But the effects are very real. People exposed to secondhand smoke can and do die of all the same diseases that smokers do. With a smoker in the home, even if your house is equipped with a HEPA filter, exhaust fan or open windows, carbon monoxide is released into the home air.
Carbon monoxide is one of the most dangerous elements of secondhand smoke.
It attaches to red blood cells in the places where oxygen should. This has the same effect, in terms of breathing, as backing your car up to the front door and breathing exhaust fumes straight from the tailpipe. If you can t convince the smoker to quit, the next best way to avoid inhaling a family member s smoke toxins is to have that person smoke outdoors not in the home, car or any other enclosed space. Everyone is affected by secondhand smoke over a period of time. With pregnant women who do not smoke but are exposed to secondhand smoke, the baby is born with a bi-product of nicotine in his or her hair.