Smoke Gets in Your Eyes - How to Protect Yourself from Second-hand Smoke

Is second-hand smoke just as harmful as mainstream smoke?

Believe it or not, second-hand smoke is actually more dangerous than directly inhaled smoke because it is not filtered. Second-hand smoke also burns at a lower temperature and contains twice as much tar and 5 times more carbon monoxide which reduces the amount of oxygen in the blood.

What are the health effects of second-hand smoke? Can you get a serious illness or die from second-hand smoke?

If you are a non-smoker, exposure to second-hand smoke will increase your risk of getting either lung cancer or heart disease. Second-hand smoke can lead to the formation of blood clots that can cause heart attacks and strokes, raise your heart rate and damage your heart muscle.^[1]

How can teens protect themselves and others from second-hand smoke?

The best way to protect your self against second-hand smoke is to avoid it completely. If you live in a home where someone smokes, you will need to talk to them about how they can help reduce your exposure. It won’t be easy, but it will pay off in the end. Here are some tips that might help:

• Be honest and open with your family about how important it is to you that your home is smoke-free.
• Try not to nag or bring it up in a way that will turn them off. Instead, you may want to say something like: "I love you. I want everyone to live a long and healthy life."
• Tell your family how second-hand smoke makes you feel, inside and out.
• Offer to help in any way you can.

What is the minimum level of exposure?

There is no known safe level of exposure to second-hand smoke. A non-smoker in a smoky room is inhaling the same chemicals as a smoker.

Can second-hand smoke affect pets?

Some studies have shown that second-hand smoke can cause leukemia (a type of cancer) in cats^[2] and that dogs in smoking households have a greater risk of cancer.^[3] And your beloved pets don't just inhale smoke; the smoke particles are also trapped in their fur and ingested when they groom themselves with their tongues.^[4]

How can I ask older people/parents not to smoke around me?

You have the right to a smoke-free world. You have a right to clear the air and to set limits about where your friends and family smoke. Make it very clear that you don’t want them to smoke in the car, your home or anywhere around you and stay firm when you enforce these boundaries. Don’t be afraid to walk away from smokers when they light up, but let them know that it is the smoke that you are avoiding, not them.

How many people are killed by second-hand smoke each year?

Breathing in second-hand smoke causes over 1,000 deaths in Canadian non-smokers from lung cancer and heart disease every year.^[5]

What are the laws about smoking in public places?

The Smoke-Free Ontario Act prohibits smoking in all enclosed workplaces and enclosed public places in Ontario as of May 31, 2006. For more information, check out this Ontario Ministry of Health Promotion Fact Sheet.

Who is affected by second-hand smoke?

In 2003, almost one out of five (14%) of Canadian homes with children under 12 years old reported that their children were exposed to second-hand smoke from cigarettes, cigars or pipes. Although this number is dropping, it still means that approximately 600,000 children under 12 continue to be regularly exposed to second-hand smoke in Canadian homes.^[6]

Why is smoking in vehicles dangerous?

In vehicles, smoke is concentrated in a smaller space. As a result, second-hand smoke can reach very high levels. Smoking a single cigarette for only 5 minutes in a vehicle can create a level of second-hand smoke that is similar to a smoky bar.^[7]

Opening a window or turning on the fan won't make much difference. The cigarette smoke will often blow back into the vehicle and can linger for hours.^[8]

What are the harmful effects of smoking in cars and vehicles?

Exposure to second-hand smoke in vehicles is particularly harmful to babies and children who breathe more quickly and take in more toxic chemicals for their size than adults do.^[9]

People who smoke and drive have a higher risk of motor vehicle injury and death.^[10]

Vehicles owned by smokers have a lower resale value because of the smell and cigarette burns to upholstery.

What is the harm of second-hand smoke in outdoor spaces such as parks, playgrounds and beaches?

According to researchers at Stanford University if you are next to a person smoking outdoors, you can breathe in smoke that is much more concentrated than normal air pollution levels.  In fact, being within a few feet of a smoker outdoors may expose you to air pollution levels that are similar to levels measured in homes and bars.^[11]

Parks, playgrounds and beaches are places where young children hang out. By not allowing smoking in these places, we not only prevent kids from being exposed to second-hand smoke, we also protect them from tossed cigarette butts which are highly toxic and especially harmful to babies and toddlers who may put them in their mouths.

For more info about second-hand smoke, check out the Second-hand Smoke tab in our Homework Help section.