| Q. |
What
is secondhand smoke? |
| A. |
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. This mixture contains more than 4,000 substances, more than
40 of which are known to cause cancer in humans or animals and many
of which are strong irritants. Exposure to secondhand smoke is called
involuntary smoking, or passive smoking. |
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| Q. |
How
does secondhand smoke affect my health? |
| A. |
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).
EPA estimates that ETS causes approximately 3,000 lung cancer deaths
in nonsmokers each year.
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| Q. |
What
about the risks to children? |
| A. |
Secondhand
smoke is a serious health risk to children:
- EPA
estimates that passive smoking is responsible for between 150,000
and 300,000 lower respiratory tract infections in infants and
children under 18 months of age annually, resulting in between
7,500 and 15,000 hospitalizations each year.
- Children
exposed to secondhand smoke are also more likely to have reduced
lung function and symptoms of respiratory irritation like cough,
excess phlegm, and wheeze.
- Passive
smoking can lead to buildup of fluid in the middle ear, the most
common cause of hospitalization of children for an operation.
Asthmatic
children are especially at risk:
- EPA
estimates that exposure to secondhand smoke increases the number
of episodes and severity of symptoms in hundreds of thousands
of asthmatic children.
- EPA
estimates that between 200,000 and 1,000,000 asthmatic children
have their condition made worse by exposure to secondhand smoke.
- Passive
smoking may also cause thousands of non-asthmatic children to
develop the condition each year.
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| Q. |
What
can I do to reduce my family's risk from ETS? |
| A. |
Do
not smoke in your home or permit others to do so. If a family member
insists on smoking indoors, increase ventilation in the area where
smoking takes place. Open windows or use exhaust fans. Do not smoke
if children are present, particularly infants and toddlers. They
are particularly susceptible to the effects of passive smoking.
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| Q. |
Where
can I get more information? |
| A. |
Visit
the EPA web page concerning secondhand smoke. Contact your local
Extension Office, your state department of health, or the National
Indoor Air Quality Information Clearinghouse (1-800-438-4318). Other
agencies with information are:
Office
on Smoking and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
404-488-5705
National
Cancer Institute: 800-4-CANCER
National
Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute: 301-951-3260
National
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health: 1-800-35-NIOSH
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