Asthma is very common. It is called a Reactive Airway Disease . Triggers do not cause inflammation and therefore do not cause asthma. Symptoms and constriction of vessels in the lungs caused by triggers tend to be immediate, short-lived, and rapidly reversible. Air passages will react more quickly to triggers if inflammation is already present in the airways.
Smoke acts as a very strong trigger.
Second-hand smoke has been shown to aggravate asthma symptoms, especially in children. The effects of one cigarette lingers for 7 days. Asthma attacks can be mild, moderate, or severe, and can last for a few minutes, a few hours, or several days. Attacks can occur anywhere and at any time. Many attacks occur at night.