Whats the harm in secondhand smoke?
People exposed to secondhand smoke, or environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), suffer increased rates of cancer, heart disease, breathing and lung problems, and developmental problems. There is strong scientific evidence that ETS causes: • lung cancer • nasal sinus cancer • heart disease • acute respiratory infections (bronchitis and pneumonia) in children • asthma and worsening of asthma in children • chronic respiratory symptoms in children • eye and nasal irritation in adults • middle ear infections in children • low birth weight or small size babies • Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) There is also evidence that ETS causes: • cervical cancer • worsening of cystic fibrosis • decreased pulmonary (lung) function • spontaneous abortion • problems in intellectual performance and behavior in children.
