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City of Hamilton
Tobacco-Free Living - Protection From Second-Hand Smoke
Second-hand smoke or Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS) is the smoke a smoker blows into the air and the smoke from the burning end of a tobacco product (i.e. cigarette, cigar, pipe).
Why is it dangerous?
There are more than 4,000 chemicals in second-hand smoke; more than 50 of these can cause cancer.
Smoke from the burning end of a cigarette has more harmful chemicals in it than smoke inhaled directly by a smoker through a filtered cigarette.
Ventilation systems do not remove all of the harmful chemicals found in second-hand smoke.
There is no safe level of exposure to second-hand smoke.
How does second-hand smoke harm your health?
Second-hand smoke causes between 1,100 and 7,800 deaths per year in Canada, one third of these are in Ontario.
Second-hand smoke exposure is the third leading preventable cause of death.
In adults, exposure to second-hand smoke causes:
- heart disease
- lung cancer
- nasal sinus cancer
Exposure to second-hand smoke has also been linked to:
- breast cancer
- cervical cancer
- miscarriage
In children, exposure to second-hand smoke causes:
- Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), also know as crib death
- low birth weight
- bronchitis, pneumonia and other lower respiratory tract infections
- worsening of asthma
- middle ear disease
In children, exposure to second-hand smoke has also been linked to:
- damage to thinking and behaviour
- decreased lung capacity
- onset of asthma
- worsening of cystic fibrosis
(Source: Ontario Tobacco Research Unit, May 2001)
What can you do?
Make your home and car smoke-free
Visit only smoke-free public places
If you smoke, try to quit and avoid smoking in front of others
Encourage your family and friends to quit smoking
Tell elected officials you support smoke-free public places
Encourage your workplace to enact a smoke-free policy
Make cigarettes less accessible by locking them in the trunk while driving
The City of Hamilton is a member of the Breathing Space coalition, a partnership of 23 public health units in Ontario working together to eliminate exposure of children to second-hand smoke in homes and cars.
Breathing Space, Community Partners for Smoke-free Homes - Tips and information on how to make your home smoke-free.
Contact InformationFor information and free resources or to report a complaint about the Tobacco Control Act or Smoking By-law:
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