Faraz Siddiqui (24), a research analyst, was 23 when he smoked a cigarette for the first time only to discontinue it because of the discomfort it caused him. However, even though he left smoking, it didn’t leave him as his peers continued to smoke around him. Many times, people who do not smoke find themselves in the company of peers who do smoke or are chain smokers. These nonsmokers, who usually join their peers for an informal conversation, meeting, or work, end up being exposed to passive smoking.
Passive smoking or secondhand smoking is the smoke emitted from the burning end of a cigarette, bidi, or water pipe which is exhaled by a smoker and inhaled by a nonsmoker. According to Cancer Research UK, passive smoking means breathing in other people’s tobacco smoke. A smoker who is inhaling tobacco and exhaling its smoke causes direct harm to his own health and that of others too. If a person is smoking in the company of a nonsmoker, the health of the nonsmoker is just as adversely affected.
As per a 2016-17 Global Adult Tobacco Survey, nearly 30% adults in India are exposed to secondhand smoke. Exposure to secondhand smoke is known to cause serious health problems among adults and children alike. “While direct smoking is worse, passive smoking or being in a setup where others are smoking has similar negative effects", says Dr Vishal Rao, the director at the HCG Centre of Academics and Research. He further adds that while no level of exposure to second hand smoking is considered safe, not many people are aware of this silent killer.
Additionally, evidence suggests that secondhand smoking is associated with an increased risk of a variety of diseases and health problems, particularly those affecting children, making it just as dangerous as first-hand smoking. Vaishakhi Mallik, the associate director of policy advocacy and communication at Vital Strategies, shares, “Tobacco smoke contains more than 4,000 toxic chemicals and irrespective of whether one inhales that smoke or exhales it – it is hazardous to all.”