SECONDHAND SMOKE

After reading countless pages of information on cigarette smoking and women, a common thread ran through many of the studies.  That common thread is the effects of secondhand smoke.  In the peer-reviewed literature secondhand smoke is also known by the most recently adapted term, Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS).  The act of a nonsmoker inhaling ETS is called passive smoking.   

Here are some facts not widely known about ETS:

      Secondhand smoke is the smoke that smokers breathe out and is the smoke that comes from the end of a lit cigarette⁴²

      Smokers inhale about 15 percent of the smoke from a  cigarette, while the rest goes into the air⁴²

       Smoke from the burning end of a cigarette has more toxins than the smoke inhaled by the smoker⁴²

      The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ranks secondhand smoke as one of the most dangerous substances known to cause cancer⁴²

      Each year 3,000 nonsmokers die from lung cancer caused by secondhand smoke⁴²

      Secondhand smoke is linked to 35,000 heart attacks each year in nonsmokers⁴²

      A nonsmoker married to a smoker has a 30 percent higher risk of getting lung cancer than a nonsmoker married to a nonsmoker⁴²

      Secondhand smoke is especially harmful to children⁴²

      Children who breathe ETS are more likely to get colds, allergies, asthma, and ear infections⁴²

      ETS causes 300,000 cases of pneumonia and bronchitis in children every year⁴²

There is a vast amount of evidence that ETS is harmful to the human body.  None will be presented here but if you are interested, it is easy to fine.  Simply visit http://google.com and type in environmental tobacco smoke and there are many references that you can browse through at your own leisure.  I hope that these messages are taken to heart and you assist friends and family in the difficult process of quitting this addicting habit.