Secondhand smoke is exhaled smoke leaving a burning tobacco product such as a cigarette, cigar, or pipe.
Exposure to secondhand smoke can happen indoors or outdoors and can linger for several hours. People who don’t smoke exposed to secondhand smoke are exposed to the very same hazardous chemicals as people who do smoke and can be in danger even if exposure is limited to short periods. This is especially true in confined spaces such as homes, vehicles, and congested public spaces.
Just like smokers, non-smokers exposed to secondhand smoke can be at higher risk for conditions like lung cancer, heart disease, premature death, and breathing problems such as asthma and emphysema or COPD.
Infants and children exposed to secondhand smoke have an increased risk of low birth weight, lung infection, pneumonia, asthma attacks, bronchitis, Sudden Death Syndrome (SIDS), and ear infection.
Pets are affected by secondhand smoke too. Pets have an increased risk of respiratory infection, lung inflammation, asthma, and nasal and lung cancers.
Keeping tobacco and nicotine products away from children and pets helps to keep them safe from possible ingestion – resulting in potential poisoning.
