Is the smoke from your burning cigarette a lesser evil that can be tolerated? Or is it really dangerous enough for local and city governments to implement non-smoking ban to public areas? Second hand smoking occurs when the smoke from smoker's burning cigarette or tobacco product or the exhaled smoke of the smoker is inhaled by other people.
Second hand smoking which is also known as passive smoking or environmental tobacco smoke is a very significant issue which lead to its ban in offices, workplaces, indoor and public places such as restaurants and theaters.
Smoke from cigarette or tobacco is an allergen, and non-smokers with allergy may experience runny nose, burning or watery eyes, coughing, sneezing, and other allergic symptoms within a few minutes of being exposed.
Many short-term effects disappear after exposure to passive smoking ends.
However, repeated exposure can cause more serious detrimental effects.
Scientific researches has produced hard evidences that long-term exposure second hand smoking (for example, in case of smoking cigarette, the smoke released from the cigarette's burning end or the smoke exhaled or given out by the smoker) causes similar health problems as direct type of smoking such as cardiovascular or heart disease, lung cancer and other lung illnesses such as bronchitis and asthma.
Studies discovered that non-smokers who have spouses and partners who smoke cigarettes in their homes have a much higher chance of having lung cancer.
Workers and employees who are exposed to second hand smoking in offices and workplaces likewise have a very high risk of having lung-related illnesses.