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Health Problems Caused by Secondhand Smoke

Key Points

  • There is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS); even brief exposure can cause immediate harm.
  • Health problems caused by secondhand smoke in adults who do not smoke include coronary heart disease, stroke, and lung cancer, as well as adverse reproductive health effects in women, including low birth weight.
  • Secondhand smoke can cause sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), respiratory infections, ear infections, and asthma attacks in infants and children.

 

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2022). Health problems caused by secondhand smoke.