Serious Health Hazard

Secondhand smoke (SHS) is a serious health hazard causing more than 41,000 deaths per year in the United States. It can cause or make worse a wide range of damaging health effects in children and adults, including lung cancer, respiratory infections and asthma. Secondhand smoke causes approximately 7,330 deaths from lung cancer and 33,950 deaths from heart disease each year. Secondhand smoke is dangerous.

There is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke.

Even brief exposure to secondhand smoke can cause serious health problems [1].

There are more than 7,000 chemical in secondhand smoke. Hundreds of these chemicals are toxic and about 70 cause cancer [1].

Children are especially vulnerable to harmful effects because their bodies are small and still growing. Children are at an increased risk for [2]:

• Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
• Acute respiratory infections, such as pneumonia and bronchitis
• Middle ear disease
• More frequent and severe asthma
• Respiratory symptoms
• Slowed lung growth.

Secondhand smoke can also cause behavioral problems and hyperactivity/inattention in preschoolers. [3].

Vaping Aerosol

E-cigarettes are not harmless “water vapor” or “mist”. Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine, some even have very high amounts of nicotine which can cause addiction. Liquids, or “e-juice” can contain chemicals that cause cancer and heavy metals such as nickel, tin, and lead. Also, there are tiny particles that can end up deep inside the lungs and cause damage.

Many e-cigarettes contain nicotine salts, which allow people to consume high levels of nicotine without experiencing the harshness of traditional nicotine.

Take ONE Step to Protect Loved Ones from SHS Exposure

Knowing and understanding the dangers of secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure will help you create safe breathing environments as well as inform parents of the risks, myths, and preventive measures regarding SHS and aerosols (3).

• Smoke outside, away from windows, doors, and children
• Don’t allow smoking at any time or place children will be present (home, car, etc.)
• Teach children how to stay away from secondhand smoke
• Model a tobacco and smokefree lifestyle
• Implement a smokefree house/property policy
• Be honest with young people about how difficult it is to quit smoking and encourage them not to start

1. U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Smoking—50 Years of Progress: A Report of the Surgeon General. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services; 2014.
2. About Secondhand Smoke. Smoking and Tobacco Use. Centers for Disease Control. 2024. About Secondhand Smoke | Smoking and Tobacco Use | CDC
3. Luk, T. T., Wang, M. P., Suen, Y. N., Koh, D. S., Lam, T. H., & Chan, S. (2018). Early childhood exposure to secondhand smoke and behavioral problems in preschoolers. Scientific Reports, 8, 15434. 10.1038/s41598-018-33829-6

Smoke is Smoke

There is no safe level of exposure to tobacco smoke.  According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), tobacco smoke contains more than 7,000 chemicals, including hundreds that are toxic and about 70 that can cause cancer (4).  Chemicals found in tobacco smoke include arsenic, ammonia, formaldehyde, carbon monoxide, and acetone (5).

Secondhand smoke exposure can lead to diseases similar to those found in cigarette smokers, including heart disease and lung cancer.  That is why is critical to keep you and your family in smokefree places, indoors and out.