National Institutes of Health
- The primary NIH organization for research on Secondhand Smoke is the National Cancer Institute
A service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine 
National Institutes of Health
Secondhand Smoke
Also called: Environmental tobacco smoke, Passive smoking, Tobacco smoke pollution
You don't have to be a smoker for smoking to harm you. You can also have health problems from breathing in other people's smoke. Secondhand smoke is the combination of smoke that comes from the burning end of a cigarette, cigar or pipe and the smoke exhaled by the smoker. Secondhand smoke contains more than 50 substances that can cause cancer. Health effects of exposure to secondhand smoke include lung cancer, nasal sinus cancer, respiratory tract infections and heart disease.
There is no safe amount of secondhand smoke. Children, pregnant women, older people and people with heart or breathing problems should be especially careful.
NIH: National Cancer Institute
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Start Here
- Report of the Surgeon General: How Tobacco Smoke Causes Disease(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - PDF
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Secondhand Smoke and Cancer(National Cancer Institute)
- Also available in Spanish
The top row in the table of contents box contains the following groups:
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Learn More
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Multimedia & Cool Tools
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For group Multimedia & Cool Tools
The bottom row in the table of contents box contains the following groups:
Research
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Reference Shelf
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For You
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Overviews
- Secondhand Smoke(American Cancer Society)
- Also available in Spanish
- Secondhand Smoke(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Secondhand Smoke(Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health)
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Secondhand Tobacco Smoke and the Health of Your Family
(Environmental Protection Agency)
- PDF - In English and Spanish
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Latest News
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Large Majority of Adults Have Smoke-Free Rules in Home, Vehicles(05/16/2013, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- 'Nonsmoking' Hotel Rooms May Not Fully Protect Guests(05/14/2013, HealthDay)
- Smoke-Free Subsidized Housing Would Save $521 Million a Year(04/16/2013, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Secondhand Smoke Linked to Early Heart Disease, Study Finds(03/07/2013, HealthDay)
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Prevention/Screening
- BeTobaccoFree.gov(Department of Health and Human Services)
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Related Issues
- Exposure to Tobacco Smoke and Harmful Substances in Tobacco(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Health Harms from Secondhand Smoke(Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids) - PDF
- Indoor Environmental Asthma Triggers - Secondhand Smoke(Environmental Protection Agency, Indoor Environments Division)
- What Is 'Third-Hand' Smoke?(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
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Health Check Tools
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Secondhand Smoke Quiz(National Cancer Institute, Tobacco Control Research Branch)
- Also available in Spanish
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Secondhand Smoke Quiz
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Videos
- Cardiovascular Effects of Secondhand Smoke Exposure(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
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Clinical Trials
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Tobacco Smoke Pollution(National Institutes of Health)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Tobacco Smoke Pollution
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Journal Articles
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
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Organizations
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Newsletters/Print Publications
- Smoke-Free Homes(Environmental Protection Agency)
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Law and Policy
- Smoke-Free Policies Improve Air Quality(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Smoke-Free Policies Improve Health(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- State of Tobacco Control(American Lung Association)
- State Smoke-Free Laws for Worksites, Restaurants, and Bars: United States, 2000--2010(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
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Statistics
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Cancer Trends Progress Report Update: Secondhand Smoke(National Cancer Institute)
- CDC Vital Signs: Tobacco Use and Secondhand Smoke(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Health Effects of Secondhand Smoke(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
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Cancer Trends Progress Report Update: Secondhand Smoke
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Children
- Children and Secondhand Smoke Exposure(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Secondhand Smoke and Children(American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery)
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Teenagers
- Secondhand Smoke(Nemours Foundation)
- Also available in Spanish
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Patient Handouts
- Smoking and asthma
- Also available in Spanish
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