Secondhand smoke is the smoke breathed out by smokers and the smoke from the burning end of a cigarette, cigar or pipe. The smoke from the burning end of a cigarette has many harmful chemicals. It is not easy to avoid secondhand smoke because about one in four people smoke. The following are tips on how to protect yourself and your family. Secondhand smoke causes about 3,000 deaths each year from lung cancer in people who don't smoke.
Secondhand smoke causes irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat.
Secondhand smoke can also irritate the lungs, leading to coughing, excessive phlegm and chest discomfort. Secondhand smoke has been linked with the onset of chest pain and is associated with death from heart disease in 37,000 people each year. Children who breathe secondhand smoke are more likely to suffer from pneumonia, bronchitis, and other lung diseases. Children who breathe secondhand smoke have more ear infections. Children who breathe secondhand smoke are more likely to develop asthma.