Dangers of Secondhand Smoke: Risks and Prevention

Secondhand smoke is what you inhale accidentally (called passive smoking) when you are near sources of tobacco smoke. ThinkyoumayhaveCOVID-19? Findoutwhereyoucangettested Needavaccineorbooster? Scheduletoday ComingtoaClevelandCliniclocation? Visitationandmaskrequirements Home / HealthLibrary / Articles SecondhandSmoke:Dangers Secondhandsmokeiswhatyouinhaleaccidentally(calledpassivesmoking)whenyouarenearsourcesoftobaccosmoke.Forexample,atpartiesorpublicgatherings,youmightminglewithpeoplewhosmoke.Youmaynotfeelanychanges,butbreathingsecondhandsmokecanaffectyourhealth. Appointments216.444.6503 Appointments&Locations ContactUs Whatissecondhandsmoke? Secondhandsmokeissmokeyoudon’tmeantobreathein.Exposuretosecondhandsmokecomesfromsidestreamormainstreamsmoke.Burningtobaccoproducts,suchascigarettes,cigarsorpipes,releasessidestreamsmoke.Apersonactivelysmokingnearbyexhalesmainstreamsmoke.Bothsourcesreleaseharmfulchemicalsintotheairthataffectnonsmokers. Whatmakessecondhandsmokedangerous? Allsmokefromburningnicotineproductscontainsharmfulchemicals(toxins).Evennonsmokersinhalingotherpeople’ssmokebreatheinthesetoxins.Sidestreamsmokefromtheendofacigarette,cigarorpipeisunfiltered.Ithasmoreharmfultoxinsthanmainstreamsmokethatsomeonebreathesout. Howdoessecondhandsmokeaffectnonsmokers? Secondhandsmokedamagesthebodyinmanydifferentways.Adultsexposedtosecondhandsmokemayexperience: Cardiovascular(heart,veinsandarteries)diseaselikehighbloodpressure,atherosclerosis,heartattackorstroke. Lungproblemslikechronicobstructivepulmonarydisorder(COPD)andasthma. Increasedrisksoflungcancerandcancersinthebrain,bladder,stomach,breastandmore. Childrenexposedtosecondhandsmokearemorelikelytoexperience: Frequentcoughing,sneezing,shortnessofbreathorotherbreathingproblems. Frequentearinfections. Frequentandmoresevereasthmaattacks. Respiratoryinfections,suchasbronchitisorpneumonia. Damagetoeyes(likecataracts)andteeth(liketoothdecay). Learningandbehaviorproblems. SIDS(suddeninfantdeathsyndrome). Whendoessecondhandsmokedamagestart? Studieshaveshownthatdamagefromsecondhandsmokeoccursinaslittleasfiveminutes: Afterfiveminutes:Arteriesbecomeslessflexible,justliketheydoinapersonwhoissmokingacigarette. After20-30minutes:Bloodstartsclotting,andfatdepositsinbloodvesselsincreasetheriskofheartattackandstroke. Aftertwohours:Anirregularheartbeat(arrhythmia)candevelopandtriggeraheartattackorotherseriouscardiacproblems. Whoisatgreaterriskofdamagefromsecondhandsmoke? Secondhandsmokeaffectsanyonenearburnedorexhaledtobacco,butsomegroupshavemoresmokeexposure: Serviceindustryworkers,suchasrestaurantserversandbartenders:Anyonewhoworksneargroupsofsmokersmaybeunabletoavoidsecondhandsmoke. Pregnantwomen:Secondhandsmokeaffectsunbornchildrenandtheirmothers.Loweramountsofoxygenavailableforthebabycanincreasefetalheartratesorlowerthebirthweight.Womenmayexperiencemiscarriage,stillbirth,prematuredeliveryorectopicpregnancy. Infants,childrenandpets:Youngchildrenandanimalscan’talwayschoosetoleaveasmoke-filledroom.Theconstantexposureincreasestheharmfuleffectsofsecondhandsmoke. Howissecondhandsmokeexposurediagnosed? Mostpeoplewhoinhalesecondhandsmokearenottestedforexposure.Ifyouregularlybreatheinsomeoneelse’ssmoke,yourdoctormaytestyoursaliva(spit),urineorbloodforamountsofinhalednicotine. Yourhealthcareprovideralsomaytestyourlung(pulmonary)functiontomeasuredamage.Pulmonaryfunctiontestscanidentifyconditionsrelatedtosecondhandsmokedangers,likeasthma. Caninhalationofsecondhandsmokebetreated? Thereisnotreatmentforbreathinginsecondhandsmoke.Buttherearewaystomanageyourexposureandtreatconditionsrelatedtosecondhandsmokeinhalation. Ifyouareregularlynearsecondhandsmoke,youcanreducethedangerby: Movingawayfromthesmokerandfindingasmoke-freeplace. Makingsuregueststoyourhomeknowtheycannotsmokeinside. Notlettingpassengerssmokeinyourcar—evenwiththewindowdown. Yourhealthcareprovidermaytreatspecificsymptomsordiseasescausedbysecondhandsmokeexposure.Forexample,youmayneedmedicationstomanagehighbloodpressureorinhalerstotreatasthmaorCOPD. CanIpreventsecondhandsmokeexposure? Thebestwaytoavoidexposureistostayawayfromareaswherepeoplesmoke.Thismeansavoidingrestaurantsandbarswheresmokingisstillpermitted. Openwindowsandairfiltersdon’tremoveallsecondhandsmoke.Buttheymayhelpalittlebyloweringsomeofthetoxinsfoundinburningtobacco.It’sokaytoaskpeoplenottosmokeinyourcarorinyourhome. Whatistheoutlookforpeopleexposedtosecondhandsmoke? Regularexposuretosecondhandsmokecandamageyourheartandlungs.Thebestwaytostayhealthyistoavoidsecondhandsmoke.Manycitiesandseveralstatesnowbansmokinginpublicplaces.Thesebanslowerbutdon’tremoveyourriskforsecondhandsmokeexposure. WhenshouldIseeahealthcareprovider? Youmaywanttovisityourproviderifyouinhalesecondhandsmokeregularly.Youcanaskaboutsecondhandsmokedangersandwaystostayhealthy.Ifyoudevelopheartdiseaseortroublebreathingbecauseofconstantsecondhandsmokeexposure,talktoyourprovideraboutmanagementoptions. Whatifsomeoneinmyfamilysmokes? Often,secondhandsmokeexposurehappensbecausesomeoneinthefamilyoraclosefriendsmokestobaccoproducts.Ifthisisthecase,suggesttheyquitsmokingfortheirhealthandyours. AnotefromClevelandClinic Ifyousmoke,rememberthatyourburningtobaccoaffectsothersaroundyou.Youcouldbemakingfamilymemberssick.Ifyouarenotreadytoquit,findwaystoreducetheirexposuretosecondhandsmoke,suchassmokingonlyoutside. Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Print Getuseful,helpfulandrelevanthealth+wellnessinformation enews ClevelandClinicisanon-profitacademicmedicalcenter.Advertisingonoursitehelpssupportourmission.Wedonotendorsenon-ClevelandClinicproductsorservices. Policy RelatedInstitutes&Services RespiratoryInstitute Explorelung,breathingandallergydisorders,treatments,testsandpreventionservicesprovidedbytheClevelandClinicRespiratoryInstitute. ClevelandClinicisanon-profitacademicmedicalcenter.Advertisingonoursitehelpssupportourmission.Wedonotendorsenon-ClevelandClinicproductsorservices. Policy Morehealthnews+info ShowMore Appointments216.444.6503 Appointments&Locations ContactUs Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram LinkedIn Pinterest Snapchat