© 2005 - 2019 WebMD LLC. One in five employed U.S. adult nonsmokers are exposed to secondhand smoke at work, and exposure is higher among certain racial and ethnic groups, including American Indians/Alaska Natives. When checking in to a hotel, choose the one which doesn’t tolerate smokers. If you have visitors, let them know that you don’t tolerate smoking at home. Dr. G shares these tips from the American Lung Association on how to protect yourself and your family from secondhand smoke: Drink tea, take vitamins, eat right, and exercise regularly. Consider the following suggestions: Choose places where smoking is prohibited. But we can all make small changes that make big differences in the lives of people around us—by not allowing anyone to smoke in our homes or cars, making sure our children’s day care centers and schools are tobacco-free, and seeking out restaurants and other places that do not allow smoking. This decision can be very dangerous, especially to those who live in apartments and multi-unit housing. The study also showed that nearly half of African American nonsmokers and nearly a quarter of Mexican American nonsmokers in the United States were exposed to secondhand smoke. Smoking by parents causes respiratory symptoms and slows lung growth in their children. Users are advised to seek the advice of a physician, and physician-users or other health professionals are advised to rely on their own training, education, experience, and standards of their profession. Dr. Howell does not receive any monetary or fiduciary compensation from Pfizer or any of its affiliates to promote Chantix (varenicline) on this blog. Secondhand smoke causes premature death and disease in children and in adults who do not smoke. Tagged as: Protect your liver cells – In vitro studies demonstrate that supplementing with milk thistle strengthens the outer layer of liver cells, making them more resilient to damage from inhaled toxins. This can lead to chronic lung disease. She has gathered acupuncture licenses in the states of California and New York, is a certified specialist with the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association, has earned diplomat status with the National Commission of Chinese and Oriental Medicine in Acupuncture and Chinese Herbology and is a member of the Society for Integrative Oncology. Weird & Wacky, Copyright © 2020 HowStuffWorks, a division of InfoSpace Holdings, LLC, a System1 Company. Not afraid of Cancer and Heart Disease? Learn about how secondhand smoke impacts children. From a more personal perspective, as a mother, I feel the responsibility to protect my kids and all kids from exposure to secondhand smoke. Heart disease. It kills more than 400 infants and 41,000 adult nonsmokers every year. Smart Grocery Shopping When You Have Diabetes, Surprising Things You Didn't Know About Dogs and Cats, Coronavirus in Context: Interviews With Experts. Even before I came to CDC’s Office on Smoking, I had seen the compelling ads on television. by At the same time, some groups are less likely to be covered by smokefree laws in work sites, restaurants, and bars, including people with lower income and lower education. The information and products shown on this website should not be interpreted as a substitute for physician evaluation or treatment. Before being able to truly protect your children from its negative effects, you need to understand the different ways they might be exposed to it. http://magazine.jhsph.edu, Damning Evidence Against Secondhand Smoke, Lisa De Nike, Johns Hopkins University, 2007. http://news-service.stanford.edu, Exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke in outdoor settings a risk, study shows, Mark Shwartz, Stanford University, May 2007. http://quitsmoking.about.com, Facts You Should Know About Secondhand Smoke, Terry Martin, About.com, 2007. www.hc-sc.gc.ca, Cigarette Smoke – It’s Toxic, Health Canada, 2007. www.holisticnaturopath.com, The Importance of Detoxification, Dr. Glen B. Cero, ND, RNC, MH, CES, CLS, Holistic Naturopathic Center, 2007. www.qfac.com, Liver Cleanse - Liver Problems: A Serious Health Concern, QFAC, Inc., 2007. Employers can establish smokefree policies on their properties. All rights reserved. Information about the device's operating system, Information about other identifiers assigned to the device, The IP address from which the device accesses a client's website or mobile application, Information about the user's activity on that device, including web pages and mobile apps visited or used, Information about the geographic location of the device when it accesses a website or mobile application. Reviewed The story of Nathan, a Tips® campaign participant and member of the Oglala Sioux tribe, stands out as an example of how secondhand smoke can be harmful to your health in the workplace. This is the only effective strategy to reduce exposure to tobacco smoke to safe levels in indoor environments and to pr… american lung association, Never smoke in your home or around children. God Bless You!???? These comments do not represent the official views of CDC, and CDC does not guarantee that any information posted by individuals on this site is correct, and disclaims any liability for any loss or damage resulting … If you have a health condition that can be aggravated by secondhand smoke, bringing something like this anywhere with you is really helpful. Long-term studies are being done to determine the health effects of exposure to secondhand vape aerosols. Interact with nature. We believe “healthy lives for everyone” is possible and a goal that resonates in public health. How Long Does Coronavirus Live On Surfaces? It makes me sad to think that there was so much we could have done as a nation to prevent Nathan’s death. Even though our society knows about the dangers of smoking and secondhand smoke, this habit is still tended to by millions of people all over the world.