Second-hand Smoke and Illness
Second-hand smoke is known to be the cause of various diseases and conditions such as stroke, spontaneous abortion, adverse impacts on cognition and behaviour in children, exacerbation of cystic fibrosis, cervical cancer and breast cancer.
Short-term health risks of second-hand smoke include:
- Cough and sore throat
- Eye irritation
- Nasal discomfort
- Sneezing
- Nausea and dizziness
- Headache
- Increased heart rate and blood pressure
- Increased risk for people with heart disease, angina, asthma, allergies
Long-term effects include:
- Reduced ability to take in and use oxygen
- Cancer of the lung
- Heart disease and stroke
- Nasal sinus cancer
People who don’t smoke, but inhale second-hand smoke, are at risk of getting lung cancer. Health Canada estimates that more than 300 non-smokers die from lung cancer every year because of their exposure to second-hand smoke. As such, exposure to second-hand smoke is linked to the deaths of at least 1,100 Canadians each year from lung cancer, heart disease, nasal sinus cancer, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, asthma, and other diseases (Canadian Cancer Society, 2006). In fact, exposure to second-hand smoke nearly doubles one’s risk of acquiring lung cancer as compared to individuals who refrain from second-hand smoke exposure (Canadian Lung Association, 2006).
