From killing infants to causing longterm disease and complications, it’s not doing anyone a favor.
It seems like a lot of people have quit smoking. And fewer are starting the habit in the first place. More teens today are taking up e-cigarettes, and those deciding to smoke anything has dropped. That being said, there are still a good handful of smokers out there, and if you’re one of them it could be good to remember that when you light up, so do those around you.
According to a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, (CDC), exposure to secondhand smoke is still causing a lot of problems. Sadly, it’s a continuous and known cause of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), respiratory infections, ear infections, asthma attacks in infants and children, heart disease, stroke and, of course, lung cancer.
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Secondhand smoke contains about 70 chemicals that can cause cancer. So, even if you don’t smoke, yes, you can die from being around it.
Each year, exposure to secondhand smoke causes more than 41,400 deaths and disparities exist among Americans.
Here are some more interesting facts from the CDC:
- More than 3 in 10 nonsmokers with less than a high school education are exposed to secondhand smoke
- More than 7 in 10 nonsmokers living with someone who smokes inside the home are exposed to secondhand smoke
- Half of black nonsmokers are exposed to secondhand smoke, including 2 of every 3 black children
For tips on quitting for good, click here.
