About Cigarette Smoke

Cigarette Smoke

About Cigarette Smoke

Cigarette smoke contains over 250 toxic chemicals, more than 50 of which cause cancer. Secondhand smoke is a dangerous combination of the smoke from the burning of a cigarette, pipe, or cigar, and the smoke exhaled by a smoker. There is no safe level of secondhand smoke exposure. Even brief exposure can be harmful.

This site provides data on: teen and adult smoking, adults' exposure to cigarette smoke at home or at work and adults with a policy banning smoking in their home. The data are from NYC Health Department’s Community Health Surveys, and Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Surveys. 

Cigarette Smoke and Health

Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death and disease, and causes illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung disease, and problems during and after pregnancy. In fact, smoking cigarettes kills more New Yorkers each year than AIDS, drugs, homicide, and suicide combined.

Non-smokers exposed to cigarette smoke at home or work increase their risk of heart disease by 25-30% and their risk of lung cancer by 20-30%. Infants and young children are especially prone to health problems caused by secondhand smoke (e.g., pneumonia and bronchitis, ear infections, asthma, and irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat). Babies exposed to cigarette smoke or whose mothers smoked during pregnancy are at an increased risk for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

In 2002, NYC enacted its Smoke Free Air Act, which prohibits smoking in all workplaces, including restaurants and bars. The primary intent of this law is to protect workers from exposure to secondhand smoke. In that same year, the Health Department estimated that more people (about 1,000 every year) are killed by secondhand smoke than by homicide. In addition, secondhand smoke causes illness (e.g., ear infections, asthma, and respiratory infections) in more than 40,000 NYC adults and children every year.

About the Data and Indicators

Cigarette smoke exposure is measured using surveys that depend on the study participants' accurate recollections and reporting.

Prevention

• Pregnant women, infants, young children, and people with breathing problems are especially vulnerable to the poisons in secondhand smoke. The only way to fully protect others from secondhand smoke is to quit smoking and have a 100% smoke-free environment.
• Remember, it is never too late to stop smoking. Quitting smoking is the single most important thing you can do for your health. If you want help quitting, call 311.
• Don’t allow smoking in your home or car. Go outside to smoke, and smoke away from people. Ask those who visit your home or ride in your car not to smoke.
• Ensure that children learn and play in smoke-free environments. In NY, all tobacco products are banned on public and private school grounds during school hours and school activities. Work with parent/teacher associations, school boards, and administrators to support this law.

Key Messages

About 950,000 adult New Yorkers are still smoking. If you are a smoker, quitting smoking is the single most important thing you can do for your health.

Over 300,000 adult New Yorkers were exposed to cigarette smoke in their homes in 2008. Of these, almost half were non-smokers. In fact, over 1.5 million New Yorkers do not have a policy against smoking in their home.

There is no safe level of exposure to cigarette smoke. Even brief exposure can be harmful to your health.