Secondhand Smoke (SHS) Facts | Smoking & Tobacco Use

Secondhand smoke is the combination of smoke from the burning end of a cigarette and the smoke breathed out by smokers. Secondhand smoke contains more than ... Skipdirectlytositecontent Skipdirectlytopageoptions SkipdirectlytoA-Zlink Smoking&TobaccoUse SectionNavigation CDCHome Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Syndicate SecondhandSmoke(SHS)Facts Minus RelatedPages SecondhandSmokeSecondhandsmokeisthecombinationofsmokefromtheburningendofacigaretteandthesmokebreathedoutbysmokers.Secondhandsmokecontainsmorethan7,000chemicals,ofwhichhundredsaretoxicandabout70cancausecancer.1,2,3,4 HealthEffectsofSecondhandSmokeThereisnorisk-freelevelofsecondhandsmokeexposure;evenbriefexposurecanbeharmfultohealth.1,2,6Comprehensivesmokefreepolicieshavebeensuccessfulinprotectingthosewhodonotsmoke,andaretheonlywaytofullyprotecttheirhealth.1,2,7 HealthEffectsinAdults Inadultswhohaveneversmoked,secondhandsmokecancause: Heartdisease Foradultswhodonotsmoke,breathingsecondhandsmokehasimmediateharmfuleffectsontheheartandbloodvessels.1,4,6 Secondhandsmokecausesnearly34,000prematuredeathsfromheartdiseaseeachyearintheUnitedStatesamongadultswhodonotsmoke.1 Peoplewhodonotsmoke,butareexposedtosecondhandsmokeathomeoratwork,experiencea25-30%increaseintheirriskofdevelopingheartdisease.1 Lungcancer1,8 Secondhandsmokeexposurecausesmorethan7,300deathsfromlungcanceramongpeoplewhodonotsmoke.1 Stroke1 Eachyear,morethan8,000deathsfromstrokecanbeattributedtosecondhandsmoke.1 ChronicdiseasessuchasthesearetheleadingcausesofdeathanddisabilityintheUnitedStates.Theymayalsoincreaseriskwithrespecttootherillnesses.1 HealthEffectsinInfantsandChildren Smokingduringpregnancyresultsinmorethan1,000infantdeathsannually.1 Adultsexposedtosecondhandsmokeduringpregnancyaremorelikelytohavenewbornswithlowerbirthweight,increasingtheriskofhealthcomplications.2 InfantsexposedtosecondhandsmokeafterbirthhavesignificantlyhigherriskofSuddenInfantDeathSyndrome(SIDS).1,2,3 Chemicalsinsecondhandsmokeappeartoaffectthebraininwaysthatinterferewithitsregulationofinfants’breathing.2,3 InfantswhodiefromSIDShavehigherconcentrationsofnicotineintheirlungsandhigherlevelsofcotininethaninfantswhodiefromothercauses.2,3 Exposuretosecondhandsmokecausesmultiplehealthproblemsininfantsandyoungchildren,including:1,2,3 Earinfections Respiratorysymptoms(coughing,wheezing,shortnessofbreath) Acutelowerrespiratoryinfections,suchasbronchitisandpneumonia Childrenwithasthmawhoencountersecondhandsmokehavemoresevereandmorefrequentasthmaattacks.1,2,3 OnThisPage SecondhandSmokeHealthEffectsofSecondhandSmokeSecondhandSmokeExposureHasDecreasedOverTimeDisparitiesinSecondhandSmokeExposureBlackAmericansStillFaceSignificantSecondhandSmokeExposureSecondhandSmokeExposureisHigherAmongPeoplewithLowIncomesDisparitiesinExposurePersistDependingonOccupationHousingRemainsaMajorSourceofSecondhandSmokeExposureforChildrenBenefitsofComprehensiveSmokefreePoliciesReferences TopofPageSecondhandSmokeExposureHasDecreasedOverTime