Sunday, December 8, 2013


Second hand smoke is a serious, and often ignored issue that is happening all over the world, all the time. Second hand smoke qualify as any toxins expelled from the lit end of the cigarette (side-stream smoke) or the smoke that a smoker exhales (mainstream smoke). This smoke usually has over 4,000 chemicals in it. This smoke is extremely harmful for any other people, babies, or even animals in the area..  even up to seven hours after the smoking took place. Carcinogens are present in second hand smoke, this puts everyone who inhales it (even once) at risk. As we can see from above, this boy experienced an extreme asthma from being around second hand smoke just once.

Second hand smoke has more than 250 harmful chemicals, 69 of these are specifically acknowledged as cancer-causing. Along with the possibility of cancer, other side effects can derive from second hand smoke:
-heart disease
-frequent colds
-issues pertaining to lung growth
-asthma attacks
-high blood pressure
-Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
-lower respiratory tract infections
-ear infections
-cataracts
-and endless other issues

Usually people don't realize that even if they go outside to smoke they still put people outside in danger, anyone who passes has the potential of inhaling second hand smoke. And to anyone, especially someone like the boy in the video, can be immediately put into a critical condition putting their life at risk. Parents who smoke in rooms without their kids around, or dismiss them only for a few moments while the cigarette is actually lit, are unaware of how much it lingers. The smoke and spread over the entire house, not to mention that it stays in the area that they did smoke in for hours. Parents are also smoking in cars with their kids where they are in small confined areas, exposed to high concentrations of this smoke (even with the windows open!) Not only are parents putting their kids at risk, they are creating a bad impression.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-6-218894-Kids-living-with-smokers-have-more-ear-infections

In the link above we see information on research discovered showing a correlational connection between children exposed to second hand smoke and the likelihood of them having ear infections or needed ear surgery for the infection. According to the article ear surgery for middle ear infections are not commonly needed, but that they are significantly seen more in cases with children who have been exposed to second hand smoke. There is an apparent 37% higher chance that children exposed to second hand smoke will have middle ear disease, that with a mother smoker living in their house they have a 62% higher chance of developing ear infections or hearing issues, and 86% chance that children with mother smokers will need middle ear surgery for the disease, an uncommon surgery.
Sources:
http://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancercauses/tobaccocancer/secondhand-smoke
http://smokefree.gov/secondhand-smoke
http://my.clevelandclinic.org/healthy_living/smoking/hic_dangers_of_second-hand_smoke.aspx
http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/secondhand_smoke/health_effects/
http://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/tobacco/pages/Dangers-of-Secondhand-Smoke.aspx


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