Secondhand (Passive) Smoking

Secondhand smoke comes from the tip of a cigarette and the smoke that is breathed back out by the smoker. Wherever people smoke, there is secondhand smoke in the air although you might not notice it because it is almost invisible and odourless.

Even if you open a window, secondhand smoke will still be present in a room after two and a half hours! Even if you can't see or smell any smoke, it's probably still there. Smoking in a car is even worse because all of the smoke is concentrated into a small space.

SECONDHAND SMOKE CONTAINS 4,000 TOXIC CHEMICALS

People that breath secondhand smoke are at risk of the same diseases as smokers, including cancer and heart disease, because secondhand smoke contains 4,000 toxic chemicals. It is estimated that secondhand smoke causes thousands of deaths each year.

Children are particularly affected by secondhand smoke because their bodies are still developing, and around half of all British children are growing up in homes where at least one parent is a smoker.

PROTECTING CHILDREN AND NON-SMOKERS FROM SECONDHAND SMOKE

Secondhand smoke is especially dangerous for children as they are growing up and even when they are still developing in the womb:

• Cot death is twice as likely to occur in babies whose mothers smoke.
• Smoking near children is a cause of serious respiratory illnesses, such as bronchitis and pneumonia.
• Exposure to secondhand smoke increases the risk of children developing asthma and causes asthma attacks.
• Younger children who are exposed to secondhand smoke are much more likely to contract a serious respiratory infection that requires hospitalisation.
• There is also an increased risk of meningitis for children who are exposed to secondhand smoke.
• Babies and children exposed to secondhand smoke are more likely to get coughs and colds, as well as middle ear disease, which can cause deafness.

One of the best things you can do to protect other people and children is to keep your home and car smokefree by smoking outside as smoke can linger for up to two-and-a-half-hours.

ADVICE FOR NON-SMOKERS

You have a right to protect your health and the health of your family. It is perfectly reasonable to ask people to stop smoking around you and to ask visitors to your home to smoke outside.