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| Knox County Community Health Coalition Penobscot Bay YMCA, Coalition Partner |
Secondhand smoke is a mixture of the smoke given off by the burning end of a cigarette, pipe, or
cigar, and the smoke exhaled by smokers. Secondhand smoke is also called environmental tobacco
smoke (ETS) and exposure to secondhand smoke is sometimes called involuntary or passive
smoking. Secondhand smoke contains more that 4,000 substances, several of which are known to
cause cancer in humans or animals.
Secondhand smoke can cause lung cancer in adults who don't smoke. Approximately 3,000
non-smoking adults die each year from lung cancer. Studies show that secondhand smoke
increases your risk for heart disease. Children are also vulnerable to the effects of secondhand
smoke. Children can not control their environments or who smokes around them. Children who are
exposed to high doses of secondhand smoke, such as a parent smoking, have a greater risk of
developing damaging health effects such as asthma, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS),
pneumonia, bronchitis, and middle ear infections. Nationally, ETS exposure is responsible for
150,00 to 300,000 cases of lower respiratory infections each year with approximately 7,500 to
15,000 requiring hospitalization.
cigar, and the smoke exhaled by smokers. Secondhand smoke is also called environmental tobacco
smoke (ETS) and exposure to secondhand smoke is sometimes called involuntary or passive
smoking. Secondhand smoke contains more that 4,000 substances, several of which are known to
cause cancer in humans or animals.
Secondhand smoke can cause lung cancer in adults who don't smoke. Approximately 3,000
non-smoking adults die each year from lung cancer. Studies show that secondhand smoke
increases your risk for heart disease. Children are also vulnerable to the effects of secondhand
smoke. Children can not control their environments or who smokes around them. Children who are
exposed to high doses of secondhand smoke, such as a parent smoking, have a greater risk of
developing damaging health effects such as asthma, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS),
pneumonia, bronchitis, and middle ear infections. Nationally, ETS exposure is responsible for
150,00 to 300,000 cases of lower respiratory infections each year with approximately 7,500 to
15,000 requiring hospitalization.
What is Secondhand Smoke?
To learn more about secondhand smoke and
how to prevent these health risks, please visit
http://www.epa.gov/smokefree/pubs/strsfs.html
how to prevent these health risks, please visit
http://www.epa.gov/smokefree/pubs/strsfs.html
Source: www.epa.gov/smokefree
Make Your Home Smoke Free!
In Maine, residents spend 69% of their time in the home.
Make your home a healthy one by prohibiting smoking
inside your home and not buying into myths about
reducing exposure to secondhand smoke.
For more information on a smoke-free home and to learn
the myths of second-hand smoke, please visit:
Make your home a healthy one by prohibiting smoking
inside your home and not buying into myths about
reducing exposure to secondhand smoke.
For more information on a smoke-free home and to learn
the myths of second-hand smoke, please visit:
| Take the Smoke-Free Home Pledge! Download a PDF Version |
- Effective 9/1/08, this law prohibits smoking in a
vehicle with a child younger than 16 years of age. - The law carries a $50 fine for each offense that
may be enforced following a 1-year warning period. - Police officers are responsible for enforcing this
law. - The law prohibits search and seizure as a result of
the violation. - Violations are not moving violations and thus will
not affect the offender’s driving record.
For more information, click here
Maine's smoking-in-vehicles law
| If you need more information or resources on secondhand smoke or keeping your home smoke-free, please speak with or e-mail Nancy Laite, Program Specialist for the Knox County Community Health Coalition, at 236-6313 or nllaite2@myfairpoint.net |
For more information on asthma, please visit the
American Lung Association website at http://www.lungusa.org
American Lung Association website at http://www.lungusa.org
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| FDA Warns of E cigarettes read more... |
