Smoke Inhalation: Effects of Second Hand Smoke

Keywords: Smoke, secondhand smoke, cigarette, firewood smoke, cannabis, lung cancer, breast cancer, respiratory infections, asthma, cleft palate, anxiety, depressive disorders, multiunit housing, tenement building, addiction treatment.

Introduction.        

Smoke Inhalation: Effects of Second Hand Smoke. What is second hand smoking? Are there health hazards associated with smoke? Who are more susceptible to the negative effects of smoke? The way forward.

Smoke can originate from various sources, including cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cannabis, etc. additionally, it can result from burning of materials such as firewood, charcoal, bush burning and chemical burning.

Smoke, regardless of its origin, poses significant health risks to humans. Its adverse effects not only impacts smokers, but also affect those in the surrounding environment.

There is no safe level for second hand smoke. Even short period of exposure can cause serious harm. Damage can be done with as little as 5 minutes exposure.

These detrimental health effects range from physical, psychological or emotional, socioeconomic, to academic effects. And no matter the type of effects, children are worse hit.

What is second hand smoking?

Second hand smoking occurs when an individual inhales smoke that has been exhaled by a smoker. This second hand smoke comes from two sources. There is smoke coming directly from the cigarette and that from the smoke exhaled by the smoker. There are other smoked substances like cannabis, SK, etc. When this happens, the chemicals in cannabis can be detected in the body fluid of the nonsmoker, eg. urine.

Today, smoke emanating from burning firewood is also known as second hand smoke. This is because the smoke is also inhaled from the environment, just like that from cigarettes.

There are also third hand and fourth hand smoking. Third hand smoking occurs when the chemical from smoke settles on furniture, clothes, etc., are later inhaled. The smoke could have emanated from cigarettes, burned fire woods, etc. The chemicals that settled on surfaces will pollute the air and the air is inhaled by humans. They can also be absorbed through the skin, or ingested when contaminated fingers enter the mouth.

Fourth hand smoking occurs when the stumps of cigarettes end up in the water ways, contaminating our waters.

Smoke is made up of toxic chemicals that are harmful to not just the person smoking but also to nonsmokers around. And even the cigarette stump contain toxic substances that remain harmful, long after it has been smoked.

Note that 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th hand smoking can occur at home, workplaces, restaurants, casinos, and even at open environments. And a nonsmoker need not be in the same room with the smoker to get any of the effects. This is because, smoke can move from room to room, even through the smallest opening. It can travel through stairways and even through vents.

What about smokeless tobacco?

Can smokeless tobacco present with effects of second hand exposure? Let’s just mention this here. Yes, non-users of smokeless tobacco can be affected.

Smokeless tobacco is consumed by snuffing or ingesting it orally. As the users handles it, particles can settle on surfaces like floors and nearby furniture. And accidentally, children and adult nonusers can ingest them. These particles can come out while the packet of snuff by any means. These means include when the packet is being opened, while being used, or via sneezing through droplets.

Are there health hazards associated with smoke?

Smoke from whatever source, contain toxic chemicals. Cigarettes contain up to 4,000 chemical compounds, such as carbon monoxide which is found in car exhaust fumes. It has lead found in batteries, arsenic seen in rat poison and formaldehyde used to embalm dead bodies. Tar, a material used for road paving, nicotine, etc. are also found in the smoke of cigarettes.

Wood smoke also contain the same toxic chemicals as cigarette smoke, including cyanide. They also have benzene, carbon monoxide, nitrous oxide, etc. And the different types of wood contain different quantities of the toxins. Wood smoke is more toxic than cigarette or even exhaust pipe smoke.

Cannabis smoke, contains more about 2,600 chemicals according to researchers. These toxic chemicals include, aflatoxins which are cancer forming and heavy metals gotten from the soil and fertilizers. Others include pesticide chemicals, vinyl chloride, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, arsenics, etc.

These toxic chemicals have very serious health hazards.

Physical health hazards:

These are serious health hazards that can occur in smokers and nonsmokers, in adults and children alike.

Cancers –

These include lung cancers. People who smoke cigarettes, are at a very high risk of developing lung cancer.

And for second hand smokers, even a brief expose to smoke, can damage the cells and set the process of lung cancer in motion.

