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Health Harms
In the summer of 2006, the Surgeon General dispelled the myth that secondhand smoke is a mere annoyance. Here are the facts:
- There is no known safe level of secondhand smoke exposure.
- Secondhand Smoke is a leading preventable cause of death in the U.S., killing between 38,000 and 65,000 non smokers each year.
- Secondhand smoke is linked to increased risk of lung cancer, heart disease, heart attack, stroke, respiratory disease, and breast cancer.
- The Center for Disease Control recommends that anyone at risk for coronary heart disease or with known coronary artery disease should avoid all environments that permit smoking.
More than 4000 chemicals are found in secondhand smoke, including cancer causing chemicals such as polonium 210, formaldehyde, benzene, and vinyl chloride.
For more information on the health harms of secondhand smoke exposure, click here.