Passive or
involuntary smoking occurs when the exhaled and ambient smoke
(otherwise known as environmental or secondhand smoke) from one
person's cigarette is inhaled by other people. Passive smoking
involves inhaling carcinogens, as well as other toxic
components, that are present in secondhand tobacco smoke.
Secondhand smoke is also known to harm children, infants and
reproductive health through acute lower respiratory tract
illness, asthma induction and exacerbation, chronic respiratory
symptoms, middle ear infection, lower birth weight babies, and
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. In a study released on February
12, 2007 warning signs for cardiovascular disease are higher in
people exposed to secondhand tobacco smoke, adding to the link
between "passive smoke" and heart disease. "Our study provides
further evidence to suggest low-level exposure to secondhand
smoke has a clinically important effect on susceptibility to
cardiovascular disease," said Dr. Andrea Venn of University of
Nottingham in Britain, lead author of the study.
According to the U.S. Surgeon General’s Report (Chapter 5; pages
180–194), secondhand smoke is connected to SIDS. Infants who die
from SIDS tend to have higher concentrations of nicotine and
cotinine (a biological marker for secondhand smoke exposure) in
their lungs than those who die from other causes. Infants
exposed to secondhand smoke after birth are also at a greater
risk of SIDS.
Somatic and
psychological effects >>
|
Tobacco smoking
Methods of smoking
Health effects
1.
Establishing a link between smoking and health effects
2. Health risks of smoking
2.1 Carcinogenicity
2.2 Effects on the heart
2.3 Smoker's attitudes
3. Passive smoking
4. Somatic and psychological effects
5. Mood and anxiety disorders
6. Health benefits of smoking
Effects of the habit and
industry on society
1. Effect on healthcare costs
2. Tobacco and other drugs
3. Advertising
4. Peer pressure
5. Parental smoking
6. Smoking in movies and television
7. The use of smoking to project an image
Religious views
on smoking Smoking cessation
Legal issues and
regulation
1. Age restrictions
2. Taxation
3. Restrictions on cigarette advertising
4. Package warnings
5. Smoking bans
|
