There is always much in the news about second hand smoking facts, with new reports and statistics coming out on a seemingly daily basis.  But how much of what you hear is hype, and how much is actual fact when it comes to the dangers of second hand smoking facts? Is there any such thing as being safe when you’re a non-smoker who lives with a smoker?

The truth about second hand smoking facts.

No, second hand smoking facts are not quite as dangerous as actual smoking. However, there is enough danger from this that one should sit up and take notice, especially when a smoker is around a child for some time. It’s estimated that a non-smoker who lives with a smoker inhales about 15% of their smoke; in other words, for every ten cigarettes that you smoke, the non-smoker will inhale the equivalent of one and a half cigarettes.

Second hand smoking facts are especially dangerous around those whose immune system may be compromised or somewhat weaker, and this is the danger for children. Their hearts and lungs are still developing and therefore much more susceptible to any type of smoke, especially that from passive smoke.

The risks to children include sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), the risk of developing asthma or having asthma attacks increase, lung infections, bronchitis, and virtually any other type of respiratory disease.

Second hand smoking facts has also been linked to learning disabilities, especially for children who have been exposed to this before birth.

Pets too are not immune to the risks. Second hand smoking facts are generally recognized as a risk factor for cancer in pets. A study conducted by the Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine and the University of Massachusetts concluded that cats living with a smoker were more likely to get feline lymphoma; the risk increased with the duration of exposure to secondhand smoke and the number of smokers in the household.

So it seems that all the information you’ve seen and read about second hand smoking facts is not really hype, but that there is good reason to be concerned, for your own health, your children’s health, and even the health of your pets.