can I find fact sheets on the effects of exposure to secondhand smoke?
www.WorkingSmokeFree.comYou can find lots of information about secondhand smoke in the Why go smoke free? section of this site.
Related QuestionsIs there really a debate as to whether secondhand smoke exposure is harmful?
www.WorkingSmokeFree.comThere is no debate about the effects of exposure to secondhand smoke. The Environmental Protection Agency, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National Cancer Institute all agree that exposure to secondhand smoke is toxic and carcinogenic.
Related QuestionsAre there trainings available for changing secondhand smoke policies?
www.WorkingSmokeFree.comYes! Contact the EnTER Program or the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Tobacco Prevention and Control Branch for more information on trainings and technical assistance.
Related QuestionsWhat risks are associated with secondhand smoke for nonsmokers?
DAODAS FAQsSecondhand smoke, also known as environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), has been declared by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as a "Class A carcinogen" - meaning that it is a major cause of cancer and other serious public health problems. The health of nonsmokers is adversely affected by secondhand smoke as seen in more than 3,000 cases of lung cancer and 40,000 heart attack deaths of nonsmokers each year who have been exposed regularly to ETS.
Related QuestionsWhat are the health effects of exposure to secondhand smoke?
Secondhand Smoking Ordinance FAQSecondhand smoke exposure is a known risk factor for lung cancer. Approximately 3,000 lung cancer deaths occur each year among adult non-smokers in the United States as a result of exposure to secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke is also linked to nasal sinus cancer. Some research suggests an association between secondhand smoke and cancers of the cervix, breast, and bladder. However, more research is needed in order to confirm a link to these cancers.
Related QuestionsIs secondhand smoke really that harmful?
Smokefree England: General InformationSecondhand smoke kills. The Government's independent Scientific Committee on Tobacco and Health concluded after reviewing the available medical and scientific evidence in 2004 that exposure to secondhand smoke contributes to a range of serious medical conditions, including: children exposed to secondhand smoke are at an increased risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), acute respiratory infections, ear problems and more severe asthma.
Related QuestionsFAQ - generalThe World Health Organisation has classified tobacco smoke as a known human carcinogen. The US Environmental Protection Agency classified secondhand smoke as a “class A” human carcinogen—along with asbestos, arsenic, benzene and radon gas.Related Questions
Frequently Asked QuestionsSecondhand smoke kills. The Government's Independent Scientific Committee on Tobacco and Health concluded in 2004 that exposure to secondhand smoke contributes to a range of serious medical conditions, including: children exposed to secondhand smoke are at an increased risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), acute respiratory infections, ear problems and more severe asthma.Related Questions
Frequently Asked QuestionsIn reviewing the evidence of the health risks from secondhand smoke, the Government's independent Scientific Committee on Tobacco and Health concluded that exposure to secondhand smoke was a cause of a range of medical conditions, including: reduced lung function In 2005, research published in the British Medical Journal estimated that over 600 deaths each year in the UK are due to exposure to secondhand smoke in the workplace.Related Questions
Q7: What evidence is there that secondhand smoke is a health risk?
Frequently Asked QuestionsThe evidence base that secondhand smoke harms health is substantial, and has been reviewed extensively, both in this country by the Government's independent Scientific Committee on Tobacco and Health, and overseas. The World Health Organisation's International Agency for Research on Cancer's report "Tobacco Smoke and Involuntary Smoking" published in 2004 reviewed the evidence of the health risks associated with smoking and secondhand smoke-that report is over 1,400 pages long.
Related QuestionsIs there any conclusive evidence that secondhand smoke is a health hazard?
SFC: Glad You Asked: Frequently Asked QuestionsThe above organizations are in addition to researchers in universities from around the world. The evidence that secondhand smoke is a health hazard is simply overwhelming. Every reputable major health organization and government agency agrees that secondhand smoke is dangerous to your health. In April 2004 the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention made history.
Related QuestionsWhy everybody says that Secondhand Smoke is harmful?
TeenSmart.net - FAQSecondhand smoke comes from both the smoke that smokers exhale (called mainstream smoke) and the smoke floating from the end of the cigarette, cigar, or pipe (called sidestream smoke). Secondhand smoke actually contains thousands of chemicals — from arsenic ammonia to hydrogen cyanide — many of which have been proven to be toxic or to cause cancer (called carcinogens).
Related QuestionsHow does secondhand smoke affect my health?
MyMonroe. Opening Up Government. | Monroe County, NYSecondhand smoke has been classified by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a known cause of lung cancer in humans (Group A carcinogen). It causes eye, nose and throat irritation; headaches; may contribute to heart disease; increased risk of lower respiratory tract infections such a bronchitis and pneumonia; increased severity and frequency of asthma episodes and decreased lung function.
Related QuestionsHow does secondhand smoke affect people with asthma?
American Lung Association of North CarolinaStudies show that children of smokers are more likely to have asthma episodes, and their asthma can worsen, compared with children whose parents do not use tobacco
Related QuestionsWhy do people need protection from exposure to secondhand smoke?
Frequently asked questionsTobacco smoke contains over 4,000 chemicals and in second hand tobacco smoke that includes 60 known cancer-causing substances including cyanide and arsenic. Exposure to secondhand smoke contributes to a range of serious medical conditions including: children exposed to secondhand smoke are at an increased risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), acute respiratory infections, ear problems and more severe asthma.
Related QuestionsCan secondhand marijuana smoke or poppy seeds cause a positive test?
National Drug-Free Workplace AllianceLaboratories utilize conservative cutoff levels when conducting drug tests. Under normal circumstances, a person would not consume enough marijuana from secondhand smoke or eat enough poppy seeds to to reach these cutoff levels to trigger a positive drug test.
Related QuestionsWhat if I smoke?
Bicon Dental Implants | Frequently Asked QuestionsSmoking can inhibit proper healing of an implant. However, this does not prevent smokers from having implants successfully placed and restored. You should speak with your dentist for more specific information relating to your dental needs and the effects of smoking.
Related QuestionsIf a room is properly ventilated, does that mean secondhand smoke is no longer a danger?
Frequently Asked Questions about Tobacco, Florida Lawyer, Mi...Secondhand smoke is a danger whenever it is present. While ventilation systems can remove large smoke particles, they generally cannot get rid of the smaller gas particles that smoking also produces. The only way to be protected from the dangers of secondhand smoke - including cancer and respiratory problems - is to be in a genuinely smoke-free environment.
Related QuestionsCan I smoke in my room?
FAQNo. WCSU residence halls have been smoke-free since 2001, and State law now requires that all colleges and universities have smoke-free residence halls. If you’re not 21, you may not consume alcohol or be in a room in which it is present or being consumed. For a full explanation of the policy, please read the WCSU University Wide Alcohol Policy.
Related QuestionsWhat about the smoke from fires?
Frequently Asked QuestionsFire managers must carefully coordinate with State and County agencies responsible for smoke management. Fuel consumption and the emissions produced, trajectory and dispersion can be estimated using computer models. Like forecasting weather, smoke management is not an exact science. Smoke management is also very complicated, because there can be many sources.
Related Questions