"Environmental Tobacco Smoke" - Deadly Form of Air Pollution

Scientists call this type of air pollution "Environmental Tobacco Smoke" (or ETS for short). But you and I know it better as the smoke from other people's cigarettes.

Cigarette smoke contains over 4,000 different chemicals, of which at least 400 are poisonous to man and about 40 can cause cancer.

• ETS causes lung cancer
  Scientists have shown that ETS can cause lung cancer in people who have never smoked before. Passive smokers have a 25% to 30% higher risk of developing lung cancer compared to people who are not exposed to cigarette smoke at all. But if you are exposed to many smokers throughout the day (e.g. at your workplace), your risk rises by at least 50%.
  
  
• ETS causes heart attack
  Studies have shown that spouses of smokers are up to 30% more likely to have heart attack than people married to non-smokers. ETS also increases the risk of having a second heart attack.
  
  
• ETS makes existing illnesses worse
  ETS can worsen your symptoms if you already suffer from:
  • heart disease
  • lung disease
  • asthma
  • allergies, hay fever or sinus problems
  • blood vessel disease