The Hidden Dangers of Passive Smoking

Passive smokers inhale the fumes given out by frequent smokers while they are smoking cigarettes, cigars or pipes. Passive smoking, also known as secondhand smoking is most frequent in public places, and can also be observed in some private residences. Bars and restaurants are the most common places where one can experience passive smoking. Many individuals are also exposed to immense passive smoke in their own apartments or at the homes of friends and family. Smoke lingers in air for longer, particularly in enclosed rooms when a person keeps smoking for long. Children particularly toddlers and infants are at a higher risk from these poisonous remains even when smoker dissipates, because it forms a layer on their skin and clothes.

Passive smokers usually have to confront with many detrimental diseases such as heart related diseases, cancer, ear infections and respiratory problems. Passive smoking has been also found to be responsible for lower birth weights and a major cause of several infant deaths. As per recent studies, around one million smokers are found suffering from asthma, which is primarily caused by passive smoking.

Passive smokers are susceptible to a number of frightening effects. As one would expect, bronchial tubes of a child are relatively smaller and immune system is less developed making them more vulnerable to a host of illnesses and disorders. As their airways are smaller, kids take shorter and faster breaths than adults and as a result they actually breathe in more harmful particles while breathing. Exposures to smoke of tobacco can even double the risk of children contracting disorders and diseases like pneumonia and bronchitis calling for the need of hospitalization for these illnesses.

Much research has been done by scientists, doctors, and even environmentalists when it comes to passive smoking and its effects. This research has borne out the fact that secondhand smoke that is, the smoke released by the smoldering end of a cigarette and the smoke exhaled by the smoker, causes the same problems as direct smoking. This includes lung cancer, heart diseases, heart attacks, strokes, bronchitis, asthma, and a host of other diseases.

Persons who live with smokers have been shown to have a 20-30% greater risk of lung cancer than non-smokers who live in a smoke-free environment. It's hard to gauge the affects of passive smoking in developing countries as their peoples live and work in totally different environments to us here in the West. In addition, much of the population in counties such as India and China are located in rural areas which makes the gathering of data near on impossible. But the statistics that have been collected from these counties thus far show that deaths by passive smoking are beginning to reveal some alarming figures. Sadly, more people than ever before are taking up the habit in poorer countries. This is mainly due to the cheap cost of tobacco and a lack of knowledge on to the dangers of both smoking and passive smoking. Mankind is an intelligent being in many respects, but also very stupid in many other ways. We have a tendency to go through life with a self destruct button fixed to our forehead. Even when armed with the knowledge that something is most likely going to kill us, such as smoking, or kill those around us, such as passive smoking, many still opt for the path of destruction regardless of the consequences.

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