Health Risks of Secondhand Smoke - American Cancer Society

Secondhand smoke (SHS) is also called environmental tobacco smoke (ETS). It's a mixture of 2 forms of smoke that come from burning tobacco:. TheAmericanCancerSocietyishereto supportUkrainianpatients withcancer,caregivers,andclinicians. CloseCriticalAlertBanner Search prod Verenespañol | Downloadthistopic[PDF] HealthRisksofUsingTobaccoProducts HealthRisksofSmokingTobacco HealthRisksofSmokelessTobacco HealthRisksofSecondhandSmoke HealthRisksofE-cigarettes StayHealthy StayAwayfromTobacco HealthRisksofUsingTobaccoProducts HealthRisksofSecondhandSmoke Whatissecondhandsmoke? Secondhandsmoke(SHS)isalsocalledenvironmentaltobaccosmoke(ETS).It’samixtureof2formsofsmokethatcomefromburningtobacco: Mainstreamsmoke:Thesmokeexhaledbyapersonwhosmokes. Sidestreamsmoke:Smokefromthelightedendofacigarette,pipe,orcigar,ortobaccoburninginahookah.Thistypeofsmokehashigherconcentrationsofnicotineandcancer-causingagents(carcinogens)thanmainstreamsmoke. Whenpeoplewhodon'tsmokeareexposedtoSHSit’scalledinvoluntarysmokingorpassivesmoking.WhenyoubreatheinSHS,youtakeinnicotineandtoxicchemicalsthesamewaypeoplewhosmokedo.ThemoreSHSyoubreathe,thehigherthelevelsoftheseharmfulchemicalsinyourbody. Whyissecondhandsmokeaproblem? Secondhandsmoke(SHS)hasthesameharmfulchemicalsthatpeoplewhosmokeinhale.There’snosafelevelofexposureforsecondhandsmoke(SHS). Secondhandsmokecausescancer Secondhandsmokeisknowntocausecancer.Ithasmorethan7,000chemicals,includingatleast70thatcancausecancer. SHScauseslungcancer,eveninpeoplewhohaveneversmoked.There’salsosomeevidencesuggestingitmightbelinkedinadultstocancersofthe: Larynx(voicebox) Nasopharynx(thepartofthethroatbehindthenose) Nasalsinuses Breast ExposureofmothersandbabiestoSHSispossiblylinkedtocertainchildhoodcancers: Lymphoma Leukemia Braintumors Secondhandsmokecausesotherdiseasesanddeath Secondhandsmokecanalsobeharmfulinotherways.Forinstance,breathingsecondhandsmokeaffectstheheartandbloodvessels,whichincreasestheriskofhavingaheartattack.Exposuretosecondhandsmokeincreasestheriskofdevelopinganddyingfromheartdisease.Italsoincreasestheriskofhaving(anddyingfrom)astroke. Secondhandsmokeandyourchildren’shealth YoungchildrenaremostaffectedbySHSandleastabletoavoidit.MostoftheirexposuretoSHScomesfromadults(parentsorothers)smokingathome.Studiesshowthatchildrenwhoseparentssmoke: Getsickmoreoften Havemorelunginfections(likebronchitisandpneumonia) Aremorelikelytocough,wheeze,andhaveshortnessofbreath Getmoreearinfections Secondhandsmokecanalsotriggerasthmaattacksormakeasthmasymptomsworse. Someoftheseproblemsmightseemsmall,buttheycanaddupquickly.Thinkoftheexpenses,doctorvisits,medicines,lostschooltime,andoftenlostworktimefortheparentwhomuststayhomewithasickchild.Andthisdoesn’tincludethediscomfortsthatthechildgoesthrough. Inveryyoungchildren,SHSalsoincreasestheriskformoreseriousproblems,includingsuddeninfantdeathsyndrome(SIDS). Whereissecondhandsmokeaproblem? Youshouldbeespeciallyconcernedaboutexposuretosecondhandsmoke(SHS)intheseplaces: Atwork TheworkplaceisamajorsourceofSHSexposureformanyadults. TheOccupationalSafetyandHealthAdministration(OSHA)andtheNationalInstituteforOccupationalSafetyandHealth(NIOSH),federalagenciesresponsibleforhealthandsafetyintheworkplace,recognizetherearenoknownsafelevelsofSHSandrecommendthatexposuresbereducedtothelowestpossiblelevels. TheSurgeonGeneralhassaidthatsmoke-freeworkplacepoliciesaretheonlywaytopreventSHSexposureatwork.Separatingpeoplewhosmokefromthosewhodon't,cleaningtheair,andventilatingthebuildingcannotpreventexposureifpeoplestillsmokeinsidethebuilding.Anextrabonusofworkplacesmokingrestrictions,otherthanprotectingthosewhodon'tsmoke,isthattheymayalsoencouragepeoplewhodotosmokeless,orevenquit. Inpublicplaces