What is passive smoking? | Cancer Research UK

Passive smoking means breathing in other people's tobacco smoke. If a pregnant woman breathes in second-hand smoke, it can also affect the ... Skiptomaincontent Whatispassivesmoking? Passivesmoking isbreathinginotherpeople’stobaccosmoke(second-handsmoke)   Itcanincreasetheriskofcancer,heartdiseaseandmanyotherconditions   Thereisnosafelevelofpassivesmoking,anditisparticularlydangerousforchildren Whatispassivesmoking? Passivesmokingmeansbreathinginotherpeople’stobaccosmoke.Ifapregnantwomanbreathesinsecond-handsmoke,itcanalsoaffecttheunbornbaby. Second-handtobaccosmokecomesfromcigarettes,pipes,cigarsandshishapipes(hookah). Thetwotypesofsecond-handsmokeare: Mainstreamsmoke-smokethat’sbreathedoutbysomeonewhosmokes  Side-streamsmoke-smokethatcomesfromthelitendofatobaccoproduct Passivesmokingisdangerousandcancausemanyofthesamediseasesassmoking. Ifyousmoke,thebestthingyoucandotoprotectyourlovedonesandyourownhealthistostop.Haveareadofourtipsandsupporttohelpyouquitsmokingforgood.   Healthrisksofpassivesmoking Thereisnosafelevelofpassivesmoking. Tobaccosmokereleasesover5000chemicalsandmanyoftheseareharmful.Mostharmfultobaccosmokeisinvisible,butitspreadseasilyandcanstayintheairforhours.Itcanalsobuilduponsurfacesandclothes. Passivesmokingputspeopleathigherriskofsmoking-relateddiseases.It’sclearthatsecond-handsmokecancauselungcancer,heartdiseaseandstroke.Itmayalsoincreasetheriskofsomeothertypesofcancer,andaseriouslungconditioncalledchronicobstructivepulmonarydisease(COPD). Coughing,headaches,sorethroatsandeyeandnasalirritationaresomeoftheshort-termeffectsofpassivesmoking.   Second-handsmokeandpregnancy Whenpregnantwomenbreatheinsecond-handsmoke,itcanhaveseriousrisksforthebabyduringpregnancyandafterbirth.Thisincludesanincreasedriskoflowbirthweightandcotdeath. Butthereisnoclearlinkbetweenexposuretosecond-handsmokebeforebirthandchildhoodcancer. Whetheryou’reabouttobecomeaparent,grandparent,orlivewithsomeonewhosepregnant,thebestthingyoucandotoprotectanunbornbabyistostopsmokingcompletely.   Passivesmokingandchildren Passivesmokingisparticularlydangerousforchildrenastheirbodiesarestilldeveloping. Childrenandbabiesexposedtosecond-handsmokeareathigherriskof: Asthma Bacterialmeningitis Cotdeath Middleearinfection Respiratoryinfections Andthedangersofsmokingaroundchildrengobeyondjustdamagingtheirhealththroughsecond-handsmoke.Thereisgoodevidencethatchildrenaresignificantlymorelikelytostartsmokingthemselves,iftheyhavefamilymembersorlivewithpeoplewhosmoke.   HowcanIprotectmychild,myselfandothersfrompassivesmoking? Mostexposuretosecond-handsmokehappensinthehome.Smokecanspreadthroughoutthehomefromroomtoroomandstayintheairforhours,evenifyouopenthewindows.  Theonlywaytoprotectyourlovedonesfromsecond-handsmokeisthekeeptheenvironmentaroundthemsmokefree.Thebestwayofdoingthisistostopsmokingcompletely.Butweknowthatthiscanbehard,soifyouaren’tabletostopyet,smokingoutsidecanhelpreduceexposure. Youshouldalsoaskanyvisitorstosmokeoutsideandneversmokeorletanyoneelsesmokeinthecar.Second-handsmokecanreachveryhighlevelsinsidecars,evenwiththewindowsopen,becauseit’sasmall,enclosedspace. IntheUK,since2016ithasbeenagainstthelawtosmokeinavehiclewithanyoneundertheageof18inside.   Keyreferences GeeIL,SempleS,andWatsonA,C.A.Nearly85%oftobaccosmokeisinvisible-aconfirmationofpreviousclaims.Tob.Control.22,429(2013). InternationalAgencyforReseachonCancer.PersonalHabitandIndoorCombustion:Second-handTobaccoSmoke.Vol 100E(2012). InternationalAgencyforResearchonCancer.Tobaccosmokeandinvoluntarysmoking.Vol83,1–1413(2004). TobaccoAdvisoryGroupoftheRoyalCollegeofPhysicians.PassiveSmokingandChildren.(2010). Lastreviewed 23March2021 Ratethispage: SelectratingGiveWhatispassivesmoking?1/5GiveWhatispassivesmoking?2/5GiveWhatispassivesmoking?3/5GiveWhatispassivesmoking?4/5GiveWhatispassivesmoking?5/5 Currentlyrated:3.5outof5basedon157votes Protectyourhealth,andthehealthofthosearoundyoubystoppingsmoking   Readmoreaboute-cigarettesandpassivevaping