Why is second hand smoke so harmful?
479727
Secondhand smoke contains twice as much tar and nicotine per unit volume as does smoke inhaled from a cigarette. It contains 3X as much cancer-causing benzpyrene, 5X as much carbon monoxide, and 50X as much ammonia. Secondhand smoke from pipes and cigars is equally as harmful, if not more so.\n\nSecond hand smoke is a toxic cocktail consisting of poisons and carcinogens. There are over 4000 chemical compounds in second hand smoke; 200 of which are known to be poisonous, and upwards of 60 have been identified as carcinogens.\n\nWhen a cigarette is smoked, about half of the smoke is inhaled / exhaled (mainstream smoke) by the smoker and the other half floats around in the air(sidestream smoke).\n\n No one should be forced to breathe in air tainted with cigarette smoke.
679369
Secondary smoke is more dangerous than mainstream smoke(the smoke that the smoker inhales thru the filter.) because it is not filtered. secondhand also increases the incidence of most of the diseases associated with smoking. it increases the chance of resp. infections, ear infections, and effects lower lung function. almost 3,000 cases of lung cancers per year are caused by secondhand smoke.
988696
Not all smoke is full of harmful emmissions. At the CDC for example, they will burn diseases in a keln, and you will see some of the thickest black smoke you've ever seen come out of the stack, but the smoke is completely harmless. The heat is required to completely kill the diseases after they finish their research.
1148401
what you take into your body is taken into your babies body-  the chemicals and toxins in what you are smoking can cause low birth weight, premature birth, respiratory problems, etc.  For your baby's health and your own- you should refrain from smoking, or better yet quit (as second hand smokle for oyur infant and child is just as damaging) when you are preganant!
579063
Well one thing second hand smokes does for me is it gives me migraines for hours and even days. I really don't think I should have to suffer when I do nothing in return. But smoke isn't the only thing that gives me really bad headaches other strong odors do too like perfume.
790767
Think about it....second hand smoke has been linked to lung cancer. You are inhaling direct nicotine and smoke. Now what do you think? \n\nYes, it can and does cause lung cancer regardless of how little amount you smoke. You are also at a potential risk for bronchitis, emphysema, pneumonia, cystic fibrosis, asthma and more. You'll do yourself good if you quit.
493970
Cigarette smoke contains a number of toxic chemicals and irritants. People with allergies may be more sensitive to cigarette smoke than others and research studies indicate that smoking may aggravate allergies.\n\n \nSmoking does not just harm smokers but also those around them. Research has shown that children and spouses of smokers tend to have more respiratory infections and asthma than those of non-smokers. In addition, exposure to secondhand smoke can increase the risk of allergic complications such as sinusitis and bronchitis. \n\nCommon symptoms of smoke irritation are burning or watery eyes, nasal congestion, coughing, hoarseness and shortness of breath presenting as a wheeze.
478662
ANY amount of smoking is harmful to your body. \nThis is from an article by Marie Claire magazine called "what smoke does to your body"\n*Causes strokes. Nicotine reaches the brain 10 seconds after you inhale\n*Gives you bad breath and yellow teeth. Associated with gum disease and mouth cancer\n*Gives you a two times higher risk of heart attack than a non smoker. Just one to five cigs a day can double your risk\n*Raises risk of breast cancer if you started smoking within 5 years of your first menstral period\n*Raises risk for stomach and peptic ulcers\n*In addition to lung cancer, smoking raises risk tenfold of chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), a collection of fatal lung diseases\n*increases the odds that you wont ovulate or concieve. Smoking when pregnant increases miscarriage risk by 39%\n*Smokers have more severe PMS and 50% more cramps\n*the longer you smoke, the higher your risk for cervical cancer and colar rectal cancer\n*Hardens your arteries, raising odds for high blood pressure and heart attacks\n*Smoking can dampen libido by constricting blood flow to your clitoris\n*smoking may make bones thinner and more fragile, raising your risk of fractures\n*prematurely ages your skin by 10-20 years
347831
omg soo easy do a google search of cigarette smoke and ull find out that cigarette smoke inahalation(or second hand smoke) is actually worse for u than if u were to be a smoker alone
618180
The reason for the law (and it does not include every public area) is due to the fact that "second hand smoke" is believed to cause cancer.   I don't know where you live, but in Maryland you can still smoke in diners, clubs and bars in designated areas.  You can don't smoke in any government buildings, and most office buildings.   As for its origins in South Africa, I don't know about that.
