Tobacco abuse: How second and third-hand smoke affects a woman’s health

Second-hand smoke and third-hand smoke are equally dangerous as they contain more than 7000 chemicals, of which hundreds are harmful and about 70 can cause cancer

By: Debjani Arora | | Published: August 8, 2018 5:23 pm

Cigarette smoking is injurious to health is something that we have been hearing for ages now. But some people find it difficult to quit smoking despite all the awareness created around them and knowing about the immediate ill-effects of tobacco and its smoke. Not only people who smoke are susceptible to various diseases and illnesses as grave as cancer but even people who are non-smokers but stay in the vicinity of a smoker is also at risk. Yes, second hand and third-hand smoke can be equally dangerous. Here Dr Duru Shah, Director, Gynaecworld, Center for Assisted Reproduction & Women’s health, Mumbai how second and third-hand smoke affect woman’s health.

Second-hand smoke is a mixture of sidestream and mainstream smoke. The smoke which comes from the burning end of a cigarette is termed as sidestream smoke and the smoke that is exhaled by the smoker is called mainstream smoke. Being exposed to second-hand smoke affects an adult’s heart and blood vessels directly. Adult non-smokers who live with smokers are at about 25% more risk of developing heart disease; mostly these are women partners of a male smoker. Sidestream smoke makes up about 85% of second-hand smoke which consists of different chemicals than exhaled mainstream smoke. It burns at a lower temperature, and the burn is not as clean or complete. Hence, this may result in the possibility of lung cancer even in the non-smokers.

Research has revealed that smoking causes infertility as it harms the eggs in women and sperms in men.

Smoking and exposure to second-hand smoke during pregnancy increases the risk of health and behavioural problems in the newborns, which includes: abnormal blood pressure in infants and children, cleft palate and lip, leukaemia, infantile colic, childhood wheezing, respiratory disorders, eye problems, mental retardation, attention deficit disorder, behavioural problems and other learning and developmental problems in the affected children. Research studies have found that smoking and exposure to second-hand smoke among pregnant women is a significant cause of miscarriages and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) after birth. Infants of mothers who smoke during and after pregnancy are 3 to 4 times more likely to die from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) than babies of non-smoking mothers.

Consumption of smokeless tobacco during pregnancy leads to premature deliveries and also prevents the babies from growing optimally whilst in the mothers’ wombs.

Third-Hand smoking

When tobacco burns, it releases nicotine in the form of a vapour. This vapour attaches to surfaces like walls, floors, carpets, drapes, and furniture this is called third-hand smoke. Hence, second-hand smoke and third-hand smoke are equally dangerous as they contain more than 7000 chemicals, of which hundreds are harmful and about 70 can cause cancer. This shows that there is an urgency to control the consumption of tobacco and the target population must include: adolescent girls, pregnant women and older women as they are the victims of second and third-hand smoke.

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Published : August 8, 2018 5:23 pm

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