EveryonecanbeexposedtoSHSinpublicplaceswheresmokingisallowed,suchassomerestaurants,shoppingcenters,publictransportation,parks,andschools.TheSurgeonGeneralhassuggestedpeoplechoosesmoke-freerestaurantsandbusinesses,andletownersofbusinessesthatarenotsmoke-freeknowthatSHSisharmfultoyourfamily’shealth. Publicplaceswherechildrengoareaspecialareaofconcern.Makesurethatyourchildren’sdaycarecentersandschoolsaresmoke-free. Somebusinessesmightbeafraidtobansmoking,butthere’snostrongevidencethatgoingsmoke-freeisbadforbusiness. Athome Makingyourhomesmoke-freemaybeoneofthemostimportantthingsyoucandoforthehealthofyourfamily.AnyfamilymembercandevelophealthproblemsrelatedtoSHS.Children’sgrowingbodiesareespeciallysensitivetothetoxinsinSHS.Andthinkaboutit:wespendmoretimeathomethananywhereelse.Asmoke-freehomeprotectsyourfamily,yourguests,andevenyourpets. Multi-unithousingwheresmokingisallowedisaspecialconcernandasubjectofresearch.Tobaccosmokecanmovethroughairducts,wallandfloorcracks,elevatorshafts,andalongcrawlspacestocontaminateunitsonotherfloors,eventhosethatarefarfromthesmoke.SHScannotbecontrolledwithventilation,aircleaning,orbyseparatingthosewhosmokefromthosewhodon't. Inthecar Americansspendagreatdealoftimeincars,andifsomeonesmokesthere,thetoxinscanbuildupquickly–evenwhenthewindowsareopenortheair-conditionerison.Again,thiscanbeespeciallyharmfultochildren. Inresponsetothisfact,manyexpertmedicalgroupshavebeenworkingtoencouragepeopletomaketheircars,aswellastheirhomes,smoke-free.Somestatesandcitiesevenhavelawsthatbansmokinginthecarifcarryingpassengersunderacertainageorweight.Andmanyfacilitiessuchascitybuildings,malls,schools,colleges,andhospitalsbansmokingontheirgrounds,includingtheirparkinglots. Thereisnosafelevelofexposuretosecondhandsmoke(SHS).Anyexposureisharmful. Theonlywaytofullyprotectpeoplewhodon'tsmokefromSHSindoorsistoprohibitallsmokinginthatindoorspaceorbuilding.Separatingthosewhosmokefromthosewhodon't,cleaningtheair,andventilatingbuildingscannotkeeppeoplewhodon'tsmokefrombeingexposedtoSHS. Whatcanbedoneaboutsecondhandsmoke? ManyUSlocalandstategovernments,andevenfederalgovernmentsinsomeothercountries,havedecidedthatprotectingthehealthofemployeesandothersinpublicplacesisoftheutmostimportanceandhavepassedcleanindoorairlaws.Althoughthelawsvaryfromplacetoplace,theyarebecomingmorecommon.DetailedinformationonsmokingrestrictionsineachstateisavailablefromtheAmericanLungAssociation. Youdon’thavetowaitforthegovernmenttoact.Evenifyousmoke,youcandecidetomakeyourhomeandcarsmoke-free.Thisisthesafestthingtodoforyourchildren,otherfamilymembers,pets,andguests. Arelingeringsmokingodorsharmful? There’sverylittleresearchsofaronwhetherlingeringtobaccosmokeodorsorresidualsfromitonsurfacescancausecancerinpeople.Researchdoesshowthatparticlesfromsecondhandtobaccosmokecansettleindustandonsurfacesandremaintherelongafterthesmokeisgone.Somestudiessuggesttheparticlescanlastformonths.Eventhoughit’snolongerintheformofsmoke,researchersoftencallthisthirdhandsmoke(THS)orresidualtobaccosmoke. Particlesthatsettleoutfromtobaccosmokehavebeenshowntocombinewithgasesintheairtoformcancer-causingcompoundsthatsettleontosurfaces.Forinstance,someofthecarcinogensthatareknowntocauselungcancerhavebeenfoundindustsamplestakenfromthehomesofpeoplewhosmoke.ResearchhasalsoshownthatthirdhandsmokecandamagehumanDNAincellculturesandmightincreaselungcancerriskinlabanimals. Thoughit’snotyetclearifsuchsmokeresiduecancausecancer,anyeffectswouldprobablybesmallcomparedwithdirectexposuretoSHS.Still,thecompoundsmaybestirredupandinhaledwithotherhousedust,andmayalsobeaccidentallytakeninthroughthemouth.Becauseofthis,anyriskthecompoundsposeisprobablygreaterforbabiesandchildrenwhoplayonthefloorandoftenputthingsintheirmouths. ThehealthrisksofTHSareanactiveareaofresearch. Isexposuretosecondhande-cigaretteaerosolharmful? Ase-cigarettesandsimilardeviceshavebecomemorepopularinrecentyears,agrowingconcerniswhethertheaerosoloftinyparticlesexhaledbyusers,sometimesreferredtoassecondhandvapor,isharmfultootherpeoplewhobreatheitin. Scientistsarestilllearningaboutthehealtheffectsofbeingexposedtosecondhande-cigaretteaerosol.However,theUSSurgeonGeneralhasconcludedthate-cigaretteaerosolisnotharmless. Secondhandaerosolcanexposeotherstonicotine,andpossiblytootherharmfulchemicals. Smoke-freeandtobacco-freepoliciesalreadyinplaceshouldalsocovere-cigarettes.Thiswillhelpnon-usersavoidbeingexposedtopotentiallyharmfule-cigaretteaerosol. Tolearnmoreaboute-cigarettesandsimilardevices,seeWhatDoWeKnowAboutE-cigarettes? Writtenby References TheAmericanCancerSocietymedicalandeditorialcontentteam Ourteamismadeupofdoctorsand oncologycertifiednurseswithdeepknowledgeofcancercareaswellasjournalists,editors,andtranslatorswithextensiveexperienceinmedicalwriting. CentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention. HealthEffectsofSecondhandSmoke.2020.Accessedathttps://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/secondhand_smoke/health_effects/index.htmonOctober14,2020. CentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention. SecondhandSmoke(SHS)Facts.2018.Accessedathttps://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/secondhand_smoke/general_facts/index.htmonOctober14,2020. DreyfussJH.Thirdhandsmokeidentifiedaspotent,enduringcarcinogen. CACancerJClin. 2010;60(4):203-204. GentzkeAS,WangTW,MarynakKL,TriversKF,KingBA.Exposuretosecondhandsmokeandsecondhande-cigaretteaerosolamongmiddleandhighschoolstudents.PrevChronicDis.2019;16:180531.DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.5888/pcd16.180531 HangB,SarkerAH,HavelC,etal.ThirdhandsmokecausesDNAdamageinhumancells. Mutagenesis.2013;28(4):381-391. HangB,WangY,HuangY,etal.Short-termearlyexposuretothirdhandcigarettesmokeincreaseslungcancerincidenceinmice.ClinSci(Lond).2018;132(4):475-488. HohE,HuntRN,QuintanaPJ,etal.Environmentaltobaccosmokeasasourceofpolycyclicaromatichydrocarbonsinsettledhouseholddust. EnvironSciTechnol.2012;46(7):4174-4183. InternationalAgencyforResearchonCancer.IARCMonographsontheEvaluationofCarcinogenicRiskstoHumans,Volume100E:PersonalHabitsandIndoorCombustions.Lyon,France:WorldHealthOrganizationInternationalAgencyforResearchonCancer;2012.  MoonKA,MagidH,TorreyC,etal.SecondhandsmokeinwaterpipetobaccovenuesinIstanbul,Moscow,andCairo. EnvironRes.2015;142:568-574. NationalCancerInstitute. SecondhandSmokeandCancer.2018.Accessedat https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/tobacco/second-hand-smoke-fact-sheetonOctober14,2020. RaoofSA,AgakuIT,VardavasCI.Asystematicreviewofsecondhandsmokeexposureinacar:Attributablechangesinatmosphericandbiologicalmarkers. ChronRespirDis.2015;12(2):120-131. SleimanM,GundelLA,PankowJF,etal.Formationofcarcinogensindoorsbysurface-mediatedreactionsofnicotinewithnitrousacid,leadingtopotentialthirdhandsmokehazards. ProcNatlAcadSciUSA. 2010;107(15):6576-6581. ThomasJL,HechtSS,LuoX,etal.Thirdhandtobaccosmoke:Atobacco-specificlungcarcinogenonsurfacesinsmokers'homes. NicotineTobRes.2014;16(1):26-32. USDepartmentofHealthandHumanServices.E-cigaretteUseAmongYouthandYoungAdults.AReportoftheSurgeonGeneral.Atlanta(GA):USDepartmentofHealthandHumanServices,CentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention,NationalCenterofChronicDiseasePreventionandHealthPromotion,OfficeonSmokingandHealth;2016. USDepartmentofHealth&HumanServices. HowTobaccoSmokeCausesDisease:TheBiologyandBehavioralBasisforSmoking-AttributableDisease:AReportoftheSurgeonGeneral. 