What is Secondhand Smoke?
Secondhand smoke is made up of “sidestream” smoke from the burning end of a cigarette and “mainstream” smoke from the filter, or mouth, end. It contains more than 4,800 chemicals including benzene, carbon monoxide, ammonia, nicotine, formaldehyde, lead, DDT and hydrogen cyanide. At least 69 of these chemicals are known or probable cancer causing agents or carcinogens

How Can Secondhand Smoke Harm You and Your Children?
Exposure to secondhand smoke can immediately cause:

• eye and throat irritation
• coughing
• difficulty breathing

It also increases children’s chances of suffering from:

• coughing
• wheezing
• bronchitis
• asthma
• pneumonia
• potentially fatal lower respiratory tract infections
• eye and ear problems

In adults, secondhand smoke can cause:

• lung cancer
• emphysema
• heart disease
• low birth-weight babies
• bronchitis
• asthma

What can you do about Secondhand Smoke?
Many tobacco companies also try to reach African Americans in not so subtle ways. According to the Surgeon General’s 1998 Report on “Tobacco Use Among U.S. Racial/Ethnic Minority Groups” tobacco companies place a higher proportion of billboards in African American neighborhoods and use “cultural values and symbols valued by members of racial/ethnic groups to promote tobacco products”.

If you smoke, you can protect your children from secondhand smoke by choosing not to smoke in your house or car and not allowing others to do so either. If you must smoke at home, you should go outside because moving to another room, opening a window, running a fan or lighting candles is not enough to protect your child. Don’t allow visitors to smoke in your home either. Another way to protect your family is to only take them to smoke-free restaurants and businesses.

You also can take the EPA’s Smoke Free Home Pledge. When you take the pledge, you promise to keep your family smoke free by making sure all the places where your child spends time are smoke-free, including your home, your car and all the places your child spends time.

To take the pledge you just call the toll-free hotline number 1-866-766-5337, or visit the EPA’s website, www.epa.gov/smokefree and click on the “Take the Home Free Pledge Today” icon. Just give your name and address and you will be sent a picture frame magnet, drink coasters, a certificate, a window decal and tips to help you keep your pledge. You can even print your own certificate to display at home.

Your kids will be proud that you care enough about their health to create a safer, cleaner and healthier environment for them and you can be proud that you are taking good care of their health and their future.

This is information is published as a resource only. The information is not intended to replace the medical advice of your doctor or health care providers. Please consult your health care providers for advice about a specific medical condition.