Smoking has many dangerous side effects. And one of it effects is secondhand smoke. Enough studies have found how harmful can be smoking. But unfortunately not all the people know the harmful effects of secondhand smoke to their health, or even in some cases, more hazardous than smoking.

Anti-tobacco researchers showed in their studies that secondhand smoke is harmful to anyone who is exposed to it, including children, pregnant mothers, adults and even pets. That’s because secondhand smoke has been identified to contain more than 4,000 chemicals, and 50 of which are known to cause cancer.

Secondhand smoke is the ambient smoke which is exhaled by smokers and left in the room or atmosphere close to the smoker. Those around the smoker can not help but inhale this. Passive smoking also holds harmful effects of smoking for those who do not smoke.

In general secondhand smoke is the combination of burning smoke from the end of a cigarette, pipe or cigar, and the smoke the smoker exhales.

Children and infants in particular are most exposed to secondhand smoke due to their inability to avoid their exposure to it, and also because of their still developing bodies and their faster heart rate compared to adults. Many children and adults as well, with smokers in their families, develop cancers and other related diseases such as heart disease and lung disease.

Researchers added that children who breathe secondhand smoke are more likely to develop many health problems, such as asthma, ear infections, colds and nose, throat, and lung illnesses. Additionally, secondhand smoke causes children to get sick more often, take longer to recover, and increase their risk of developing heart disease and cancer when they reach adulthood.
Lastly, babies born from mothers who have been exposed to secondhand smoke are more likely to have a low birth weight or suffer from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, also referred to as cradle death.

In addition to the health problems associated with secondhand smoke in adults and children, pets are also at risk in developing similar health conditions. Pets, especially dogs and cats have twice the risk of developing cancer if they are exposed to secondhand smoke or if their owner smokes. In birds, it’s supposed that secondhand smoke could cause serious lung problems such as cancer. Even aquatic pets such as fish are also affected by secondhand smoke. Researchers found that harmful chemicals, such as ammonia and nicotine, which are found in the smoke, may trickle down into the fish tank, resulting in a toxic environment.

This article show once again that the secondhand smoke exposure is harmful to everyone — adults, children, and even pets. And researchers will not stop writing and searching till people will not understand that cigarettes smoke is really harmful for their health and for health of those around them.