Measurementsofbloodserumcotinine(asameasureofsecondhandexposureamongpeoplewhodonotsmoke)showthatexposuretosecondhandsmokesteadilydecreasedintheUnitedStatesbetween1988-2014.5 During1988–1991,almost90ofevery100(87.9%)peoplewhodidnotsmokehadmeasurablelevelsofcotinine.5 During2007–2008,about40ofevery100(40.1%)peoplewhodidnotsmokehadmeasurablelevelsofcotinine.5 During2011–2014,about25ofevery100(25.2%)peoplewhodidnotsmokehadmeasurablelevelsofcotinine.5 Thedeclineinsecondhandsmokeexposureamongpeoplewhodonotsmokeislikelydueto:5 Decreasingcigarettesmokingrates Increasedawarenessoftherisksforsecondhandsmokeexposure Theadoptionofcomprehensivesmoke-freelawsprohibitingsmokinginworkplacesandpublicplacesinmanystatesandlocalities Manypeoplewhodonotsmokearestillexposedtosecondhandsmoke. During2013-2014,58millionpeoplewhodonotsmokewereexposedtosecondhandsmoke.5 Additionalprogressisbeingmadeasstatesandcommunitiesadoptcomprehensivesmokefreelaws,butdisparitiesincoverageofsmokefreelawspersists.Thoseoflowersocioeconomicstatusandlowereducationalattainmentremainlesslikelytobecoveredbysmokefreelawsinworksites,restaurants,andbars.5Additionally,privatesettingssuchashomesandvehiclesremainmajorsourcesofexposureforsomepopulations,includingyouth. Comprehensivesmokefreelawsforallworkplacesandpublicplaces–withoutexception–andsmokefreerulesforhomesandvehiclescanfullyprotectnonsmokers.Thesepoliciesalsocanhelppreventyouthinitiationandhelpthosewhocurrentlysmoketoquit.3,4,5 TopofPageDisparitiesinSecondhandSmokeExposureAlthoughthenumberofpeoplewhodonotsmokebutareexposedtosecondhandsmokehasdeclined,disparitiesinsecondhandsmokeexposurepersist.5 Non-HispanicBlackAmericans;peoplewholivebelowthefederalpovertylevel;thosewhoworkintraditionally“bluecollar”industries,serviceoccupations,orconstruction;peoplewholiveinmulti-unithousing;andchildren3-11yearsofagearemorelikelythanothergroupstobeexposedtosecondhandsmoke.5 Reasonsforthesedisparitiesmayinclude Variationsinsmokingprevalence Variationsinsmokefreepolicycoverage Tobaccoindustrymisinformation.Accordingtoalegaljudgment,tobaccocompanies“deliberatelydeceivedtheAmericanpublicaboutthehealtheffectsofsecondhandsmoke.”9 TopofPageBlackAmericansStillFaceSignificantSecondhandSmokeExposure5,10 Prevalenceofsecondhandsmokeexposureamongnon-HispanicBlackpeoplewhodonotsmoke(50.3%)ismuchhighercomparedwithnon-Hispanicwhitepeople(21.4%)andAmericansofMexicandescent(20.0%).5 WhilesecondhandsmokeexposureamongUSyouthsinhomesandvehiclessignificantlydeclinedduring2011through2018,secondhandsmokeexposureinhomesamongnon-Hispanicblackstudentsdidnotchange.10 Non-HispanicBlackmiddleandhighschoolstudentshaveahigherprevalenceofsecondhandsmokeexposureinthehome(28.4%)andinvehicles(26.4%)thanHispanic(17.6%)andnon-Hispanicother(14.0%)students.10 SecondhandSmokeExposureisHigherAmongPeoplewithLowIncomes5 Between2013-2014,prevalenceofsecondhandsmokeexposurewashigheramongthosewholivedbelowthefederalpovertylevel(47.9%)thanthosewholivedatorabovethepovertylevel(21.2%). TopofPageDisparitiesinExposurePersistDependingonOccupation5,12 