“An hour a day in a room with a smoker is nearly a hundred times more likely to cause lung cancer in a non-smoker than 20 years spent in a building containing asbestos.”
~Sir Richard Doll, 1985
Passive smoking means breathing in other people's tobacco smoke. Second-hand smoke is a danger to everyone, but children, pregnant women
and the partners of people who smoke are most vulnerable. Passive
smoking increases the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS or cot
death), middle ear disease, asthma, respiratory illnesses, lung cancer
and coronary heart disease.
Irritant effects of passive smoking
- Tobacco smoke contains around 7,000 chemicals, made up of particles and gases, over 50 of which are known to cause cancer. Second-hand smoke has been confirmed as a cause of lung cancer in humans by several leading health authorities.
- Compounds such as ammonia, sulphur and formaldehyde irritate the eyes, nose, throat and lungs. These compounds are especially harmful to people with respiratory conditions such as bronchitis or asthma. Exposure to second-hand smoke can either trigger or worsen symptoms.
Health risks of passive smoking – children
A child who lives in a smoking household for the first 18 months of their life has an increased risk of developing a range of respiratory illnesses including bronchitis, bronchiolitis and pneumonia. They are also more prone to getting colds, coughs and glue ear (middle ear infections). Their lungs show a reduced ability to function and slower growth.
Children of people who smoke have an increased risk of meningococcal disease, which can sometimes cause death or disability.
WHO report on Passive Smoking effect
http://www.who.int/tobacco/en/atlas10.pdf
