Health Effects and Preventative Measures of Exposure to Secondhand Smoking

Recent reports from the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC) show that tobacco use is the most preventable risk factor affecting human health and the major cause of early deaths worldwide. Secondhand smoking contributes to almost 40,000 deaths among non-smokers. The number of students who smoke have risen by 30% in the past years. Studies have shown that teenagers who attend college are at a higher risk of smoking than teenagers who do not attend college. Male students who engage in this habit cite peer pressure while the majority of females claim they smoke because of stress. The increase of smokers on campus mean that the number of second-hand smokers in colleges have also gone up. Although second-hand smoke is diluted, it still has the potential of causing cancer since it contains toxic chemicals.

The high number of smokers mean that non-smokers are at great risk of inhaling the toxic from cigarettes and being at risk of the same health hazards as the smokers. An individual exposed to secondhand smoke is 25% more likely to develop coronary heart diseases and the cardiovascular system. Cardiovascular diseases includes several biological components such as the proatherosclerotic changes, inflammation, damage to the organ tissues, and arterial stiffness. Scientists have found that cigarette smoke causes blood platelets to become stickier than usual and have the potential of damaging blood vessels.

Adults who are exposed to cigarettes smoke have also been found to have bad cholesterol that can have a severe effect on the heart. The CDC have estimated the number of people who died from heart disease with association to exposure to secondhand smoke to be 70,000 in 2014.

Contrary to popular belief, Second-hand smoking, is just as harmful as direct smoking. A person who inhales nicotine indirectly is at the same risk as a direct smoker. People suffering from asthma are at a risk of having the condition worsen if they are exposed to secondhand smoke. Cigarette smoking not only pollutes the environment but also causes discomfort and irritation especially to non-smokers. Individuals who reported having been exposed to second-hand smoke have been found to have urinary cotinine in their system. Additionally, exposure to cigarettes smoke has been found to cause lung cancer.

Exposure to secondhand smoke causes nearly 30,000 premature death from heart diseases in the U.S. Such kinds of deaths can be prevented if smokers are responsible and avoid exposing other people. The smoke-free policies should be effectively implemented to ensure institutions comply with the directive. Additionally, there is a need to educate people on the importance of clean environment and the effects of second-hand smoking. The government should also pass laws that control how the companies advertise their products. Tobacco companies should be required to tell the public about the effects of smoking. Laws the will reduce smoking not only for students but for everyone walking on the campus.

For more information on health effects and preventative measures of exposure to secondhand smoking, call toll- free: 1-877-CDC-DIAB or visit CDCs Diabetes Public Health Resource on the Internet at https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/basic_information/secondhand_smoke/index.htm