Secondhand Smoke is also known as Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS), or passive and involuntary smoking. It is the combination of particles from the burning end of a cigarette, cigar, or pipe and the smoke breathed out by the smoker.

Secondhand Smoke (SHS) is a form of air pollution. It contains chemicals and gases that do more than make your eyes water. Carbon monoxide, tar, nicotine, and a host of over 4,000 chemicals are contained in secondhand smoke (50 of which are known carcinogens). SHS contains 50 times more cancer-causing substances than the smoke inhaled by the actual smoker. The chemicals given off by one cigarette in a room can remain in that room for up to 2 weeks!

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), exposure to SHS causes approximately 62,000 coronary heart disease deaths each year to non-smokers and 3,000 lung cancer deaths among non-smokers each year.

Secondhand Smoke is a very serious health threat. It is the third leading cause of preventable death in the United States. The EPA has classified secondhand smoke as a Group A Carcinogen. There is no safe level of exposure for Group A Carcinogens. This puts Secondhand Smoke in the same category as benzene, asbestos, radon, and arsenic. Secondhand Smoke kills over 65,000 Americans each year!

For more statistics and facts about secondhand smoke review our available fact sheets.