Gone with the Wind

Passive smoking is the inhalation of second-hand smoke (SHS) by persons other than the “active” tobacco smoker. This exposure to SHS may cause disease, disability, and death [1]. Passive smoking has been shown to be associated with the same diseases as active smoking (such as cardiovascular diseases, lung cancer, and respiratory diseases) [2]. Analysis of the effects of SHS has come from studies of nonsmokers who are married to a smoker, with similar findings also reported in studies of workplace exposure to tobacco smoke [3]. SHS consists of mainstream smoke (the smoke exhaled by a smoker) and sidestream smoke (the smoke released from a cigarette into the surrounding air) [4]. The main component of SHS is sidestream smoke, which is about 4 times more toxic than mainstream smoke [5], and has the most impact on the health of passive smokers [6]