2010.Accessedat https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK53017/onOctober15,2020. USDepartmentofHealthandHumanServices. TheHealthConsequencesofInvoluntaryExposuretoTobaccoSmoke:AReportoftheSurgeonGeneral.2006.Accessedat https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK44324/onOctober14,2020. USEnvironmentalProtectionAgency.SecondhandTobaccoSmokeandSmoke-freeHomes.2020.Accessedatwww2.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/secondhand-tobacco-smoke-and-smoke-free-homesonOctober15,2020. References CentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention. HealthEffectsofSecondhandSmoke.2020.Accessedathttps://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/secondhand_smoke/health_effects/index.htmonOctober14,2020. CentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention. SecondhandSmoke(SHS)Facts.2018.Accessedathttps://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/secondhand_smoke/general_facts/index.htmonOctober14,2020. DreyfussJH.Thirdhandsmokeidentifiedaspotent,enduringcarcinogen. CACancerJClin. 2010;60(4):203-204. GentzkeAS,WangTW,MarynakKL,TriversKF,KingBA.Exposuretosecondhandsmokeandsecondhande-cigaretteaerosolamongmiddleandhighschoolstudents.PrevChronicDis.2019;16:180531.DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.5888/pcd16.180531 HangB,SarkerAH,HavelC,etal.ThirdhandsmokecausesDNAdamageinhumancells. Mutagenesis.2013;28(4):381-391. HangB,WangY,HuangY,etal.Short-termearlyexposuretothirdhandcigarettesmokeincreaseslungcancerincidenceinmice.ClinSci(Lond).2018;132(4):475-488. HohE,HuntRN,QuintanaPJ,etal.Environmentaltobaccosmokeasasourceofpolycyclicaromatichydrocarbonsinsettledhouseholddust. EnvironSciTechnol.2012;46(7):4174-4183. InternationalAgencyforResearchonCancer.IARCMonographsontheEvaluationofCarcinogenicRiskstoHumans,Volume100E:PersonalHabitsandIndoorCombustions.Lyon,France:WorldHealthOrganizationInternationalAgencyforResearchonCancer;2012.  MoonKA,MagidH,TorreyC,etal.SecondhandsmokeinwaterpipetobaccovenuesinIstanbul,Moscow,andCairo. EnvironRes.2015;142:568-574. NationalCancerInstitute. SecondhandSmokeandCancer.2018.Accessedat https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/tobacco/second-hand-smoke-fact-sheetonOctober14,2020. RaoofSA,AgakuIT,VardavasCI.Asystematicreviewofsecondhandsmokeexposureinacar:Attributablechangesinatmosphericandbiologicalmarkers. ChronRespirDis.2015;12(2):120-131. SleimanM,GundelLA,PankowJF,etal.Formationofcarcinogensindoorsbysurface-mediatedreactionsofnicotinewithnitrousacid,leadingtopotentialthirdhandsmokehazards. ProcNatlAcadSciUSA. 2010;107(15):6576-6581. ThomasJL,HechtSS,LuoX,etal.Thirdhandtobaccosmoke:Atobacco-specificlungcarcinogenonsurfacesinsmokers'homes. NicotineTobRes.2014;16(1):26-32. USDepartmentofHealthandHumanServices.E-cigaretteUseAmongYouthandYoungAdults.AReportoftheSurgeonGeneral.Atlanta(GA):USDepartmentofHealthandHumanServices,CentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention,NationalCenterofChronicDiseasePreventionandHealthPromotion,OfficeonSmokingandHealth;2016. USDepartmentofHealth&HumanServices. HowTobaccoSmokeCausesDisease:TheBiologyandBehavioralBasisforSmoking-AttributableDisease:AReportoftheSurgeonGeneral. 2010.Accessedat https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK53017/onOctober15,2020. USDepartmentofHealthandHumanServices. TheHealthConsequencesofInvoluntaryExposuretoTobaccoSmoke:AReportoftheSurgeonGeneral.2006.Accessedat https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK44324/onOctober14,2020. USEnvironmentalProtectionAgency.SecondhandTobaccoSmokeandSmoke-freeHomes.2020.Accessedatwww2.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/secondhand-tobacco-smoke-and-smoke-free-homesonOctober15,2020. LastRevised:October28,2020 AmericanCancerSocietymedicalinformationiscopyrighted material.Forreprintrequests,pleaseseeourContentUsagePolicy. BackToTop Close * Close Imageof Previous Next Close Close SelectAHopeLodge