FAQs and Facts
- Two thirds of smoke from a cigarette is not inhaled by the smoker, but enters the air around the smoker.
- Second-hand smoke has at least twice the nicotine and tar as the smoke inhaled by the smoker.
- Regular exposure to second-hand smoke increases the chances of contracting lung disease by 25% and heart disease by 10%.
- Second-hand smoke aggravates symptoms in people with allergies and asthma, and can cause eye, nose and throat irritations, headaches, dizziness, nausea, coughing and wheezing in otherwise healthy people.
- Children have a higher metabolism and can absorb higher amounts of smoke than adults.
- Infants and children exposed to second-hand smoke are more likely to suffer chronic respiratory illness, impaired lung function, middle ear infections, food allergies and can even succumb to sudden infant death syndrome.
- 2.4 million Canadian homes with children under 12 years of age report regular exposure to second-hand smoke.
- Electronic air cleaning systems would need to increase the air-exchange rate a thousand fold to be effective -- resulting in gale force winds!
- Increasing ventilation will dilute the smoke in a room, but will not make it safe since there is no known safe level of exposure to the carcinogens in cigarette smoke.
- Canadians spend most of their time indoors.
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