Second+Hand+Smoke

Second Hand Smoke

Approximately 1 of every 3.5 Canadians smoke some form of tobacco products. 34 million people across the Country are affected with health problems from these smokers second hand smoke. One cigarette contains thousands of chemicals, with 200 that are known to be poisonous. It burns for over 12 minutes and 2/3 of the carcinogens (Cancer Causing Agents) are left air born for all to breathe in.

**What is Second Hand Smoke?** There are 2 types of second hand smoke that affect others:
 * 1) //Mainstream Smoke –// is the combination of the smoke inhaled and exhaled from a tobacco product.
 * 2) //Sidestream Smoke –// is smoke that burns off the end of a tobacco product into the air.

Together maintstream smoke and sidestream smoke create second hand smoke. Second hand smoke is also known as Enviromental tobacco smoke.

//“An hour a day in a room with a smoker is nearly a hundred times// //more likely to cause lung cancer in a non-smoker than 20 years// //spent in a building containing asbestos” (Sir Richard Doll 1985)//

**Pre Birth Effects**
Women who are pregnant can suffer from the following if they are frequently exposed to second hand smoke increased placenta barrier which decreases blood flow to the infant or miscarriage. The baby may also suffer damage to their central nervous system, digestive track problems and problems to their lung and changes in their breathing patterns. From children to young babies who are exposed regularly to smoke are at risk of pneumonia, bronchitis, asthma, middle ear infections and most importantly Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

Myths on second hand smoke
Smoke travels throughout the air even if doors and windows are shut. The smoke clings to anything in its surroundings and can stay there for days and even up to months. Smoke will stay on many things and is most commonly known to stay on furniture, carpets and even food. It may seem unbelievable that the smoke clings to your food but the smoke particles are not noticeable you are unable to see it. This being said no matter where you smoke you will most definitely affect others.

Smoking in Another Room
Smoke travels throughout the air even if doors and windows are shut. The smoke clings to anything in its surroundings and can stay there for days and even up to months. Smoke will stay on many things and is most commonly known to stay on furniture, carpets and even food. It may seem unbelievable that the smoke clings to your food but the smoke particles are not noticeable you are unable to see it. This being said no matter where you smoke you will most definitely affect others.

Smoking by Yourself
Some people chose to smoke alone in their home or in the car. But again smoke will stay for months at a time. Therefore this does not really keep the toxins away from others.

Open a Windows or using Ventilation Systems
When opening a window of a house or a window of a car people are led to believe that this will help with the removal of the second hand smoke. This is a myth because the second hand smoke is traveling deeper throughout the home because the particles in the smoke are actually not affected by wind. Also when smoking in a home, some people believe that if they just smoke in the bathroom the rest of the house will not be filled with the toxins. This is untrue as the smoke actually travels through ventilation systems into other rooms of the home that have not even been smoked in, causing second hand smoke to linger in the house. The second hand smoke takes many hours to clear just one cigarette.

Death Rate from Second Hand Smoke
Research shows that from tobacco exposure alone, 831 people died in 2002.  252 of these people who did not even smoke died of lung cancer. media type="youtube" key="bkDYX34tTuA" width="425" height="350" align="right"

Once someone has lung cancer there is treatment and coping strategies that can be put in place.

Page Created By: Jennifer Glynn