Smoking has adverse effects on health. Those who smoke can be affected by serious and some times life-threatening illnesses like emphysema, cancers in different parts of the body, heart diseases, increased risk of stroke and heart attacks, and many more. It also increases the risk of asthma and bronchitis. But the biggest problem with smoking, unlike many other such habits and addictions is that it not only affects the smokers but those around them as well.
What is side-stream smoke?
There are different ways in which those around smokers get affected by the smoking habit along with the smokers themselves. One of these is side-stream smoke. It refers to the smoke that is given out by the cigarette when it is lit. The burning end gives out smoke that has been found to be as toxic, if not more, than mainstream smoke, that is, smoke inhaled by the smoker.
Side-stream smoke, research shows, can be even more lethal than secondhand or even mainstream smoke. Some of the chemicals present in this smoke are not present in mainstream smoke. This is because some chemicals and particles are blocked by filters that are present inside cigarettes. But there is no such filter to keep these toxins out of the smoke that is given out directly from a burning cigarette end. This puts those around smokers at a very high risk.
Some health effects of side-stream smoke:
- Lung and bladder cancer
- Emphysema
- Heart diseases
- Increased risk of heart attacks and strokes
- Less oxygen in the blood and body
- Chemical poisoning
- Increased risk of SIDS
- Asthma
- Irritation and allergies of ears, eyes and nose
These are just some of the risks non-smokers who are exposed to side-stream smoke face. They have to face these problems even after staying away from cigarettes. This is also the reason why there is widespread support for smoking bans in public places.