Foradultswhodonotsmoke,theworkplaceremainsthesourceofmostsecondhandsmokeexposure.5 Workerswhodonotsmokeandliveinstatesormunicipalitieswithoutcomprehensivesmokefreepoliciesweremostlikelytobefrequentlyexposedtosecondhandsmoke.12 Workersincertainindustriesreportedmorefrequentsecondhandsmokeexposure,especiallythoseinoutdoorworkenvironmentsorotherworksettingsunlikelytobecoveredbyworkplacesmokefreeprotections.12 Accordingtoasurvey,thoseworkinginindustrialmachineryorequipmentrepairhad65.1%prevalenceofworkplacesecondhandsmokeexposure,thehighestoutofallindustries.12 Theindustrywiththehighestnumberofworkerswhodonotsmokebutreportedexposurewasconstruction,with2.9millionexposed.12 Thosewhodonotsmokeandworkinprivateworksites,restaurants,orbarsinstateswithcomprehensiveworkplacesmokefreepolicieshadsignificantlylowerprevalence(8.6%)offrequentexposuretosecondhandsmokethanthoseinthesameindustryinstateswithoutcomprehensivesmokefreeprotections(12.2%).12 TopofPageHousingRemainsaMajorSourceofSecondhandSmokeExposureforChildren5,11,13,14 Childrenstillhaveahigherprevalenceofsecondhandsmokeexposurethanadults,andmostareexposedinthehome.5In2019,anestimated6.7million(25.3%)ofmiddleandhighschoolstudentsreportedsecondhandsmokeexposureinthehome. 73%ofchildrenwholivedwithapersonwhosmokedinsidethehomewereexposedtosecondhandsmokeduring2013-2014,comparedwiththosewhodidnot(22.3%).5 Childrenwholiveinmulti-unithousingaremorelikelytobeexposedtosecondhandsmoke. Anestimated80millionpeople—or25%ofthepopulation—intheUnitedStatesliveinmulti-unithousing.13 Amongchildrenwholiveinhomesinwhichnoonesmokesindoors,thosechildrenlivinginmulti-unithousingsuchasapartmentsorcondoshave45%highercotininelevelsthanchildrenlivinginsingle-familyhomes.11 Evenwhennooneintheunitsmokes,secondhandsmokecanfilterintootherunitsviahallways,stairwells,andventilationsystems.11 Secondhandsmokeexposureduring2013-2014washigheramongpeoplewhorented(38.6%theirhomesthanthosewhoownedtheirhomes(19.2%).5 Policiesprohibitingsmokinginhousing,coupledwithcessationinformation,couldencouragepeoplewhosmoketoquit,andtherebyreducesecondhandsmokeexposure.14 TopofPageBenefitsofComprehensiveSmokefreePoliciesStudiesshowthatadoptionofcomprehensivesmokefreepolicies: Reducessecondhandsmokeexposure Reducessmokingandencouragespeoplewhosmoketoquit Helpspreventsmokinginitiation Doesnotnegativelyimpactthehospitalityindustry Resultsinhighlevelsofcomplianceinthestateorcommunityinwhichthepoliciesareapplied Finddiscussionsofthesebenefitsingreaterdepthonthefollowingfactsheets: HealthBenefits SmokefreePoliciesReduceSecondhandSmokeExposure SmokefreePoliciesImproveHealth SmokefreePoliciesReduceSmoking SmokefreePoliciesImproveAirQualityinHospitalitySettings Industry-RelatedBenefits SmokefreePoliciesDoNotHurttheHospitalityIndustry VentilationDoesNotEffectivelyProtectNonsmokersfromSecondhandSmoke Policy-LevelBenefits SmokefreePoliciesResultinHighLevelsofCompliance SmokefreePoliciesReceivePublicSupport TopofPageReferences