Patient education: Secondhand smoke and adults (The Basics)

What is secondhand smoke? — 

This is smoke people breathe in when they're near a person who is smoking. Secondhand smoke is also called "environmental tobacco smoke."

You can also be exposed to "thirdhand smoke." This means the chemicals that are left behind in a home, building, or car when people smoke inside. These chemicals can stay on carpets, walls, and other surfaces for a long time. When people come into contact with these things, they are exposed to some of the same chemicals as people who smoke.

Does secondhand smoke cause health problems? — 

Yes. Studies have shown secondhand smoke can cause health problems.

The more smoke you are exposed to, the worse these problems can be. For example, people who have a partner that smokes or who work in a place where smoking is allowed tend to have a higher risk than people who are exposed to secondhand smoke occasionally.

What health problems can secondhand smoke cause? — 

Secondhand smoke increases your chances of having:

●Lung cancer

●Heart disease and some other types of cardiovascular disease

●Stroke

●Diabetes

There is also some evidence secondhand smoke can make an existing health problem worse. For example, if you have asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ("COPD"), being around smoke might make your symptoms worse.

Is it enough to just make a smoke-free room in my home? — 

No. Even if 1 room is smoke free, there will still be thirdhand smoke in other parts of your home. To lower the risk of health problems to people in the home, the whole home should be smoke free. Your cars should also be smoke free.

It will also not help enough if a person only smokes at home when others aren't around, or uses an air cleaner.

What about vaping? — 

Vaping is using electronic cigarettes ("e-cigarettes"). E-cigarettes and vaping liquids contain nicotine (the ingredient in regular cigarettes that makes them addictive) and other chemicals that can be:

●Breathed in by others (secondhand)

●Left behind on surfaces in a home, building, or car (thirdhand)

Experts do not know a lot about the long-term health effects of vaping yet. Even though many e-cigarettes might contain less nicotine than regular cigarettes, this does not mean they are harmless. All forms of smoking and vaping come with risks. Avoiding secondhand smoke in all forms is best for your health.

What if I am pregnant? — 

If you are pregnant and spend a lot of time in a place with secondhand smoke, your baby has a higher chance of:

●Being stillborn – This is when a baby dies before it is born, in the second half of pregnancy or during labor.

●Being born with health problems

●Weighing less than normal at birth

How can I avoid secondhand and thirdhand smoke? — 

To avoid secondhand smoke:

●Whenever possible, avoid places where people are smoking.

●Do not let people smoke near you, especially indoors or in a car.

To avoid thirdhand smoke:

●Do not let people smoke in your home or cars – This is important even if they are not around other people.

●Try to remove things that were exposed to thirdhand smoke from the home – This is not always an option. But if possible, it can help to:

•Replace carpets, drywall, or other materials in homes that have been smoked in.

•Repaint the walls.

•Have the home professionally cleaned – Typical cleaning methods are usually not enough to remove thirdhand smoke. That's why it is important to have this done by a professional cleaner.

•Replace furniture, curtains, bedding, and pillows.

●Ask for a smoke-free hotel room or rental car if you travel.

If you live with a person who smokes, encourage them to talk to their doctor about quitting.

More on this topic

Patient education: Secondhand smoke and children (The Basics)
Patient education: Harmful health effects of smoking (The Basics)
Patient education: Quitting smoking for adults (The Basics)
Patient education: Quitting smoking for teens (The Basics)
Patient education: Smoking in pregnancy (The Basics)
Patient education: Vaping (The Basics)
Patient education: Lung cancer (The Basics)

Patient education: Quitting smoking (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Lung cancer risks, symptoms, and diagnosis (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Lung cancer prevention and screening (Beyond the Basics)