868845
I'm a non-smoker, and I believe that I shouldn't have to be exposed to second-hand smoke that might harm me.  However, it's getting kind of ridiculous when it's being banned in bars.  Drunk people can be hazardous to the health of those around them too - shall we ban drinking in bars next?  I think reasonable people can agree that smoking in a bar is acceptable behavior.  There's nothing wrong with someone opening his own bar and saying "you can't smoke in my bar," but to make it an across-the-board law seems extreme and unnecessary.\n\nIt's also too extreme to ban smoking outdoors.  There have been no studies or data suggesting that being exposed to second-hand smoke in an outdoor, well-ventilated area is hazardous to one's health.  So I don't think smoking should be banned at bus stops, parks, etc., like some cities are doing.
118078
Sure, tobacco caused social ills could be something like the life long effects to a child of losing a parent or loved one (due to tobacco related causes).  Second hand smoke--is another issue, when you sunject others to this "deadly" air.  Either they have no choice & must breathe it in order to continue contact with you. . .or they choose not to interact with you--and this would be a social loss for both.  Another social ill would be the cost to society for providing health/medical care to people sick because of tobacco illnesses.  Of course, we should do that. . .but that money could be spent on improving other things.  (By this way. . .this was a great question!)
585469
eeeeeeew!!!! smoking is the worst thing...i'm sure many girls hate it (but one of my friends think it's appealing---can't understand what's up with her). smoking is really bad for you and you'll get bad teeth, lung cancer, etc. don't do it for an image...don't do it all. Everytime i'm near someone or i walk past someone smoking and i get secondhand smoke (yuck!) i turn to my friends and we joke saying we just lost 11 seconds of our lives.
184879
I'm sure you've heard the Bible command about loving your neighbor....right?   Well, would it be a loving thing to add deadly second hand smoke to the air at this festival?\n\nPersonally, after watching my mother die of lung cancer and heart failure due to smoking, and my father needlessly suffer and die from second hand smoke, I am appalled that anyone would even consider using their addiction as an excuse for doing such a thing as you are suggesting!  (Yes, I'm angry!)
380703
We drive our cars; they add more gases to the air and make extra pollution. What about factories and machines that do the same?\nThese all just more danger added to the smoking danger, non smokers have the effect of the pollution only but smokers have the both of pollution and smoking.\n\nThe environment and biological inheritance effect smokers more than anyone else because smokers already effected by smoking habits which is a bad habit. It is Better for smoker to quit smoking  and better for us to do our best to keep our environment with no pollution or at least less pollution
484036
Smoking, whether it is in the form of cigarettes, bidi, cigar or hookah, is a form of nicotine addiction. All of them are harmful. It can cause cancer and damages the lungs and the respiratory tract.\n\nCigarette smoking is a major cause of preventable deaths worldwide. On an average, people who smoke die 5 to 8 years earlier than people who dont smoke. Tobacco users, and people who live with smokers, have nearly all cases of lung cancer. Their risk of developing throat, mouth, oesophageal, pancreatic, kidney, bladder, and cervical cancer is several times greater than for people who are not regularly exposed to tobacco smoke. Smoking is the major cause of emphysema, a debilitating lung disease which slowly destroys a persons ability to breathe normally. Smoking is especially hazardous for people with heart disease, blood vessel disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or a family history of these diseases.\n\nSmokers, and those living with smokers, have a two times greater risk of fatal heart disease. Smoking also increases the risk of having a stroke. Women, especially those over 35 years old, who take birth control pills and smoke have an increased risk of stroke or heart attack. Increased blood pressure is another danger of smoking. Smoking also decreases HDL (the good cholesterol) levels. Smokers and people living with them have a two to three times greater chance of having peptic ulcers. Smokers also have a greater than average risk of hip, wrist, and fractures of the spine. In addition, smoking also complicates sleep disorders. Smokers also tend to get colds and other respiratory tract infections more often than nonsmokers.\n\nTobacco smoke is dangerous to nonsmokers. Exposure to the smoke, also called passive smoking, increases the risks of nonsmokers getting the same problems as smokers. A nonsmoker in a very smoky room for 1 hour with several smokers inhales as many bad chemicals as he would inhale by actually smoking 10 or more cigarettes himself.\n\nSmoking affects pregnant women and their unborn children. Smoking mothers have a greater risk of miscarriage and stillbirth. Children born to women who smoke have lower birth weights on average. They also have more frequent respiratory infections, a higher risk of chronic ear infections and asthma, and less efficient lung function. Children of smokers usually become cigarette smokers themselves. The more cigarettes a person smokes each day, the greater the risk of disease. Cigar and pipe smokers are at the same risk for cancers of the mouth, lip, larynx, and oesophagus as cigarette smokers. Fortunately, when a smoker stops smoking many of these risks decrease. Users of snuff or chewing tobacco (smokeless tobacco) increase their risk of cancer of the mouth. The mouth cancer can develop relatively quickly, within 10 to 15 years of the first use of snuff or chewing tobacco.
181342
Second hand smoke = bad for kids.\n\nSimple