What is secondhand smoking?
Secondhand smoking is
the inhaling of smoke being exhaled by a smoker. Can secondhand smoke increase
your risk of having a heart attack?
Answer From Francisco Lopez-Jimenez, M.D.
Yes. Secondhand smoke exposure is a risk factor
for having a heart attack in both men and women. Secondhand smoke includes
the smoke from a burning cigarette or pipe and the smoke a tobacco user
breathes out.
Any amount of secondhand smoke is bad for the
heart and blood vessels. Breathing secondhand smoke can cause the cells in the
blood that are responsible for clotting, called platelets, to become very
sticky. This makes blood more likely to clot. If a clot blocks blood flow, a
heart attack or stroke can occur.
Secondhand smoke makes the arteries not able to
widen. This condition is called endothelial dysfunction. It's associated with
many forms of cardiovascular disease.
Chemicals in secondhand smoke also irritate the
lining of the arteries, causing them to swell and become stiff. Such
inflammation can narrow the arteries, increasing the risk of heart-related
chest pain and heart attacks.
Many studies have found that heart attack
rates go down in areas after smoke-curbing laws are passed.
Second hand smoking can also affect fertility in both men and women.
How can I protect myself and my family from secondhand smoke in my home?
- There is no safe amount of secondhand
smoke exposure. The home is the main place many children and adults
breathe in secondhand smoke.
- To protect yourself and those around you, do not smoke or let anyone smoke in your
home or car. Encourage family members to quit smoking.
- Smoke from one cigarette can stay in a
room for hours. Please, note that opening windows and using fans, air
conditioners, air purifiers, air fresheners, and ventilation systems
does not get rid of secondhand smoke.
- Smoking in another room—like a bathroom or
bedroom—will not protect children and others from the effects of secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke can still spread
through your home. It can travel through doorways, cracks in walls,
electrical lines, ventilation systems, and plumbing.
- In an apartment building, secondhand smoke
can travel between apartment units.
- Prohibiting all tobacco use, including
e-cigarettes, in the home can set a good example for young people. It can
also protect people who do not use e-cigarettes from exposure to
e-cigarette emissions. The e-cigarette aerosol that people who use
e-cigarettes breathe from the device and exhale can contain harmful and
potentially harmful substances.
How can I protect
myself and my family from secondhand smoke outside of my home?
If your child goes to daycare or school, talk
to the provider or school officials to make sure they have a tobacco-free
policy for all facilities. This type of policy can set a good example for young
people. It can also protect children from secondhand smoke and e-cigarette
emissions. Examples includes:
- Tobacco-free school events.
- Tobacco-free school policies that apply to buildings
and grounds and include e-cigarettes.
If neither your state nor community have
adopted laws preventing exposure to secondhand smoke in public areas, look for
restaurants and other public places that do not allow smoking. "No
Smoking" sections in restaurants that separate people who smoke from those
who do not smoke do not protect you or your children from secondhand smoke.
Women should also avoid shops
where smoking is not prohibited and
order their personal care and beauty products where
necessary.
Talk to your employer about the benefits of
a smokefree policy in your workplace.
Educate others about the benefits of smokefree
laws in public places, workplaces, and housing.
If you own or manage a business, adopt a
smokefree policy for employees and customers.
Protecting your loved ones also means not using other types of
commercial tobacco products, including e-cigarettes.
- The aerosol from e-cigarette is not
harmless . It can contain cancer-causing chemicals, heavy metals like
nickel, tin, and lead, among other chemicals.
- E-cigarettes are not safe for children,
teens, young adults, pregnant adults, or people who do not already use
tobacco.
- No e-cigarette has been approved by the
FDA as a quit smoking aid. As mentioned above, there are proven tools that
can help current smokers quit successfully.
If you smoke cigarettes, the best decision you can make for your
health and your family's health is to quit.
Quitting smoking can be hard, and it can take
many tries but the long term health benefits are worth the sacrifice.
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