Tobacco Prevention & Cessation
Facts about Secondhand Smoke
- Secondhand smoke is the smoke from a burning cigarette, pipe, or
cigar and the smoke that the smoker exhales.
- Secondhand smoke is the 3rd leading cause of all preventable
death in the US.
- Secondhand smoke exposure kills 53,000 Americans every year.
For every 8 smokers that die because of tobacco use 1 non-smoker
dies from secondhand smoke exposure.
- There are 4,000 chemicals in secondhand smoke – at least 43 of
are known to cause cancer.
- Some of the chemicals in secondhand smoke include arsenic,
lead, tar and carbon monoxide.
- Secondhand smoke causes the same diseases that smoking causes,
including lung cancer, emphysema, and heart disease.
- Being exposed to secondhand smoke while pregnant can lead to
miscarriage, stillbirth, low birth weight, S.I.D.S. (Sudden Infant
Death Syndrome) and childhood cancers.
- Children exposed to secondhand smoke get serious ear
infections, bronchitis, coughs, and can have
existing asthma become more severe.
- Over 6,000 children die each year in the U.S. because of
secondhand smoke exposure.
- 2 hours in a smoke-filled room is the same as smoking 4
cigarettes.
- Waiters, waitresses & bartenders have a 50% increased chance of
getting lung cancer.
Protect Yourself and Your Family from Secondhand Smoke
It’s not enough to turn on a fan, open a window, blow smoke in
another direction, use air fresheners or candles, or smoke in
another room of a house. Here are the best ways to avoid the harmful
effects of secondhand smoke:
- Stop smoking if you do smoke. Get free help to quit smoking at
the American Cancer Society Quitline at 1-877-YES-QUIT.
- Don’t
allow smoking in your house. Ask smokers to smoke outside. Pledge to
keep your home and vehicle some-free. Call the EPA to take the
smoke-free home pledge at 1-866-766-5337.
- Don’t allow smoking in
your car or vehicle.
- Encourage your children's caregivers not to smoke around
them.
- Choose restaurants, entertainment venues, and
businesses that do not allow smoking.
- If smoking is allowed where
you work, encourage your employer to make your workplace smoke-free.
For more information, call (713) 439-6115.
Smoke-free Environment Resources
Smoke-free Dining Guide – list of smoke-free restaurants in
Houston.
Smoke-free Environment Links
Americans for Non-Smoker’s Rights – facts, news and how to take
action.
EPA – Smoke-Free Homes – smoke-free homes program for parents.
HCSIA – Houston Communities for Safe Indoor Air.
Share Air – facts, media, downloads.
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References
American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts & Figures 2006. Atlanta,
GA, 2006.
American Lung Association Secondhand Smoke Fact Sheet. March
2006. Available at
http://www.lungusa.org/.
American Lung Association. Smoking 101 Fact Sheet, March
2006.
American Lung Association, State of Tobacco Control: 2005.
Borland, R.J., P. Pierce, et al. (1992) “Protection from
Environmental Tobacco Smoke in California. The Case for a Smoke-free
Workplace.” Journal of the American Medical Association 268: 749 –
752.
California Environmental Protection Agency. Health Effects of
Exposure to Environmental Tobacco Smoke. September 1997.
CDC (1993) Preliminary Data: Exposure of persons aged greater
than 4 years to tobacco smoke – United States, 1988 – 1991.
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 42, 37 – 39.
Huffman D., Haley NJ, Adams JD, Brunneman KD. (1984)
Environmental Health Science Center, University of California
Berkley. School of Public Health. Preventative Medicine. 13:608-627.
Klonoff-Cohen HS. The Effect of Passive Smoke and Tobacco
Exposure through the Breast Milk on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
Journal of the American Medical Association, March 8,
1995:273,795-798.
National Cancer Institute. Health Effects of Exposure to
Environmental Tobacco Smoke. Smoking and Tobacco Control Monograph
No. 10, Bethesda MD: US Department of Health and Human Services,
National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute; NIH Pub.
No. 94-4645.
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Special
Report to the US Congress from the Secretary of Human Services. US
Department of Health & Human Services, Public Health Service,
Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration. DHHS (ADM)
87-1519. 1987.
For more information on secondhand smoke
ordinances, please call the HCPHES Tobacco Prevention & Cessation
Initiative at (713) 439-6115
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