Cigarette or tobacco smoke, also called secondhand smoke, is a mixture of gases and fine particles. It contains smoke from a burning cigarette and exhaled smoke from the smoker consisting of more than 4,000 chemicals, from which, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), at least 250 are toxic and more than 50 can cause cancer. Nonsmokers exposed to the tobacco smoke are at risk for developing serious health issues, such as cancer, respiratory infections and heart disease.
Toxic Chemicals in Cigarette Smoke
Some of the many toxic chemicals that people inhale from secondhand smoke include acetone--part of nail polish remover; acetic acid found in hair dye; ammonia -- a household cleaner; carbon monoxide -- the gas released in car exhaust fumes; formaldehyde -- an embalming fluid; lead -- used in batteries; methanol-- a main component in rocket fuel; nicotine -- used as insecticide; tar -- road-paving material; and toluene--used to manufacture paint.
Carcinogenic Chemicals in Cigarette Smoke
Cigarette smoke is so harmful that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has classified it as a "Group A" carcinogen, which includes most toxic cancer-causing substances. Some of the highly carcinogenic chemicals include arsenic, a heavy metal toxin; benzene, a chemical found in gasoline; beryllium, a toxic metal; cadmium, used in batteries, polonium-210, a chemical element that gives off radiation and vinyl chloride, used in plastics manufacture.
Health Problems in Children
In children, secondhand smoke can cause ear infections, more frequent and severe asthma attacks, respiratory infections, respiratory symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, shortness of breath. Smoking around infants increases the risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
The CDC has estimated that in the U.S., exposure to cigarette smoke in children 18 months old or younger results in 150,000-300,000 new cases of bronchitis and pneumonia and 7,500-15,000 hospitalizations each year.
Health Problems in Adults
In adults, breathing secondhand smoke has harmful effects on the cardiovascular system that can increase the risk of heart disease by 25-30 percent, especially in people with heart problems. According to the CDC estimations, cigarette smoke exposure causes 46,000 heart disease deaths annually among adult nonsmokers in the U.S.
Tobacco smoke increases the risk of lung cancer in nonsmokers by 20-30 percent. The CDC has estimated that secondhand smoke is responsible for 3,400 lung cancer deaths annually among adult nonsmokers in the U.S.
Warning and prevention
Despite the increasing number of smoking-ban laws in work and public places, more than 126 million nonsmokers in the U. S. continue to be exposed to secondhand smoke in homes, vehicles, workplaces, and public places, reports the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Especially children are innocent victims of the secondhand smoke, since they usually do not have a choice.
According to the Surgeon General, even small amounts of secondhand smoke exposure can be harmful to people's health. The only way to fully protect nonsmokers from its dangers is a completely smoke-free environment.
References
- "Centers for Disease Control and Prevention"; Smoking and Tobacco Use
- "Surgeon General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services"; The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke
- "American Lung Association"; What's in a Cigarette?
- "National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute"; I Mind Very Much If You Smoke
- "National Cancer Institute"; Quitting Smoking: Why To Quit and How To Get Help
