Second-Hand Smoke as a Risk Factor

Second-hand Smoke is smoke that happens to you. It is also called passive smoke. It is a combination of smoke, the kind that comes from the end of the tobacco, and smoke that is exhaled by a smoker. “Sidestream smoke” is smoke that comes from the end of the cigarette. It is more deadly than the smoke that the smoker exhales. The more second-hand smoke that people inhale, the higher the level of harmful chemicals that are in their bodies.

With so many people who have a mental illness/psychiatric diagnosis smoking (over 44% of people with a psychiatric diagnosis smoke), people who go to programs, treatment centers, drop-in centers, clubhouses, etc., are at an increased risk of running into second-hand smoke from others. Too many times people who smoke stop right outside the door, forcing people who choose not to smoke to inhale their second-hand smoke.

Second-hand smoke causes cancer.

Second-hand smoke causes other diseases and deaths. Each year there are 46,000 deaths from heart disease from people who don't smoke, and 3,400 deaths from lung cancer each year are due to the inhalation of second-hand smoke.

Second-hand smoke increases the risk of pneumonia, bronchitis, asthma, reduced lung function, and middle ear infections.

It immediately affects heart and blood circulation. Over time second-hand smoke causes cancer.

Chemicals from tobacco smoke reach breast tissue and are found in breast milk.







Second-hand smoke kills. It causes premature death and disease in children and adults who do not smoke.







There is no safe level of exposure to second-hand smoke.







The only way to fully protect non-smokers from second-hand smoke is to prevent all smoking in a building or home. Second-hand smoke cannot be adequately cleaned from the air or ventilated out through building ventilation systems.







People should be concerned about second-hand smoke while at work, in public areas, at home, and in cars.



Non-smokers who are exposed to second-hand smoke increase their risk of heart disease and lung cancer by 25 to 30%.







What can be done to minimize the risk of encountering second-hand smoke?

Ask people to set guidelines, and to enforce guidelines that set up smoking areas away from entrances and exits. If people who live in your home or group home smoke, ask to be moved to another home, for people to smoke outside, or search out another solution. Don't sit downwind or in someone's second-hand smoke. It isn't just that it smells bad. Second-hand smoke kills. Politely ask them to move or move yourself.

Here are some resources that may help.







Guide to Quitting Smoking (also available in Spanish)







Questions About Smoking, Tobacco, and Health (also available in Spanish)







Smoking in the Workplace







American Heart Association 

Toll-free number: 1-800-242-8721 (1-800-AHA-USA-1)
Web site: www.americanheart.org







American Stroke Association
Toll-free number: 1-888-478-7653 (1-888-4-STROKE)
Web site: www.strokeassociation.org







American Lung Association
 Telephone: 1-800-586-4872
Web site: www.lungusa.org