Second-hand smoke by numbers

600,000 – The number of people who die annually from second-hand smoke. In adults, second-hand smoke causes serious cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, including coronary heart disease and lung cancer. In pregnant women, it causes low birth weight.

> 4000 – The number of chemicals contained in tobacco smoke, at least 250 of which are known to be harmful and more than 50 are known to cause cancer.

40 percent – The amount of children exposed to second-hand smoke at home. In infants, second-hand smoke exposure can cause sudden death.

1.5x – The increased likelihood that children exposed to second-hand smoke at home will become smokers.

About 1 in 3 – The number of deaths attributable to second-hand smoke that occur in children.

10 percent – The percentage of economic costs, such as lost wages and increased medical bills, attributable to second-hand smoke.

0 – The amount of smoke in the air needed to truly protect non-smokers from second-hand smoke. Second-hand smoke can spread from a smoking area to a non-smoking area, even if the doors between the two areas are closed and ventilation is provided.

Source: The World Health Organisation

 

Author

Free to Share

Creative Commons License

Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.


Related

New clinical trial may shorten TB treatment for kids

About a million children develop tuberculosis (TB) annually around the world and when they do, they are often forced to try to take tiny handfuls of adult-sized tablets for months. Now, local researchers are looking at ways to make TB treatment for kids shorter and easier.

Read More »

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Stay in the loop

We love that you love visiting our site. Our content is free, but to continue reading, please register.

Newsletter Subscription