It is by now common knowledge that smoking is harmful to overall health and well-being. Smoking affects the heart, lungs, respiratory tract, kidneys and almost every single part of the body. It causes or increases risk of heart diseases, stroke, cancers of various organs, emphysema,and many more. But there is something else regarding smoking that has become known not very long back. It is the concept of passive or secondhand smoke.
What is secondhand smoking?
Secondhand smoke is also known as passive smoke or environmental smoke (ETS). It refers to smoke that is given out by the burning end of a cigarette that is lit as well as the smoke that a smoker exhales after taking a puff. The smoke that a smoker exhales is usually known as mainstream smoke while smoke given out from the end of a lit cigarette is called sidestream smoke.
Till some years ago, secondhand smoke was not considered to be dangerous in any way. It was believed that it was only the smoker who was affected by cigarette smoke. Researchers then discovered that secondhand smoke contains as many, if not more, chemicals as the smoke that is inhaled by the smoker. This is because all the chemicals that are contained in the smoke, taken in by the smoker, are also present in secondhand smoke.
In fact, there are some particulate toxins that are blocked by the filters present in cigarettes and do not reach the smoker. But these are present in secondhand smoke. That is why passive smoking can be as dangerous as smoking itself.
It is best to stay away from smoking altogether if you are not already a smoker. This can prevent you as well as those around you from the wide range of serious health problems that can be caused by cigarette smoke. But if you are already a smoker, make an effort to quit as soon as possible. If that is not an option, then you should try to avoid smoking around non-smokers and especially children.
