Get the facts about secondhand smoke thanks to years of research from organizations like the Centers for Disease Control and the American Lung Association.
10 Facts About Secondhand Smoke
The health effects of secondhand smoke are serious and threatening.1 No matter where you’re exposed to it, whether in the car, outside, at home, or elsewhere, it’s not safe.1 The only way to protect yourself and the ones that you love is to live smoke-free.1 Learn more about the dangers of secondhand smoke by reading the proven facts below.
- Secondhand smoke exposure causes close to 41,000 deaths per year.1
- Of those deaths from secondhand smoke exposure each year, approximately 7,330 are due to lung cancer and 33,000 are due to heart disease.1
- There are over 7,000 chemicals in secondhand smoke, about 70 of which are known to cause cancer in humans.2
- Secondhand smoke causes or worsens many negative health effects in children and adults, including lung cancer, respiratory infections, and asthma. 3
- Secondhand smoke is a known cause of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) as well as asthma attacks and middle ear infections. 4
- Nonsmokers have a 20-30 percent greater chance of developing lung cancer if they are exposed to secondhand smoke at home or work.5
- Many people suffer chronic and debilitating conditions caused by secondhand smoke. These include stroke, lung disease and heart disease.3
- Exposure to secondhand smoke can cause coronary heart disease, including heart attack and stroke.6
- There is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke.7
- Secondhand smoke is a danger to animals, making pets that are exposed more likely to develop cancer.8
Secondhand smoke hurts everyone, but you can make a difference. Spark a conversation by posting any one of the facts above to social media and tag it using#secondhandsmoke #firsthandthreat.
Click here to view the references for the data used for our website.
