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Do you ever feel like you are smoking, even though you are not a smoker yourself? I grew up in a family of smokers, and was constantly inhaling smoke from my parents' cigarettes. Do I now have the increased risk of developing lung cancer because of them? And in the work place, in the lounges the air is filled with smoke, you inhale as you try to grab you a soda from the soda machine. You're not the one smoking, but you are, in essence, because you are receiving all of the toxic effects of others' smoke into your lungs and your body. And what about a restaurant, the smoking or nonsmoking section? That is a joke, because the smoking section is right next to the nonsmoking section. We are all breathing the same smoke filled air. It is my sincere hope that not only nonsmokers, but smokers alike would read, understand and appreciate this subjective, but also the following objective, factual information on the dangers of second hand smoke to others.
In 1993 the EPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency), reported that passive smoking is responsible for 3000 lung cancer deaths of nonsmokers every year. Did you know your children smoke? That old saying, if you smoke, your family smokes, is true. Children exposed to smoker's smoke have increased risk of lung infections, such as asthma, bronchitis, and allergies and ear infections, as well. Women exposed at home and at work had double the risk of having a heart attack.
There are two types of smoke coming to a nonsmoker the mainstream smoke, which is the smoke inhaled and exhaled from the smoker. Then there is the sidestream smoke which is the smoke from a cigar or cigarette just burning in an ashtray. The sidestream smoke has even more carcinogens it is giving off into the air. Smoke contains over 3,000 chemicals, at least 50 of which are known and identified carcinogens (which means cancer causing). Smoke also contains tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide. Only 15% of smoke is inhaled by the smoker. The other 85% goes directly into the air to be inhaled by nonvoluntary nonsmokers.
Second hand smoke inhalation causes increased risk of lung infections and lung diseases such as pneumonia, bronchitis, asthma, emphysema, cancer, as well as, ear infections, sinus problems, heart disease, strokes, nose, eye and throat irritation, nausea, dizziness and headache. Not to mention stains on clothes and material and a very unpleasant smell that gets onto to your body and into your hair and clothes.
The American Lung Association reported that 20% of the population is at risk of developing lung disease from second hand smoke. There is sufficient documented studies on the dangers of second hand smoke. Also called passive smoking, non-smokers who breathe second hand smoke from smokers have an increased chance of developing lung cancer. If you live with a smoker, you have a 30% increased chance of getting lung cancer or having a heart attack. Tobacco specific carcinogens have been found in the blood and urine of nonsmokers who were exposed to environmental tobacco smoke.
The NE Journal of Medicine 1993 reports that children and infants living with smokers have increased instances and chances of ear infections, bronchitis, and asthma. Also, studies have linked infant deaths with asthma to in house smokers.
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