I have been a smoker all my life indirectly.

Before I got to know the reality of how dangerous this was to my health. I had taken in a lot. 

Looking at it from another angle I wouldn’t say it is my fault that I did smoke.

The reason I put up this is not just to caution you, but to enlighten you so you don’t go through the same mistake about smoking

About 70% of individuals were once passive smokers also known as second-hand smokers.

Oh, now you must be thinking in your heart that, after all, I don’t smoke! How then did I become a passive smoker? Let’s find out how you have been a passive smoker.

WHO IS A PASSIVE SMOKER?

A passive smoker is someone who inhales the smoke drifting from a lit cigarette plus the smoke breathed out by a smoker. This is also called secondhand smoke. In this case, you are not the one holding the cigarette but what makes you a smoker is the fact that you accidentally inhale the smoke from the lit cigarette or tobacco this is called sidestream, and inhaling the smoke exhaled by the smoker is mainstream.

IS PASSIVE SMOKING DANGEROUS TO THE HEALTH?

The answer is a capital YES! People who breathe in secondhand smoke regularly are more likely to get the same diseases such as lung cancer and heart disease as those who smoke directly.

According to research, it has been recorded that secondhand smoke causes more than 7,300 lung cancer deaths among U.S non-smokers each year.

EFFECT OF SECONDHAND SMOKE ON A NON-SMOKER.

Secondhand smoke affects the respiratory system of a non-smoker the same way it does to an active smoker in different ways which include.

  • Lung problems like Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD).
  • Secondhand smoking worsens asthma.
  • Respiratory infections, such as bronchitis or pneumonia.
  • Increase in the likelihood of having a health disease.
  • Secondhand smoke also affects pregnant women and the baby in their wombs. It leads to low birth weight or birth defects.
  • Secondhand smoke can also affect the baby after birth such as asthma attacks, respiratory infections, ear infections, and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM BEING A SECONDHAND SMOKER.

  • The best way to prevent the effect of secondhand smoke is to try and keep a distance away from active smokers or from places where smoking occurs regularly such as bars, restaurants, parks, etc.
  • If you do not have a choice but to be around active smokers, for those who work in bars, restaurants, clubs, and the like. You can use a smoke filter mask such as an N95 respirator mask. The mask blocks 95% of air particles and heavy smoke.
N95 Respirator Mask

It is okay to tell people not to smoke around you, though some pick offense when you speak up but you just have to speak up for the sake of your health. Here are tips to politely prevent people from smoking around you.

  • You can simply say you are allergic to smoke.
  • As a pregnant woman, explain how dangerous inhaling the smoke from their cigarette or tobacco is to you and your baby.
  • Put up a no-smoking notice at your door, in your car, in offices, etc.

 

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8 Comments

  1. Ok. Brilliant one. Smokers need to be enlightened the more whether active or passive of the dangers of smoking. On the single rap, there are thousands of chemicals waiting to gain entrance to their lungs 😤

  2. Wow, I got value. It’s happens to me when ever I pass through a smoker I know the smell. May God help us.

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