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What is secondhand smoke or
Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS)?
Secondhand smoke is a Class
“A” carcinogen that contains over 4,000 chemicals, more than
60 are known to cause cancer. Secondhand smoke is made
up of “side-stream” smoke from
the burning end of a cigarette and “main-stream” smoke that
is exhaled by the smoker
IF YOU CAN SMELL SMOKE,
YOU ARE BREATHING IT IN!
Why is secondhand smoke
dangerous?
Adverse health effects of secondhand smoke include:
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Lung cancer
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Heart disease
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Chronic coughing
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Respiratory tract infections
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Eye and nose irritation
Secondhand smoke is harmful to pregnant women and their
unborn baby. Secondhand smoke exposure can cause:
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Decreased oxygen to a mother and fetus
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A low birthweight baby
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Increased risk of infant death from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
Compared to children living
in smoke-free environments, children living in smoking
environments are more likely to have:
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Coughs
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Colds
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Ear Infections
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Asthma attacks
What can
you do to protect yourself and others from secondhand smoke?
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Educate
yourself on the dangers of tobacco use
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Bring
awareness to the community and your peers about the
benefits of living a smoke-free life
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Advocate for policy changes that promote smoke-free
outdoor environments
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If you
or someone you know would like to quit smoking:
CALL
1-800-QUIT-NOW for information on how to quit and stay quit.
THE WORLD
WILL BREATH EASIER!
Where can I learn more
about secondhand smoke?
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