Indoor Air Quality:
Tobacco Smoke
In adults, smoke from cigarettes, pipes, and cigars can lead to lung cancer, heart disease, and other serious health risks.
In infants and children, second-hand smoke can lead to an increased risk of lower respiratory tract infections, ear infections, and asthma episodes. In fact, thousands of children are hospitalized each year with these smoking-related disorders.
What to do:
- Avoid smoking indoors.
- If this isn’t possible, open windows and doors to increase ventilation.
- Don’t rely on indoor air cleaners, such as desktop models. They can’t remove all the hazardous compounds from tobacco smoke.
- Never smoke around children, particularly infants and toddlers.
- Make sure babysitters, daycare centers, and schools also avoid exposing children to smoke.
