3 Very Real Dangers of Secondhand Smoke

Saturday, November 24, 2012

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Secondhand smoke is the combination of smoke from the burning end of a cigarette and the smoke breathed out by the smoker. When you stand near a smoker or go to a restaurant or home where smoking is allowed, you breathe secondhand smoke.

Secondhand smoke is dangerous. People who are exposed to secondhand smoke are at risk of:

  1. Cancer

    Secondhand smoke has more than 50 chemicals that are known to cause cancer in adults. It can cause lung cancer in people who have never smoked themselves.

  2. Heart disease

    Even a short time in a smoky room has immediate harmful effects on the body. Breathing secondhand smoke makes it more likely that you will get heart disease, have a heart attack, or die early.

  3. Breathing problems

    Secondhand smoke can cause problems like coughing, extra phlegm, wheezing, and shortness of breath.

There is no safe amount of secondhand smoke. Breathing secondhand smoke for even a short time can hurt your body. Over time, secondhand smoke causes death and disease in kids and adults—even if they do not smoke.


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