Secondhand smoking in children: Bangladesh perspective

Abstract

Globally, more than 5 million deaths are attributable to direct tobacco use annually, while more than 600,000 nonsmokers die every year from secondhand smoke (SHS). Secondhand tobacco smoke contains more than 7,000 chemicals, 70 of which can cause cancer. SHS exposure may cause the same complications as active smoking. Accordingly, SHS may cause both acute and chronic diseases. Chronic exposure to SHS is suggested to be, on average, 80%90% as harmful as chronic active smoking. Scientific evidence has confirmed a doseresponse relationship with no risk-free level of exposure (threshold dose). The harms associated with children's exposure to SHS are now well documented. For the same level of SHS exposure in the environment, children tend to be more susceptible to SHS-related harm than adults.