[Secondhand Smoke]

Secondhand smoke is a mixture of the smoke given off by the burning end of a cigarette, pipe, or cigar and the smoke exhaled from the lungs of smokers.
The mixture contains more than 4,000 substances. More than 43 of these substances are known to cause cancer.
Secondhand smoke has been classified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a known cause of lung cancer in humans (Group A Carcinogen).
Secondhand smoke causes approximately 3,000 lung cancer deaths in nonsmokers each year.
Being around secondhand smoke causes irritation of the eye, nose, and throat.
Secondhand smoke also irritates the lungs. This can lead to coughing, excess phlegm, chest discomfort, and difficulty in breathing.

Infants and young children whose parents smoke are among the most seriously affected by exposure to secondhand smoke. This puts them at higher risk of infections such as colds, pneumonia and bronchitis.
Children exposed to secondhand smoke are also more likely to have reduced lung function and symptoms of respiratory irritation such as coughing, excess phlegm, and wheezing.
Secondhand smoke can lead to a buildup of fluid in the middle ear. This is a serious problem, and in many cases results in the child needing an operation to drain the fluid.
Children with asthma are especially at risk. The EPA estimates that between 200,000 and 1,000,000 asthmatic children have their conditions made worse by secondhand smoke.

In your home:

Do not allow anyone to smoke in your home.
If smokers come to visit and want to smoke, set up a comfortable seating area outdoors with ashtrays.
If a family member insists on smoking indoors, increase the air flow in the area where they smoke by opening windows or using exhaust fans.
Don't allow baby-sitters or others who work in your home to smoke in the house or near your children.
If you smoke, the best thing you can do is to try to quit. If that's not possible, please don't smoke when children are around, and try to smoke outdoors.
It may feel awkward at first to tell people not to smoke in your home, or to ask family members to only smoke in certain areas. If you explain the facts about secondhand smoke they should understand. Tell them that for the sake of your family's health, you simply cannot allow smoking in your home.

Where children spend time:

To reduce your children's exposure to secondhand smoke, find out about the smoking policies of day care providers, preschools, schools, and other care-givers for your children.
And...do not smoke in your car when there are children with you.

Know the laws concerning smoking in your community. Some communities have banned smoking entirely in places such as restaurants. Others require separate smoking areas. Most rely on simply separating smokers and nonsmokers within the same space, which may reduce but not eliminate exposure to secondhand smoke. Call your local Board of Health to learn more about how the problem of secondhand smoke is being addressed in your community.

(Information provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.)