The Dangers of Secondhand Smoke

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The Dangers of Secondhand
Smoke

Daily Bread

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good.
Psalm 136:1

Damaging health effects may linger in the home for years

Secondhand smoke can pose a health hazard to people even if no one is smoking near them. Toxic chemicals linger long after the cigarette smoke has cleared.

“If you smoke in your house at all even if you’re not in same room or not at home, people are still exposed to secondhand smoke,” said Robert Higginbotham, MD, a Memphis pediatrician. “Smoke particles get in the upholstery, rugs and drapes and continue to be re-circulated for years. The same holds true for cars – even when people smoke with the windows open.”

Secondhand smoke has been designated as a known human carcinogen (cancer-causing agent) by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Toxicology Program and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Secondhand smoke contains hundreds of chemicals known to be toxic or carcinogenic, including formaldehyde, benzene, vinyl chloride, arsenic, ammonia and hydrogen cyanide.

To protect your health, the best thing to do is avoid cigarette smoke altogether, Dr. Higginbotham said. Of course, that can be a challenge if a family member or close friend smokes cigarettes.

“I don’t think anyone can tell how much smoke exposure is potentially damaging and what’s OK,” Dr. Higginbotham said.

Even small, intermittent exposure can cause harm. Short exposures to secondhand smoke can cause blood platelets to become stickier, damage the lining of blood vessels, decrease coronary flow velocity reserves and reduce heart rate variability, potentially increasing the risk of a heart attack. Secondhand smoke can quickly irritate and damage the lining of the airways. Nonsmokers who are exposed to secondhand smoke increase their risk of developing heart disease by 25 - 30 percent and the risk of developing lung cancer by 20 - 30 percent, according to the U.S. Surgeon General.

Children are particularly vulnerable to the damaging health effects of secondhand smoke, Dr. Higginbotham said. Almost 60 percent of U.S. children aged 3-11 years—or almost 22 million children—are exposed to secondhand smoke, according to the U.S. Surgeon General.

Secondhand smoke exposure can cause children with asthma to experience more frequent and severe attacks. Children who are exposed to secondhand smoke have a higher rate of ear infections. Babies who are exposed to secondhand smoke have a higher rate of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

So how do you protect your children? What do you do if a grandparent smokes? It can be a touchy subject. Dr. Higginbotham encourages parents invite grandparents to their home and to avoid letting children spend time at the grandparent’s home if they will be exposed to cigarette smoking.

If you are a smoker, you can have a great impact on your health and the health of others if you stop smoking. For more information, visit the American Lung Association’s Web site.

Published: September 19, 2006
Sources: Dr. Robert Higginbotham, MD; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke: A Report of the Surgeon General. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 2006.
Writer: Elizabeth Todd Bartholomew, MA, APR

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