Cigarette smoking rates in the United States are the lowest they’ve ever been. Although smoking rates have dropped by 67 percent since 1965, it is estimated that approximately 14% of American adults are smokers.
Every year, more than 480,000 people die in the United States due to tobacco-related diseases. That is around 1 in 5 of all deaths in the U.S. annually. It is estimated that 1 in 2 smokers will die from a smoking-related disease.
But how about secondhand smoking?
It might come as a surprise to some people, but secondhand smoke can be more dangerous than smoking itself.
Secondhand smoke is a mixture of the smoke that comes from the burning end of a cigarette, cigar, or pipe, and the smoke exhaled by the smoker.
The smoke from burning tobacco contains more harmful substances than inhaled smoke. This means people who are around smokers might have a higher risk of smoking-related disorders.
Secondhand smoke is a serious health hazard that causes more than 41,000 deaths per year. Secondhand exposure to smoke, leads to disease and disability and harms nearly every organ system of the body. It is the leading cause of preventable death.
Smoke contains more than 7,000 chemical compounds, of which 250 are toxic and more than 70 are known cancer-causing agents. Secondhand smoke contains arsenic, lead, formaldehyde, benzene, and polonium-210, which are all carcinogens. These dangerous substances linger in the air for approximately 4 hours and breathing in these particles for only minutes can harm you.
There is no risk-free level of secondhand smoke. Unfortunately, even brief exposure can cause immediate harm.
Secondhand smoke can cause ear infections in children, heart disease, lung cancer, more frequent asthma attacks in children, emphysema, increases the risks of heart disease, and can make existing hypertension worse. In fact, nonsmokers who live with a smoker have a 20% to 30% increased risk for developing lung cancer.
Because it can take up to two weeks for nicotine alone to clear from the air in a room where smoking has occurred, opening windows or using fans will not prevent secondhand exposure. Tobacco toxins tend to stick to clothes, hair, furniture, carpets, walls and more, which increases risks of exposure.
Therefore to prevent secondhand smoke, don’t allow people to smoke in your car or your home. When possible, find smoke free hotels, rent smoke free cars, go to smoke free restaurants and bars, visit smoke free public places. Most importantly, teach your children to stay away from secondhand smoke, and make sure caretakers like nannies, babysitters, and daycare staff do not smoke.
Dr. Eva Beaulieu (IG: @dr.evab) has practiced medicine for 11 years as an Internal Medicine Hospitalist. She specializes in treating patients with High Blood Pressure, Diabetes and Obesity in Atlanta, GA.
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