Smoking being one of the most popular addiction common among youths and aged people, is the act of inhaling and exhaling the fumes of burning plant material. Some of the smoked materials includes;
- tobacco,
- marijuana,
- hashish
- Mkpuru mmiri etc.
Smoking can lead to a variety of ongoing complications in the body, as well as long-term effects on your body systems. While smoking can increase your risk of a variety of problems over several years, some of the bodily effects are immediate.
There’s no safe way to smoke and according to the American Lung Association, Cigarettes contain about 600 ingredients, many of which can also be found in cigars and hookahs. When these ingredients burn, they generate more than 7,000 chemicals. Hundreds of them are poisonous, toxic and about 70 can cause cancer.
Secondhand Smoking and Effects
Secondhand smoke also referred to as environmental tobacco smoke is the combination of smoke from the burning end of a cigarette and the smoke breathed out by smokers.
Figures have it that secondhand Smoke contains about 4,000 chemicals. Many of these chemicals are dangerous; more than 50 are known to cause cancer. When it comes to secondhand smoke, no safe level of exposure exists.
Secondhand smoke has adverse effects on every age group of human population, with children having a higher risk of serious health problems or complications.
Long-term Effects of Secondhand Smoke
Children get exposed to secondhand smoke at home, when their parents, family and family friends smoke. Also in public places like work sites, bars, restaurants, casinos and game houses.
Both Secondhand smoke and third hand smoke is dangerous to children and babies because they have smaller airways and weaker or immature immune system.
Children with such exposure often have some of the following lungs or other health problems;
- Pneumonia
- Bronchitis
- Asthma
- Bronchiolitis
- Croup
- Tonsillitis
- Coughs and colds
- Leukaemia
- Ear infections
- Tooth decay
- Wheezing
The best way to protect your children from secondhand and third hand smoke is to quite smoking, make sure the environment is free of smoke and give your children positive non-smoking role models.
How does Smoking affect Pregnancy?
If you smoke or you are exposed to secondhand smoke during pregnancy, the unborn child is also exposed to harmful chemicals too. Which can lead to any of the following health problems;
- Miscarriage
- Premature birth (born not fully developed)
- Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
- Lower birth weight than expected (possibly meaning a less healthy baby)
- Learning problems and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- Having a child with a cleft lip, cleft palate, and possibly other birth defects
- Problems with the placenta
- An ectopic pregnancy.
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conclusion
No level of smoke exposure is advised as studies have shown that older children whose parents smoke get sick more often. Their lungs grow less than children who do not breathe secondhand or third-hand smoke.
Creating a smoke free environment for your children helps to reduce the risk of serious health issues and the severity of health problems when they come
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