Secondhand smoke causes or exacerbates a wide range of adverse health effects, including cancer, respiratory infections, and asthma. Secondhand smoke causes lung cancer and other health problems. The EPA estimates that secondhand smoke causes approximately 3,000 lung cancer deaths and 37,000 heart disease deaths in nonsmokers each year.
Secondhand smoke is especially harmful to young children.
Secondhand smoke is harmful to children with asthma. The EPA estimates that for between 200,000 and one million asthmatic children, exposure to secondhand smoke worsens their condition. According to the EPA, secondhand smoke can lead to the buildup of fluid in the middle ear, the most common cause of hospitalization of children for an operation. Keep smoke away from you and your family by asking people not to smoke in your home. Make sure your child's day care site and school are smoke-free.