There are also risks of breast, nasal, pharyngeal and esophageal cancers, leukemia, lymphomas and brain tumors, even in children.

Note that it is the same cancer forming chemicals in cigarettes that are in cannabis smoke. So the risk of cancer is there for those who inhale second hand smoke from cannabis.

Respiratory infections –

Smoke predisposes to cough and even asthma. Respiratory infections are quite high among people receiving second hand smoking, just as they are with direct smokers.

These respiratory infections are worse with children affected by second or 3^rd hand smoke. This is because children’s bodies are still developing, and they breathe faster than adults. The fast breathing makes them to inhale more of the smoke particles, from air and furniture. Besides, unlike adults, children cannot easily move away from a smoker, or smoke source. And these smoke sources include smoke from wood and even charcoal.

So these children are more likely to cough, have shortness of breath and probably develop asthma. There are frequent visits to hospitals.

They can also develop bronchitis, pneumonia, middle ear infections, slow lung development and even death. The death in these infants is called Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). It can occur in healthy looking children.

Obstetric complications –

Pregnant women who inhale second hand smoke, are at risk of delivering small babies with low weight. And can have premature births.

This is due to the toxic chemicals in smoke. These toxic chemicals damage the placenta and reduces the oxygen to the baby in the womb.

Second hand smoking can predispose women to infertility and miscarriages.

Heart diseases and stroke –

People who smoke are at high risk of developing heart diseases and stroke. Even adults who are exposed to second hand smoking, they too can develop heart diseases and stroke.

The heart diseases and stroke are due to the fact that smoke can harm the heart and damage blood vessels. Blood vessels become stiff, blood start to clot and this affects the functioning of the heart and blood vessels. Thus there is also risk of heart attacks.

Type 2 diabetes –

Direct and second hand smoking are risk factors for the development of diabetes. Smoke can predispose to metabolic syndrome, with excessive belly fat and diabetes.

Obesity –

Children born of mothers who either smoke or exposed to secondhand smoking, are more likely to develop obesity. This is because the smoke causes the children to prefer fatty foods.

Cleft palate –

Firewood or charcoal use indoors, is a risk factor for cleft palate or cleft lip in children. Cleft lip and palate, are developmental problems that occurs during child development in the womb. This results in a gap on the child’s lips or palate when the baby is born. It can occur, when a pregnant woman inhales smoke, especially in the first three months of pregnancy.

Positive test –

Those exposed to second hand cannabis smoke, can test positive to Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the chemical makeup of cannabis. This substance can be found in their blood and urine.

With second hand smoke from cannabis, the nonsmoker can develop burning, itchy red eyes. The person can have dry mouth, headache, cough, increased heartbeat, tiredness, etc. Children are more at risk of these physical negative effects of cannabis.

Early onset smoking –

Children exposed to secondhand smoke, are at risk of becoming smokers during adolescence. Even young people exposed to smoke from vehicle exhaust pipes, are at risk of having smoking addiction. This is because, the brain has been exposed to nicotine in smoke, which gets them craving for more nicotine.

Psychological, cognitive, socioeconomic effects:

Smoke inhalation from any source causes inflammatory processes in the brain and reduction in brain volume. And quitting smoking, does not restore the brain to its original size. These can then cascade to the production of psychological and cognitive health issues.

Psychological effects –

Children born of women who smoke, or women affected by second hand smoke from any source may be affected psychologically. These psychological issues include Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Conduct Disorder (CD), and sleep problems. And during adolescence, these children can have memory and problems with motivation. Smoke from wood burning or wild fire, is also a risk factor for the child developing autism.

The person exposed to secondhand smoke from cannabis, may or may not experience that euphoria or highness a smoker experience. If the nonsmoker is very close to the smoker, the likelihood of getting high from the smoke is increased. If the smoker is using a very potent form of cannabis, the likelihood of the nonsmoker to be high, is there.

Also note that wood smoke is a risk factor for developing depressive disorders.

Exposure to secondhand from cannabis smoke can also predispose to anxiety disorders, aggression, and depression in the nonsmoker. Also, nonsmoker paranoia. This is a mental illness that causes the nonsmoker to suspect that others want harm him or her.

There are also problems with suicide, and even dementia in older adults.

