Secondhand Smoking|Secondhand Smoke|Secondhand Smoker.
What is secondhand smoke.
Secondhand smoke is also described as passive smoke or environmental tobacco smoke. The Surgeon General’s report uses the term “involuntary smoke” to describe secondhand smoke. This is the smoke that is exhaled by the smoker and the smoke that emanates from burning tobacco such as a burning cigarette, a burning cigar or a burning pipe. It is not to be confused with cigarette smoke which is the smoke that is inhaled by the smoker, when smoking.
Secondhand Smoker.
The smoker has his causes to smoke but the secondhand smoker doesn’t and is a victim of the vice of the smoker. Secondhand smoke when inhaled involuntarily by any non smoking person comes to be called as secondhand smoking, passive smoking or involuntary smoking. And the non smoker who inhales such smoke is called a secondhand smoker. Secondhand smoke is a dangerous pollutant of the air which can have harmful effects on health of the secondhand smoker.
Secondhand Smoking|Secondhand Smoke.
The quantum of secondhand smoke emitted varies on the amount of tobacco that is burning. For example, secondhand smoke emitted from a burning cigar is equal to the smoke emitted from smoking one pack of cigarettes. This makes secondhand smoke from a cigar more dangerous to the secondhand smoker than second hand smoke from a cigarette. Therefore secondhand smoking of cigar smoke is more dangerous than cigarette smoke due to its higher tobacco content.
Pictures of mainstream and sidestream secondhand smoke.
Types of Secondhand Smoke.
1. Mainstream Smoke. This is the smoke that is exhaled by the smoker.
2, Sidestream Smoke is the smoke that emanates from burning tobacco. In other words it is the smoke that is emitted from a burning end of a cigarette, cigar or pipe that is held in the hand or kept lit on the ashtray.
Since sidestream second hand smoke is generated at lower temperatures than mainstream smoke, it contains higher concentration of these toxins.
Common places of exposure to second hand smoke.
Secondhand smoking or passive smoking by non smokers is seen occurring most commonly in the following places.
- Homes.
- Workplaces.
- Cars.
- Bars and restaurants.
- An enclosed party hall.
- Or even an open space if the smoker is close by.
Safe limits for Secondhand Smoke.
The Surgeon General’s report concludes the there are no such established safe limits for passive smoking or secondhand smoking. Even a little exposure to second hand smoke can cause harm and limit the flexibility of the arteries of the secondhand smoker. It is said that even 30 seconds of secondhand smoking can increase your risk to the ill effects of second hand smoke. Of course, the risk increases with the time of exposure.
Reach of Secondhand Smoke.
Second hand smoke travels up to a distance of 20 feet in either direction in the atmosphere. It can seep through small openings, through gaps of shut doors and windows, through ventilation and air conditioning ducts.
Protection from Second Hand Smoke.
According to the Surgeon General’s report, the only way to ensure protection from secondhand smoke is to ban smoking in closed and indoor areas. No amount of ventilation or cleaning will eliminate the risk of secondhand smoke.
Contents in Secondhand Smoke.
According to The National Toxicology Program, from more than 4000 chemicals present in secondhand smoke, more than 250 are known to be toxic out of which more than 50 are carcinogenic. A small list of such chemicals present in secondhand smoke are given below.
(Arranged alphabetically)
Arsenic
Benzene
Beryllium
1,3–Butadiene
Cadmium
Chromium
Ethylene oxide
Nickel
Polonium-210
Vinyl chloride
Formaldehyde
Benzopyrene
Toluene
Measuring Secondhand Smoke.
- Secondhand smoking exposure can be measured by testing the air indoors for presence of chemicals of secondhand smoke such as nicotine.
- Blood, saliva and urine of the secondhand smoker can be tested for presence of carbon monoxide, cotinine and other chemicals and gases. Cotinine is the substance that is formed after nicotine is broken down in the body
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