Secondhand Smoke

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Secondhand smoke is simply other people's tobacco smoke. Wherever people smoke, there is secondhand smoke in the air. Breathing in secondhand smoke is sometimes called passive smoking.

Secondhand smoke contains...

• Side stream smoke - smoke from the tip of the cigarette.

• Mainstream smoke - smoke that is breathed back out by the smoker.

Secondhand smoke hangs around for ages and most of it is invisible and odourless. Even if you open up the windows it will still be in a room after two and a half hours! Even if you can't see or smell any smoke, it's probably still there. Smoking in a car is even worse because all of the smoke is concentrated into a small space.

Non-smokers who breathe in secondhand smoke are at risk of the same diseases as smokers, including cancer and heart disease!

Secondhand smoke contains 4,000 toxic chemicals and it is estimated that it causes thousands of deaths each year. Children are particularly affected by secondhand smoke because their bodies are still developing. But around half of all British children are growing up in homes where at least one parent is a smoker.

How your secondhand smoke affects other

Breathing in other peoples' secondhand smoke can damage almost every organ in the human body. It increases the risk of lung cancer by 24% and heart disease by 25%.

Breathing in secondhand smoke makes the blood more sticky. This means that there is a risk of blood clots forming. A blood clot can block an artery and cause heart attacks, strokes, angina or even complete heart failure.

When you go smokefree you will be protecting the health of your family and friends.

Did you know?

• You can't see or smell 85% of secondhand smoke. So no matter how hard you try to protect people, it's pointless.

• Friends and family who breathe in your secondhand smoke increase their risk of getting lung cancer by 24% and heart disease by 25%.

• Secondhand smoke is a dangerous cocktail of over 4,000 chemicals, including 69 cancer-causing chemicals, such as arsenic, benzene and formaldehyde.

Tips for protecting others from secondhand smoke

• Keep your home and car smokefree by smoking outside. Remember smoke can linger for up to 2 and half-hours, so opening a window or leaving the room doesn't count.

Countless ways to help you quit

If you've decided to give up, we'll help you choose the right way for you. The NHS offers free, expert advice that treats you as an individual, meaning you're far more likely to succeed.

• At your local Stop Smoking Service, we'll take the time to understand why you smoke, then we'll help you stop - sticking with you every step of the way. You can work one-to-one with a trained specialist, or join a Stop Smoking Group. Either way, you'll get lots of moral support.

• If you're too busy to visit your local service, The Together Programme delivers support direct to you at home. Developed by experts and ex-smokers, you can choose emails, text messages, mail packs and phone calls. They're all free.

• Nicotine gums or patches aren't a cheat, but a sensible way to manage your cravings. We can help you get these on prescription.

Secondhand smoke is very dangerous for children

• Cot death is twice as likely for babies whose mothers smoke.

• Smoking near children is a cause of serious respiratory illnesses such as bronchitis and pneumonia.

• Secondhand smoke increases the risk of getting asthma and causes asthma attacks. And younger children are much more likely to contract a serious respiratory infection that requires hospitalisation.

• There is also an increased risk of meningitis for children who are exposed to secondhand smoke.

• Babies and children exposed to secondhand smoke are more likely to get coughs and colds, as well as middle ear disease which can cause deafness.

Non-smokers and secondhand smoke

Did you know?

• You can't see or smell 85% of secondhand smoke. So no matter how much you try to avoid it, it's pointless.

• When you breathe in secondhand smoke you increase your risk of getting lung cancer by 24% and heart disease by 25%.

• Secondhand smoke is a dangerous cocktail of over 4,000 chemicals, including 69 cancer-causing chemicals, such as arsenic, benzene and formaldehyde.

Tips for non-smokers

• Have the confidence to ask people to stop smoking around you.

• Keep your home and car smokefree. Ask visitors to smoke outside or before they get in the car.

What's in secondhand smoke?

Secondhand smoke contains 4,000 toxic chemicals, 69 of which are cancer causing. These chemicals can damage every part of the human body. You might recognise some of them from their more common uses...

• Acetone - Nail polish remover

• Ammonia - Toilet cleaner

• Arsenic - Rat poison

• Benzene - Crude oil

• Carbon Monoxide - Petrol exhaust fumes

• DDT and Dieldrin - Insecticides

• Formaldehyde - Preservative for dead bodies

• Hydrogen Cyanide - Poison used in gas chambers

• Methanol - Rocket fuel

• Titanium - Metal used to make aeroplanes

• Cadmium - in batteries