Protecting women and children from second hand tobacco smoke; A public health priority

Abstract

Second hand tobacco smoke (SHS) is a mixture of exhaled and side stream smoke released from a burning cigarette or other forms of tobacco such as shisha, cigar, pipe, bidi, etc. SHS contains 4,000 chemicals, 70 of which can cause cancer. Children and non-smoking adults exposed to SHS end up inhaling carcinogens and other toxic components that are present in it. SHS exposure is a serious health hazard to non-smokers, leading to an estimated 890,000 deaths and a loss of 10·9 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) globally every year.