How can you avoid secondhand smoke

Secondhand smoke is the combination of smoke that comes from a cigarette and smoke breathed out by a smoker. When a non-smoker is around someone smoking, they breathe in secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke is dangerous to anyone who breathes it in. It can stay in the air for several hours after somebody smokes. Breathing secondhand smoke for even a short time can hurt your body. Take this quiz to see how much you know about the dangers of secondhand smoke.

The only way to fully protect non-smokers from the dangers of secondhand smoke is to not allow smoking indoors. Smoking affects the people in your life in other ways, beyond their health. When you smoke, you may miss out on:.

The best thing you can do to protect your family from secondhand smoke is to quit smoking. Right away, you get rid of their exposure to secondhand smoke in your home and car, and reduce it anywhere else you go together. Make sure your house and car remain smokefree. Kids breathe in secondhand smoke at home more than any other place. The same goes for many adults. Minus Related Pages. Page last reviewed: February 12, Content source: Smokefree.

To receive email updates about this page, enter your email address: Email Address. What's this. Related Links. So, how can you tell someone not to light up around you? Get inspired by their strategies for asking a smoker to snuff out. I explained that I was getting headaches from the smoke, and that it was really becoming a problem. She apologized and said she would not smoke indoors anymore. I'll wait for you over here.

They are less likely to take offense and usually will accommodate my decision by either not smoking or by moving away themselves. What does work is telling them I'm allergic to it. I'm not really, but it is the best solution I've found so far! I'm working on keeping myself healthy lately, and smoke is especially bothersome.

Would you be willing to smoke somewhere else or put out your cigarette for the time being? Or I use a fanning gesture with my hands. No words needed. They get the hint! I hope you can respect my feelings about this decision, which is emotional for me, having watched my parents die from smoking. Talk with your health care team about the best options for you.

Do not smoke or allow people to smoke in your house or car. Ask people who smoke to step outside. Smoke-free workplace laws have helped lessen exposure to secondhand smoke and the related health problems. Most states have passed laws banning or limiting smoking in public places, including the workplace. Almost half of states and Washington, D. Many counties and cities also have smoke-free laws.

Learn more about your local smoking laws on a separate website. This type of smoke can come from: Someone breathing out smoke while smoking A burning cigarette, cigar, or pipe You may also hear secondhand smoke called passive or involuntary smoke, tobacco smoke pollution, or environmental tobacco smoke.

Secondhand smoke and disease Tobacco smoke has many harmful substances including: Benzopyrene Lead Carbon monoxide Arsenic Ammonia Formaldehyde A type of cyanide Many of these travel through the air into the lungs and bloodstream.