Secondhand Smoke

1
Secondhand Smoke

• Defining secondhand smoke
• Whats in it?
• What does it do?
• What can you do about it?

2
Secondhand Smoke Also known as

• Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS)
• Indirect smoke
• Involuntary smoking
• Passive smoking

Secondhand smoke comes from two
sources mainstream and sidestream smoke
3
Chemicals in Secondhand Smoke

• Secondhand smoke contains over 4,000 substances
  (chemicals within tobacco, added to cigarettes
  and caused by the burning of cigarettes)
• 200 of these chemicals are known poisons
• 43 of the chemicals in cigarette smoke have been
  found to be carcinogenic (cause cancer)
• Secondhand smoke is considered by the
  Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and many
  other groups to be a carcinogen (cause cancer).

4
Effects of Secondhand Smoke

• Short Term
• Irritates eyes, nose and throats
• Irritates allergies
• Smelly clothes and hair, car, home, etc.
• Long Term
• Increased risk of lung cancer, heart disease,
  asthma, lung disease and stroke

5
How are children affected?Exposure to secondhand
smoke increases risk of

• Pneumonia
• Bronchitis
• Lung disease
• Ear infections
• Asthma attacks
• Chronic coughs and wheezing
• Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

6
Secondhand Smoke in the Workplace

• Workers exposed to secondhand smoke on the job
  are 34 more likely to get lung cancer.
• More than 90 of Americans favor restricting or
  banning smoking in public places

7
What can you do?

• Post a smoke-free sign
• Let smokers know you prefer they smoke outside or
  away from you--ask gently but assertively
• Remove ashtrays from lobby, entrance or exit
  areas
• Support smokers who want to quit
• Acknowledge locations that are smoke-free
• Dont counter hostility with additional hostility
• If all else fails, compromise