Higher Health Risks with Second Hand Smoke

Tobacco kills nearly six million people each year, of which more than 600,000 are non-smokers dying from breathing second-hand smoke. This is the bare facts on second hand smoke (SHS) by WHO.

“A complete ban on advertisement, promotion and sponsorship by tobacco companies would go a long to cut the lure off tobacco consumption,” says Dr Ullas Batra, Medical Oncologist. It is found that 66 percent of the smoke from a cigarette is not inhaled by the smoker, but enters the air making it devastating for a non-smoker too.

Here’s why Second Hand Smoke is fatal:

Second hand smoke is lethal because, it has at least twice the amount of nicotine and tar as the smoke inhaled by the smoker, has five times the amount of carbon monoxide, contains higher levels of ammonia and cadmium, contains hydrogen cyanide, a toxic poisonous gas, contains nitrogen dioxide which is very harmful and a regular exposure to second hand smoke increases the risk of lung disease by 25 percent and heart disease by 10 percent.

But the effect of smoke differs from person to person. Those who are more sensitive to smoke might develop cancer within short period of exposure of direct or second hand smoking, while those who are a bit resistant might evade its perceptible consequences for a longer period.

Second hand smoke can be controlled if the laws are enforced and there are designated areas for smoking that are strictly followed. If you are a smoker, then you could be killing your loved ones due to your vices.

Source: www.healthmeup.com