Second-hand Smoking: Its Health Affects

Exposure to second-hand smoking remains a major concern in India even though there has been a reduction in exposure at home and public places since 2009-10 as per Global Adult Tobacco Survey 2 (GATS 2) 2016-17 released by the health ministry.

In India, 35% of non-smokers were exposed to second-hand smoke (SHS) especially at home. In the urban areas, it was 25% and in a rural area, 40.4% were exposed to SHS.

Overall, 25.7% of adults were exposed to SHS in all public places which include government building, workplace, health facilities, restaurants, public transport, bar/night clubs and cinema halls. On the other hand, 37.5% of pregnant women at home and about 25.9% of them are exposed to second-hand smoke in all public places.

Health hazards associated with SHS:

Second-Hand Smoke also called Environmental Tobacco smoking consists of two components. One is sidestream smoke arising from the burning end of a cigarette and the other is mainstream smoke, which is exhaled by smokers. Both of these components are hazardous.

Second-Hand Smoke contains more than 7000 chemicals. Most of them are of toxic and about 70 of them can cause cancer. Any exposure is harmful.

Breathing SHS causes immediate adverse effects on blood and blood vessels. It increases the formation of atherosclerosis which is an abnormal deposition of fat and further damages the lining of blood vessels. It eventually leads to the progressive formation of the blood clot and complete blockage of these vessels leading to cutting off the blood supply to the vital organs. This phenomenon arising in blood vessels supplying heart cause the heart attacks. Similarly in the blood vessels supplying to the brain causes a stroke.

Non Smokers exposed to SHS are at increased risk of developing heart diseases by 25-30% and are at higher risk of suffering from stroke by 20-30%.

SHS and Children’s health: The children are the most vulnerable group exposed to SHS. Unknowingly they get exposed to SHS at various places and also they may not be able to avoid it. The observation and studies have shown that the children, whose parents smoke, experience the following problems such as:-

· Get sick more often

· These children will have more frequent lung infections such as bronchitis, pneumonia etc

· They are more likely to have cough, wheeze and have shortness of breath

· Middle ear infections are more common

· It also triggers asthma and makes asthma symptoms worse

· The development of lung is retarded and may have small lung capacity in adult life

Finally, the risk of more serious conditions such as sudden infant death syndrome is also seen in infants whose parents are in smoking habits. In pregnant mothers, this exposure leads to intrauterine growth retardation and small for date babies.

SHS and cancers:

It is said that due to side stream smokes which consists of finer particles is more carcinogenic as it can reach deep in the lung tissues causing lung cancer in non-smokers. There are other forms of cancer found in adults which include Voice Box, Throat, Nasal sinuses, Brain, Urinary Bladder, Rectum, Stomach, Breast caused due to Second Hand Smoking.

The only way to protect these innocent populations from Second-hand smoke is by creating awareness regarding SHS and its health effects to the general public. Bringing in legislation to ban smoking in public places such as government buildings, workplaces, restaurants, public transport, health facilities, educational institutions, clubs, bars, cinema halls etc will help in saving millions of lives.

Dr Vishwanath V Bellad

Guest Author The author is Consultanat Pulmonologist at BGS Global Hospital.