Passive Smoker

A passive smoker can develop cardiovascular and respiratory diseases like an active smoker. That is, if you see that your smoking friends choke while playing a soccer game or your best friend gets agitated easily when climbing stairs, the same thing can happen to you.

A smoker only inhales 15% of the smoke from the cigarette he smokes, that is, the other 85% is expelled, leaving the people around him exposed and turning them into what is known as smokers. Passives.

On the other hand, a study by the WHO (World Health Organization) complements this statement, arguing that cigarette smoke contains approximately 4,000 chemicals. Of them: 250 are harmful to health and more than 50 could cause us cancer in the future.

However, how does tobacco affect non-smokers? It has been proven that the smoke produced by a burning cigarette is more toxic than that which the smoker consumes. In other words, those who are most affected are those who are close to the smoker.

Passive smoker and its relationship with cancer

In addition to the high amount of chemical components that cigarette smoke contains, among which are included: Nitrosamines, Tar, Benzopyrenes, Naphthalene, Aminobiphenyl, Arsenic, Cadmium, Vinyl Chloride and Chromium – all of them carcinogenic-; tobacco smoke can cause, in addition to lung cancer; other types of cancer .

Likewise, although it is not entirely proven, it is intuited that tobacco smoke could also be involved in stomach and colon cancer; however, there is still not enough evidence or studies to support this theory.

The risk of being a passive smoker

Although cancer is the disease for which tobacco is best known, there are other diseases that could be developed from breathing cigarette smoke.

• Non-tumor respiratory pathologies or benign tumors.
• Cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases
• Insomnia, altering our sleep schedules.
• Degeneration of the retina, which makes loss of sight possible.
• It puts us at a higher risk of diabetes.
• Increases bad cholesterol, which accumulates on the walls of the arteries.
• Puts you at risk of ear infections

Who is most affected by tobacco smoke?

Among the non-smoking population, those most vulnerable to the damage caused by tobacco are children, nursing babies and passive smokers during pregnancy. Passive smokers during pregnancy are at risk of having premature, malformed, or very low-weight babies.

There is research that shows the death of nursing babies due to smoking by the parents. While older children exposed to this harmful smoke could suffer from otitis, respiratory diseases and even have a tendency to become frequent smokers when they reach adolescence – due to the addiction caused by nicotine.

The air pollution

That the air we breathe has high levels of pollution is well known. Unfortunately, this also contributes to lung cancer. The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies outdoor air pollution as a cancer-causing agent.

You already took the first and most important step: you said no to cigarettes. Now it’s your turn to continue cultivating a healthy life. First of all, check that your house does not have radon gas. Likewise, avoid being in a group of people who smoke –because they will provide you with Passive smoke-, as well as reduce exposure to carcinogenic elements as much as possible at work.

Passive smoking: consequences

Even if the person does not inhale tobacco smoke directly, passive smokers also see their health harmed. The AECC (Spanish Association Against Cancer) has estimated that passive smoking kills tens of thousands of non-smoking adults in the EU.

Respiratory diseases

Numerous studies indicate that passive smokers have a 30% greater chance of suffering from lung cancer, highlighting the cases of people who live with smokers.

In addition, passive smokers also have a higher risk of suffering from other respiratory diseases such as bronchitis or asthma.

Cardiovascular diseases

The most recent studies that associate passive smokers with cardiovascular diseases state that the risk of suffering a heart attack increases between 25% and 35%.

How to avoid Passive smoking

There are many ways to avoid exposure to Passive smoke, including:

• Do not allow smoking in or near your home. Fans, open windows, and air purifiers will not prevent scratches.
• If you live in a building that allows smoking, know your rights. Consider talking to neighbors and the building manager about the dangers of Passive smoke.
• Do not allow smoking inside your vehicle, even with the windows open.
• Do not allow babysitters or family members to smoke around your children.
• If your child attends a nursery, make sure that the premises are non-smoking.
• Choose smoke-free restaurants, hotels and public spaces.
• If your workplace allows smoking, talk to your employer about why not smoking is better.
• Avoid electronic cigarettes as well as smoking tobacco. They are not harmless as they contain carcinogenic chemicals and heavy metals.