It causes many illnesses in children like ear infections and hearing problems, respiratory problems like bronchitis and pneumonia, and asthma. Secondhand smoke comes from cigarettes, pipes or cigars. Researchers have now found that breathing in someone else's smoke is very dangerous, especially for children. Secondhand smoke is the smoke that is breathed out by a smoker and the smoke that comes from the tip of a burning cigarette. Exposure to secondhand smoke happens any time someone breathes in the smoke that comes from a cigarette, pipe or cigar.
Secondhand smoke contains many dangerous chemicals that have been proven to cause cancer.
Secondhand smoke has almost 4,000 chemicals in it that infants and children breathe in whenever someone smokes around them. Children who breathe it in are at risk for many serious health problems we ordinarily think are caused by something else, like colds or flu or swimmer's ear. Secondhand smoke can cause a stuffy nose, headaches, sore throat, eye irritation, hoarseness, dizziness, nausea, loss of appetite, lack of energy, or fussiness. Children exposed to secondhand smoke cough and wheeze more and have a harder time getting over colds. Their lungs may not ever reach their full capacity.