I Mind Very Much If You Smoke
Every year, 434,000 people die of illnesses related to their smoking. But smokers
are not the only ones whose health can suffer. Their tobacco smoke in
the air is called environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) or secondhand smoke.
Breathing it can be a hazard to your health and to the health of your child.
Secondhand smoke contains
smaller amounts of the same chemicals that harm smokers. ETS is so harmful
that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has classified it
as a Group A carcinogen. Group A carcinogens
are the most toxic substances known to cause cancer in humans, also including
benzene, radon, and asbestos.
The more often you are
around secondhand smoke, the greater your risk for health problems. Each
year it causes more than 3,000 lung cancer deaths in North American adults
who do not smoke. Secondhand smoke increases the nonsmoker's risk for heart
disease and makes worse the symptoms of adults already suffering from asthma,
allergies, or bronchitis.
Children are usually innocent
victims;unable to choose whether or not to be in a smoke filled environment.
Among infants to 18 months of age, secondhand smoke is associated with as
many as 300,000 cases of bronchitis and pneumonia each year. It also increases
the chances for middle ear problems, causes coughing and wheezing, and worsens
asthma conditions.
Facts like these show that other people's smoke is more than an annoyance.
Secondhand smoke is a serious threat to your good health.
Now that you know you have
the right and obligation for your own health to say No, in this article you
will learn how to say No to second hand smoke at home, at
work,
and in
public
places.
Saying No at Home
Your husband or wife smokes
and you don't. Every time your mother visits and smokes, your son has an
asthma attack. Your babysitter smokes. How can you and your children share air space at home with smokers without
risking your health? Here are some ideas to help you clear the air.
If You Live With a Smoker
- Ask him or her not to
smoke inside your home. Look at this article together and discuss how his
or her habit puts you and your children at risk.
- If he/she is unwilling
to go outside, suggest ways to limit the exposure to smoke for you and your
children. Maybe a room could be set aside for smoking;one that is seldom
used by other members of the household. Some smokers protect others at home
by smoking near an open window or when no one is around.
- Keep rooms well-ventilated.
Open windows.
- Support smokers who decide
to quit.
When Visitors Come
- Ask all smokers who visit
not to smoke in your house or apartment. It is your right to keep your home
free of this health risk.
- Do not keep ashtrays around.
In Others Homes
- Tell friends and relatives
politely that you would appreciate it if they do not smoke while you are
there.
- Let people know when their
smoke is causing immediate problems. If it is making your allergies worse,
making you cough or wheeze, or making your eyes sting;say so. Some
smokers may put their cigarettes away when they see the discomfort it causes.
- If they refuse to refrain
from smoking when you are in their home, politely let them know that you
will not be able to visit their home anymore because of the effects of
the smoke.
If You Have Children
- Insist that babysitters,
grandparents, or other caregivers not smoke around your children. Be firm
if necessary; your childs health is worth it.
- Help children avoid secondhand
smoke if smokers do use tobacco around them. Have them leave the room or
play outside while an adult is smoking. Air rooms out after smoking occurs.
Keep smokers away from places children sleep.
Saying No at Work
The person next to you
smokes all day long, and you go home with itchy, watery eyes. You cough and
sneeze after your regular office meetings because a few of your coworkers
smoked.
When smoking is allowed at the workplace, non smokers cannot avoid secondhand
smoke. Often, the ventilation system brings other peoples smoke into your
breathing space.
A report from the National
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommends that employee
exposure to second hand smoke be reduced to the lowest possible amount.
Although most companies
no longer allow smoking in common work areas due to legal and health concerns,
if your company still allows smoking, you can help limit your exposure by
taking
steps like
these:
- Give your employer copies
of the EPA and NIOSH reports on the harmful health effects of environmental
tobacco smoke (see the link at the end of this article).
- Ask to work near other
nonsmokers and as far away from smokers as possible.
- Ask smokers if they would
not smoke around you.Thank those who care enough to stop.
- Use a fan and open windows
to keep the air moving.
