You must be aware of the harmful effects of smoking. But what about the effects it has on your family members or people around you? They experience something called ‘passive smoking’, which is equally harmful.

Breathing in other people's tobacco smoke is called passive smoking. Opening windows or switching ‘on’ the fan to let the smoke out does not save you or your family from passive smoking. Even when you smoke when no one is around in the room, it leaves nicotine deposits on things including pillows and furniture and is harmful to others along with you.

When you take a drag of that cigarette in a room, your family is not safe from its adverse effects. Being aware of the damages caused by passive smoking can help you make changes in your smoking behaviour. 

Some of the side effects of passive smoking are:

  • Headaches

  • Persistent Cough

  • Asthma

  • Lung cancer

  • Heart diseases

  • Stroke

  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

There are numerous things that you may not be aware of about passive smoking. Read on to find out.

1. Smoking Will Not Only Harm You But Everyone Around You.

You may believe that puffing away will harm no one else but you. However, those who are around you also run the risk of absorbing poisonous agents found in tobacco smoke. Passive smokers are vulnerable to secondhand smoke and are at risk of developing severe ailments.

2. Smoking in Different Rooms is Not Fine.

Do you think that smoking in another room where no one is present will keep your family and your children safe? No matter where you are smoking, smoke will pass through openings, doors, window cracks to the rest of the house and linger on. This is going to harm you and your family.

3. Air Purifiers in a Room Cannot Protect Passive Smokers.

Air Purifiers or filters fail to reduce the harmful impact of passive smoking. They may only be able to get rid of tobacco odour or lighten the smell. This means that the cancer-causing elements will float in the air for everyone to breathe.

4. A Baby in a Mother’s Womb is Not Safe From Passive Smoking.

Even if the pregnant woman is not smoking, but you are smoking in her presence, the toxic chemicals absorbed by her can be damaging to her and her unborn baby’s health. It can have an adverse impact on the development of the baby’s organs.

5. Smoking is Harmful Even in a Ventilated Room.

Adequate ventilation may help reduce the irritation caused by smoking, but it cannot get rid of all the poisonous substances emitted in the air by the smoker. Even if you open the doors and windows of a room, toxic air will circulate back into the room, leaving non-smokers vulnerable.

Smoking can be vicious to your health and the health of your loved ones as well. The best way to protect the ones you love is to quit smoking. At the very least, you can make sure you have a smoke-free home and car.


Disclaimer: This article is written by the Practitioner for informational and educational purposes only. The content presented on this page should not be considered as a substitute for medical expertise. Please "DO NOT SELF-MEDICATE" and seek professional help regarding any health conditions or concerns. Practo will not be responsible for any act or omission arising from the interpretation of the content present on this page.