How Secondhand Smoke Affects Non-Smokers

By Dennis Thompson Jr. | Medically reviewed by Pat F. Bass III, MD, MPH

Exposure to others' cigarette smoke can result in lung cancer, heart disease, and respiratory
illnesses in children and adults.

We've all heard about the negative health effects of secondhand smoke, but new research is
shedding light on just how powerful it really is. A recent study from the U.S. National Institute on
Drug Abuse (NIDA) found that secondhand smoke can make it harder for smokers to kick the
habit. Researchers say that secondhand smoke triggers nicotine cravings and directly alters brain
function, similar to actually smoking a cigarette. If secondhand smoke has such a powerful effect
on smokers, then what does it do to those who aren't even lighting up?

The Evidence Against Secondhand Smoke

Tobacco smoke is a known carcinogen and toxic substance. Of the 4,000 chemicals found in
cigarette smoke, at least 250 are considered harmful to your health and 60 of them are known or
suspected causes of cancer. Some of the toxins contained in secondhand smoke are:

Arsenic
Benzene
Beryllium
Cadmium
Chromium
Ethylene oxide
Nickel
Polonium-210
Vinyl chloride

How Secondhand Smoke Harms Adults and Children

Research has found that secondhand smoke is responsible for tens of thousands of deaths every
year in non-smokers, including about 3,400 lung cancer deaths and an estimated 46,000 heart
disease deaths. Evidence is growing that secondhand smoke might also play a role in the
development of breast cancer.
However, children are the most vulnerable victims of secondhand smoke. About 35 percent of
kids in the United States some 21 million children live in homes where they are regularly
exposed to secondhand smoke. Children exposed to secondhand smoke suffer respiratory
diseases, asthma attacks, and infections at an increased rate. Experts believe that every year
secondhand smoke:

Results in 150,000 to 300,000 lung infections like pneumonia and bronchitis in kids younger than
18 months, leading to approximately 15,000 hospitalizations every year

Prompts more and worse asthma attacks in up to 1 million children with asthma

Is responsible for more than 750,000 middle ear infections in kids, due to build-up of fluid in the
ear

Causes 430 babies to die of sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS

Secondhand smoke also harms fetuses. Pregnant women exposed to secondhand smoke have:

More miscarriages and stillbirths

An increased risk of delivering a baby with low birth weight
More babies with impaired lung function

Tactics such as using air cleaners, airing out buildings, and creating separate smoking and non-
smoking sections do not prevent non-smokers' exposure to secondhand smoke.

The Stigma of Smoking

Because more people recognize the dangers of secondhand smoke, the act of smoking itself can
harm relationships and cause people to avoid you. One survey of more than 800 current and
former smokers living in New York City found that:

81 percent agreed that most people would not hire a smoker to take care of their children
72 percent agreed that most non-smokers would be reluctant to date a smoker
39 percent agreed that most people think less of a person who smokes
21 percent agreed that most people think smoking is a sign of personal failure

According to the American Cancer Society, the only way non-smokers can be completely
protected from secondhand smoke indoors is to ban all indoor smoking.