Secondhand Smoke

Secondhand Smoke (SHS) also known as Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS). SHS is a mixture of two forms smoke that come from burning tobacco:

1. Sidestream smoke
2. Mainstream smoke

    Sidestream smoke is smoke which goes into the air directly from a burning cigarette, cigar, or smoking pipe and Mainstream smoke is the exhaled smoke smokers release after taking a puff on a lit cigarette. the chemicals constituents of sidestream smoke are different from those of directly inhaled (mainstream) smoke.

   Even though we think these as the same, they aren't. Sidestream smoke has higher risk than Mainstream smoke it because the chemicals from the cigarette goes directly into body. as I mentioned in last article, cigarette contains more than 4.000 chemicals and 250 of these are known to be harmful and of course known to cause cancer. 

  Smoking has many ways to kill you and also kill people who don't smoke. SHS directly affects the heart, blood vessels and blood circulation. overtime it can cause heart attacks, heart disease and strokes. babies and children who exposed to SHS are at an increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), acute repiratory infections, also frequent asthma attacks also increase the chances to a pregnant to have a spontaneous abortion, stillborn birth and other pregnancy problems. 

The only way to protect non-smokers from SHS is by separating smokers and non-smokers, smoking at smoking areas is one of the option. also be aware in these places because these places where you can be exposure by SHS:

1. At work
2. At home
3. Private Vehicles
4. In public places

There is no safe level of exposure to SHS. any exposure is harmful. that's why you should say "goodbye" to cigarette, love your body and people around you. STOP smoking starts from NOW!

reference: www.cancer.org