Secondhand Smoke Dangers

In Maine, seven people die from tobacco use every day – one is a nonsmoker exposed to secondhand smoke.

Secondhand smoke, a combination of the smoke in the air from a burning cigarette, cigar, or pipe and the smoke exhaled by a person who is smoking, poses a health threat to everyone who comes in contact with it.

• Secondhand smoke contains over 4,000 chemicals, more than 60 of which are known to cause cancer.
• Secondhand smoke has been designated as a human cancer-causing agent by the U.S. EPA, the National Toxicology Program, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer.
• Exposure to secondhand smoke is the third leading cause of preventable death in America.

Breathing secondhand smoke at home or work increases the chances of getting lung cancer by 20-30%, and it damages the lining of blood vessels, changes which can cause a heart attack. There is no safe level of secondhand smoke, and no safe period of time for exposure: When you breathe secondhand smoke, it is as if you are smoking.

Find out more about secondhand smoke at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Secondhand Smoke is Harmful to Children

In Maine, 44,864 children under age 18 live in a home with a smoker.

Maine has passed laws making restaurants, bars, and many public places smoke-free so its residents can breathe healthy air. But millions of children and adults still breathe secondhand smoke in their homes, cars, and workplaces. In Maine, 39.4% of middle school students who do not smoke live with a smoker.

Because a child’s body is still growing, these chemicals are especially dangerous to them.

Children who breathe secondhand smoke are more likely to develop ear infections, allergies, bronchitis, pneumonia, and asthma. It can even lead to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Older children whose parents smoke get sick more often. They get more bronchitis and pneumonia, and experience more wheezing and coughing. It can trigger asthma attacks and increase instances of painful ear infections.

Get the facts and resources about secondhand smoke exposure, health effects, and smoke-free initiatives at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Secondhand Smoke is Harmful to Unborn Babies

Mothers who smoke while pregnant are more likely to have their babies die of SIDS.

During pregnancy, many of the compounds in secondhand smoke change the way a baby’s brain develops. Its exposure is a known cause of sudden infant death syndrome, the sudden, unexplained death of an infant before age one. Babies who are around secondhand smoke after they are born are also more likely to die of SIDS than children who are not around secondhand smoke.

Babies whose mothers are around secondhand smoke are more likely to have lower birth weights, as well. Babies can have more health problems and more infections, their lungs are more likely to not develop normally, and they are more likely to have weaker lungs – a problem that can get worse as they get older.

Find out more about the risk of secondhand smoke to unborn babies at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Know the Risks: Never Expose Your Child to Secondhand Smoke

Some parents don’t fully understand how harmful secondhand smoke is for their kids. Even those who do put their children at risk because they think they are protecting their kids when they are really not.

Instead, parents buy into the myths of secondhand smoke. They think it’s acceptable if they open windows, turn on a fan, or leave the room. The fact is, smoking outside is the only way to protect kids from secondhand smoke.

Are you buying into the four myths of secondhand smoke?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more information about the myth of ventilation.

Take it Outside

Always step outside the home and the car before smoking. Find out more about secondhand smoke prevention by viewing our Parents page, or get the facts about how Maine’s Special Populations are at increased risk of being exposed to and exposing others to secondhand smoke.

Smoke-Free Homes Pledge: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is helping families join the movement of eliminating smoking in their home and prohibiting others from smoking in their home by taking the Smoke-Free Homes Pledge.

Preventing Smoking and Exposure to Secondhand Smoke Before, During, and After Pregnancy: Exposure to secondhand smoke causes premature death and disease in children and in adults who do not smoke.

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