 Secondhand Smoker |
When you smoke, you do not damage only your health, you harm the health of people around you as well. The secondhand smoke does equal damage to others. What is this secondhand smoke? It is a mixture of two smokes, sidestream smoke and mainstream smoke.
- Sidestream smoke: This is thesmoke that comes directly from the burning of cigarette, pipe, or cigar
- Mainstream smoke: This is the smoke that a smoker exhales.
When this secondhand smoke is inhaled by non-smokers it is known as involuntary smoking or passive smoking. Non-smokers are equally exposed to smoking. They take in nicotine just like smokers do. Imagine, alone your smoking is equally harmful for the near and dear ones around you. One smoker harms so many people at the same time
This is a major problem
According to a study conducted secondhand smoke causes cancer in human beings.
This smoke contains more than 4,000 chemical compounds. More than 60 of them may cause cancer.
Secondhand smoke causes damage in a number of ways. In United States each year it is responsible for the following.
- About 35,000 to 40,000 non-smokers die due to heart diseases.
- About 3,000 deaths due to lungs cancer.
- Many non-smokers suffer from respiratory problems like coughing, phlegm, chest discomfort etc.
- About 150,000 to 300,000 infants below 18 months suffer from pneumonia and bronchitis.
- About 200,000 to 1 million asthmatic children have severe attacks of asthma.
After a survey in 1986 three important things were concluded.
Diseases like lung cancer are caused due to involuntary smoking.
Frequent respiratory infections and slower development of lungs are observed in children of smoking parents as compared to the children of non-smoking parents.
Non-smokers cannot be prevented from secondhand smoke if there is a smoker around.
You should be very conscious about secondhand smoking in chiefly three locations. Firstly let us talk about the workplace. Secondhand smoking causes lung cancer so it should be prohibited at workplaces. This will protect non-smokers from secondhand smoke. It will also encourage smokers to quit smoking and will help those who wish to quit smoking.
Secondly unlimited number of people are affected by secondhand smoking at public places like restaurants, shopping centers, schools etc.
Thirdly but not lastly your own home is a major cause of concern. If you really love your family, make your home smoke free. Secondhand smoke can create health problems for any of your loved ones. A smoke free home protects your family and pets.
The secondhand smoke causes tobacco odor in the hair, clothing etc of non-smokers.
There should be some solution to prevent non-smokers from secondhand smoke. Smoking should be strictly prohibited in public places. Very special care should be taken to see that children are safe from secondhand smoke. These efforts by the government along with your personal efforts can help to keep the society much healthier. It is your duty to prevent the people around you away from secondhand smoke. You will surely quit smoking if you love them.
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