Not only does smoking contribute to death and illness in smokers, it is also harmful to infants exposed to secondhand smoke. The American Academy of Pediatrics estimates about 3,400 nonsmokers die from lung cancer associated with secondhand smoke annually. Another 22,000 to 69,000 nonsmokers who were exposed to secondhand smoke die from heart disease every year.
Significance
After the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, surveyed 14,685 representative households in 2003 on the presence of children with asthma and secondhand smoke, it determined that about 11 percent, or 3 million, U.S. children age 6 and younger were exposed to secondhand smoke four or more days a week. The EPA's survey also found that parents, not visitors, were responsible for the smoke. Parents accounted for about 90 percent of secondhand smoke, followed by grandparents and other family members. Visitors to the home were only responsible for creating about 0.3 percent of the secondhand smoke.
Chemicals and Metals in Smoke
Secondhand smoke --- the smoke exhaled by a smoker or the smoke from their cigarette, cigar or pipe --- contains about 4,000 different chemicals. About 50 chemicals from tobacco smoke are known to cause cancer. Toxic metals in secondhand smoke include arsenic, lead, chromium and cadmium. Secondhand smoke has been designated as a known human carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Toxicology Program and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).
Diseases and Complications
The developing bodies of infants and young children are more vulnerable to toxins in secondhand smoke than adults. Infants that breathe in cigarette smoke are at risk for developing ear infections, asthma, respiratory infections including bronchitis and pneumonia. Babies whose mothers smoke while pregnant or who are exposed to secondhand smoke after birth have weaker lungs than other babies, which increases the risk for other health problems. Babies less than 1 year old exposed to secondhand smoke are also at higher risk of sudden infant death syndrome, SIDS.
Protection From Secondhand Smoke
Scientific evidence gathered from numerous agencies for a 2007 Office of the Surgeon General report, "The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke," determined there is no risk-free level of exposure to secondhand smoke. The only sure way to protect infants from smoke is to keep your home and car smoke free. Parents need to make every effort to keep their children away from smokers and secondhand smoke. If you must smoke, you should go outside. Experts at the EPA say it is not enough to move to another room or open a window.
Quitting Smoking
The American Academy of Pediatrics states that quitting smoking is one of the most important things you can do for the health of your children and your own health. Seek help from your doctor who might recommend a prescription or over-the-counter medication to help you quit. Resources are also available from the American Lung Association, American Heart Association and American Cancer Society.
References
- American Academy of Pediatrics: How Does Living with a Smoker Harm My Children?
- EPA: National Survey on Environmental Management of Asthma and Children's Exposure to Environmental Tobacco Smoke
- Office of the Surgeon General: The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke
- EPA: Take the Smoke-Free Homes Pledge
