Secondhand smoke is actually worse than smoking itself . Only 15% of smoke is inhaled and by the smoker and the other 85% goes directly into the air to be inhaled by involuntary nonsmokers. It is a major cause of lung cancer and respiratory disease in young people because secondhand smoke is cigarette, cigar or pipe smoke that is inhaled unintentionally by nonsmokers. When exposed to secondhand smoke lung caner kills more women than breast cancer and is the second leading cause of premature death for men. Secondhand smoke inhalation causes increased risk of lung infections and lung disease as bad as pneumonia, bronchitis, asthma, emphysema, to little things like ear infections, sinus problems, nausea, dizziness and headaches. .
There are two types of smoke coming from a nonsmoker. The mainstream smoke, which is smoke inhaled and exhaled for the smoker. Then there is side stream smoke, the smoke from a cigar or a cigarette just burning in the ashtray. Side stream smoke even has more carcinogens in it that is reaching the air because have the chemicals weren"t inhaled yet by the smoker. Smoke contains over 3,000 chemicals and at least 50 of which are known and identified carcinogens. They put these chemicals in cigarettes to reduce tar and maintain the level of nicotine necessary to keep them addictive. Nicotine is the main chemical in cigarette and is what keeps you addictive. Nicotine is a colorless, oily water-soluble highly toxic, liquid alkaloid, containing insecticide. 90% of the nicotine delivered to the lungs goes directly to the brain and gets there in only 7 seconds. Other chemicals in cigarettes or cigars are tar, carbon monoxide, dimethylnitrosamine, Ethylmethylnitrosamine, hydrazine, vinyl chloride, urethane, formaldehyde, nitrous acid, ammonia, acetone and many more. Low tar in the cigarette helps calm peoples fears about having health risks.
Some communities have banned smoking in places such as restaurants entirely.