- Hang a Thank You
For Not Smoking sign in your work area.
- Talk to your employer
about the company's smoking policy. Be sure your management knows that medical
leaders think secondhand smoke is a serious problem that can make the workplace
unsafe for nonsmokers.
- Volunteer to help develop
a fair company policy that protects nonsmokers.
Saying No in Public
Places
Your hotel room smells
like stale smoke and you wake up coughing and sneezing. The sign says No
Smoking. Still, smoke is so thick inside the sports arena that you
cannot enjoy the game. Cigarette smoke from other tables makes it hard to
relish-or even taste-your restaurant meal.
In some cities and towns,
smoking is forbidden in most public places, and many restaurants are completely
smoke free. Yet in other localities, restaurants, bars, sports centers, bowling
alleys, theater lobbies, waiting rooms, and other public places, remain smoke filled.
Of course, enforcement of smoking bans is often lax.
How can you avoid other
peoples smoke in public areas? Take full advantage of nonsmoking spaces
and limit the time you spend in places that do not protect nonsmokers.
Here are some ideas:
- Always take the nonsmoking options
that are available. Today, many restaurants have nonsmoking sections and
hotels offer nonsmoking rooms and floors. You can even get a nonsmoking rental
car. If one place does not offer nonsmoking, choose another that does. The
strongest statement against smoking in public places is made by taking your
business elsewhere.
- Do not accept
what you can change. If a restaurant puts you at a table near smokers (even if you
are in a non smoking section), ask to move. If smokers do not obey nonsmoking
rules, ask those in charge to enforce the rules. When people near you are
smoking, ask them politely to either stop, move the ashtray, or hold their
cigarette away from you.
- Keep children
out of smoking areas. Choose nonsmoking even if people in your group smoke.
They can smoke outside or go into the smoking section if they need a cigarette.
If there are no nonsmoking sections, go someplace else.
If You Want to Do
More
Most people believe
that smokers should not smoke around nonsmokers. Yet many workplaces and
public buildings still allow smoking. To protect themselves and their children,
some nonsmokers are trying to change the rules. They are working to convince
lawmakers and businesses to protect nonsmokers from cancer causing tobacco
smoke.
Some steps for nonsmokers
include:
- Find out about laws that
may require your employer to ban or limit smoking. The organizations listed
at the end of this article can give you more information.
- Urge your childs school,
including/especially preschool, to ban all indoor smoking. When smoking is
allowed in some places (such as the teachers lounge, storage areas, or private
offices),
secondhand smoke may reach your child through the ventilation system.
- Write to public officials,
newspapers, and businesses to promote policies protecting nonsmokers.
- Attend public meetings
and express your views.
- Know the laws in your
area. When laws exist to protect you, insist that those in charge enforce
them.
- Support organizations in
your area that are working to protect nonsmokers. These include local or
state offices of the the American Cancer Society, American Lung Association,
or the American Heart Association.
Organizations
The following organizations
may provide more information about the health effects of secondhand smoke
or how to deal with it.
Action on Smoking and
Health (ASH)
2013 H Street, NW
Washington, DC 20006
(202) 659-4310
American
Cancer Society Web site
Americans for Nonsmokers'
Rights
2530 San Pablo Avenue, Suite J
Berkeley, CA 94702
(510) 841-3032
Canadian
Cancer Society Web site (French & English)
Canadian Centre for Occupational
Health & Safety Web site (French & English)
National Institute for Occupational
Safety and Health - Web site
4676 Columbia Parkway
Cincinnati, OH 42226-1998
1-800-35-NIOSH
U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency - EPA.gov
Indoor Air Quality Information Clearinghouse
(IAQ INFO)
P.O. Box 37133
Washington, D.C. 20013-7133
1-800-438-4318
Source: National Cancer Institute
This is for
general informational purposes only and it is not intended to provide anyone
with specific advice or recommendation. This is not a substitute for advice
from an appropriate professional. If you feel you need further help, we strongly
suggest you seek assistance from an appropriate professional.
© 2005 AlignMark, Inc. All rights reserved.
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