Smoke from wood fire or wild fire, can lead to inflammatory processes in the brain. Such inflammatory processes can cause dementia.

Cognitive –

Children exposed to secondhand smoke from any source perform poorly in school. This is because smoke affects learning and memory.

The child with exposure to secondhand smoking will have problems with reading, mathematics, etc. The academic problems, can also be due to some factors such as physical illnesses as mentioned above, leading to school absenteeism.

Intelligent Quotients of children born of mothers who smoke are lower that those from mothers who don’t smoke.

Socioeconomic effects –

Smoking is actually considered a social thing, by providing a sense of social belonging among young people. But most people who smoke are facing social isolation more often than not, especially as they age.

Then on the environment, smoking negatively affects it causing pollution of the air and land. Some cigarette stumps can start forest fires which can cause a lot of destruction of lives and properties.

Secondhand smoking incidents are more seen among the poor and those with low education.

Being exposed to secondhand smoking can predispose one to lower social cadre and poverty. There is usually an intergenerational poverty.

This is because of the health implications and the cost of their treatment. Secondhand smoking also leads to poor academic attainment, thus poor employment opportunities. And children who grow up in a home where parents smoke, are more likely to smoke and start smoking early.

Secondhand smoke from any source, can lead to loss of productivity and thus economic loss.

Who are more susceptible to the negative effects of smoke?

Housing units:

People who live in multiunit housing are at risk of secondhand smoke. Multiunit houses are residential buildings that contain different apartments for different families. Building that structured with different flats, are examples of multiunit housing.

Living in tenement buildings are also risk factors for the inhalation of secondhand smoke. In Nigeria, tenement buildings are called “face me I face you buildings.

Actually, people living in any type of building are at risk of inhaling secondhand smoke, because smoke can pass through the smallest gap and even through vents.

Note that smoking in a room with windows open, has limited protection on people in the same room. This is because, apart from secondhand smoke, there are third hand and fourth-hand smoke effects.

So there is no such thing as safe exposure to smoke from any source. Damage can be done in as little as 5 minutes exposure to smoke.  

But for families who don’t smoke or who don’t use firewood as fuel, and living alone, have reduced risk. So living in multiunit or tenement housing, increases the risk from neighbors who smoke or use firewood.

The housing set up in African villages, can also make inhalation from secondhand smoking possible. Also, firewood and charcoal are the main source of fuel use for cooking in the villages. Bush burning is quite rampant in the village, especially during the farming seasons.

Cooking is usually done more of indoors in a kitchen that is separated from the main house. And when adults cook, the children are usually around. And apart from the secondhand smoke effects there is the third hand effects of smoke in these kitchens.

Persons more affected by secondhand smoke:

Anyone can be affected by secondhand smoke, but women and children are the most affected, especially in developing countries. Women are more exposed to the secondhand smoke, because they do household cooking, with their children tagging along.

Women and men who engage in catering business are also at risk, because the cooking is still done with firewood. Even though most of the cooking is done outdoors, being frequently exposed to the smoke, can affect health.

Men and women who are involved in smoke fish business are also at risk of health issues from smoke. The process of smoking, grilling and barbecuing, is usually done with firewood or charcoal.

People who also work in bakeries are at risk. This is because, most of the commercial ovens make use of charcoal.

Environmental risk factors:

The secondhand and third hand smoke can occur more in public places such as, restaurants and lodge in hotels. Knowing that there is 3^rd hand sdmoke, hotel rooms are risk factors to cigarette smoke effects.

Night clubs and casinos provide heavy dosing of 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th hand sources of smoke. So those who attend are at risk of any of the adverse effects of smoke.

Offices and other public places without the prohibition of smoking, are also risk factors. Thus it is important to periodically test workers for substances of abuse.

The way forward.

The only way to stop all the negative effects of smoke, is for the parent(s) to not smoke at all in any form.. And for those who do smoke, they should stop it all together.

There should be a smoking prohibitions both at private houses and at public places. And these laws should be adequately enforced. There should also be laws that are enforced, against the use of firewood and charcoals as fuel sources.

Educational initiatives should utilize various media channels to raise awareness about the dangers of smoke and smoking. The information should be introduced at the primary and secondary school levels to effectively reach the young people.

People should be informed about the available support channels for treating smoking addictions. Recovery to addiction is possible.