U.S.DepartmentofHealthandHumanServices.TheHealthConsequencesofSmoking—50YearsofProgress:AReportoftheSurgeonGeneral.Atlanta:U.S.DepartmentofHealthandHumanServices,CentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention,NationalCenterforChronicDiseasePreventionandHealthPromotion,OfficeonSmokingandHealth,2014[accessed2017Feb21]. U.S.DepartmentofHealthandHumanServices.AReportoftheSurgeonGeneral:HowTobaccoSmokeCausesDisease:WhatItMeanstoYou.Atlanta:U.S.DepartmentofHealthandHumanServices,CentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention,NationalCenterforChronicDiseasePreventionandHealthPromotion,OfficeonSmokingandHealth,2010[accessed2017Feb21]. U.S.DepartmentofHealthandHumanServices.TheHealthConsequencesofInvoluntaryExposuretoTobaccoSmoke:AReportoftheSurgeonGeneral.Atlanta:U.S.DepartmentofHealthandHumanServices,CentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention,NationalCenterforChronicDiseasePreventionandHealthPromotion,OfficeonSmokingandHealth,2006[accessed2017Feb21]. HuangJ,KingBA,BabbSD,XuX,HallettC,HopkinsM.SociodemographicDisparitiesinLocalSmoke-FreeLawCoveragein10States.AmericanJournalofPublicHealth2015;105(9):1806–13[accessed2017Feb21]. TsaiJ,HomaDM,GentzkeAS,MahoneyMetal.ExposuretoSecondhandSmokeAmongNonsmokers—UnitedStates,1988-2014.MMWR2018;67(48):1342-46[accessed2020Sep8]. InstituteofMedicineCommitteeonSecondhandSmokeExposureandAcuteCoronaryEvents.SecondhandSmokeExposureandCardiovascularEffects:MakingSenseoftheEvidenceexternalicon.Washington,D.C.,NationalAcademiesPress2010[accessed2020Nov30]. NationalToxicologyProgram.ReportonCarcinogens,FourteenthEditionexternalicon.ResearchTrianglePark(NC):U.S.DepartmentofHealthandHumanServices,PublicHealthService,2016[accessed2017Feb21]. CentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention.VitalSigns:Nonsmokers’ExposuretoSecondhandSmoke—UnitedStates,1999–2008.MorbidityandMortalityWeeklyReport2010;59(35):1141–6[accessed2017Feb21]. S.v.PhilipMorrisetal.SecondSupersedingConsentOrderImplementingtheCorrectiveStatementsRemedyforNewspapersandTelevisionexternalicon.U.S.DistrictCourtfortheDistrictofColumbia,October5,2017[accessed2020Nov30]. WaltonK,GentzkeAS,Murphy-HoeferR,KenemerB,NeffLJ.ExposuretoSecondhandSmokeinHomesandVehiclesAmongUSYouths,UnitedStates,2011-2019.PreventingChronicDisease2020(17)[accessed2020Oct13]. WilsonKM,KleinJD,BlumkinAK,GottliebM,WinickoffJP.TobaccoSmokeExposureinChildrenWhoLiveinMultiunitHousing.externalicon Pediatrics2011:127(1):85-92[accessed2017Feb21]. SuC,SyamlalG,TamersS,LiJ,LuckhauptSE.WorkplaceSecondhandTobaccoSmokeExposureAmongNonsmokingWorkers,2015.MMWR2019;68(27):604-607[accessed2020Sep9]. KingBA,BabbSD,TynanMA,GerzoffRB.NationalandstateestimatesofsecondhandsmokeinfiltrationamongU.S.multiunithousingresidents.NicotineandTobaccoResearch2013a;15(7):1316–21. LevyDT,BorlandR,VillantiAC,NiauraR,YuanZ,ZhangY,MezaR,HolfordTR,FongGT,CummingsKM,etal.Theapplicationofadecision-theoreticmodeltoesti­matethepublichealthimpactofvaporizednicotineproductinitiationintheUnitedStatesexternalicon.NicotineandTobaccoResearch2017;19(2):149-159[accessed2020Sep9]. 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