Understand the risks of second-hand smoke

Second-hand smoke is:

• The smoke that burns off the tip of a cigarette.
• The smoke breathed out by a smoker after puffing on a cigarette.

Second-hand smoke contains many of the same hazardous chemicals that smokers inhale. You might be surprised to learn that the levels of some chemicals are actually higher in second-hand smoke.

Second-hand smoke can cause a range of health problems to the people exposed to it. It is especially dangerous to children, babies and pregnant women.

Second-hand smoke is most dangerous to babies and children.

This smoke can increase a baby’s odds of having breathing problems like asthma, as well as having ear and lung infections. Second-hand smoke around a baby also increases its chances of growing up to develop leukemia, lymphomas or brain tumours. Second-hand smoke increases the possibility of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Children exposed to second-hand smoke can suffer from bronchitis, wheezing and pneumonia, as well as other breathing problems.