Patient's question:
I own a small internet cafe, and there's quite a lot of secondhand smoke inside. I've been concerned about this issue for a while and hope experts can provide some answers. Thank you.Doctor's answer:
Analysis of the Condition: Hello, according to research, the smoke from burning cigarettes contains over 4,000 harmful substances. From a medical perspective, these can be divided into four major categories:1. Carbon Monoxide: In cigarette smoke, the concentration of carbon monoxide is about 0.04%, and its binding force to red blood cells is approximately 210 times stronger than that of oxygen. Therefore, after inhaling carbon monoxide into the human body, the ability of red blood cells to transport oxygen decreases, leading to hypoxia in the body.
2. Nicotine: After entering the human body, nicotine produces the following effects: constriction of peripheral blood vessels, increased heart rate, elevated blood pressure, faster breathing, changes in mental state (becoming more emotionally stable or mentally excited), and promoting platelet aggregation. These are the main contributors to cardiovascular diseases such as heart and blood vessel blockages, high blood pressure, and strokes.
3. Irritant Substances: These substances not only irritate the eyes, nose, and throat but also stimulate the secretion of submucosal glands in the bronchi, leading to acute bronchitis and chronic bronchitis.
4. Carcinogenic Substances: In addition to the well-known carcinogen nicotine, cigarette smoke contains a significant amount of radioactive elements, such as polonium, which volatilize during smoking and are absorbed by the body along with the smoke. They accumulate in the body, continuously releasing α-rays, thereby damaging tissues and cells and weakening the immune system, creating an environment for cancer cell growth.
Without a doubt, the above four categories of harmful substances are equally harmful to smokers and secondhand smoke inhalers. It is even more noteworthy that some harmful substances in sidestream smoke are higher in concentration than in mainstream smoke. For example, carbon monoxide is 5 times higher, tar and nicotine are 3 times higher, ammonia is 46 times higher, and nitrosamines (a potent carcinogen) are 50 times higher.
Research also shows that the effects of secondhand smoke on the body are similar to those of smoking, as urine tests of secondhand smoke inhalers reveal the presence of metabolites of substances like nicotine.
Guidelines for Advice:
1. Experts point out that spending more than 15 minutes daily with a smoker exposes secondhand smoke inhalers to risks equivalent to those of smokers. 75% of lung cancer cases can ultimately be traced back to smoking. Everyone has "proto-oncogenes," which allow growth during the embryonic period but should stop functioning at the appropriate time. Otherwise, individuals are more prone to cancer, and smoking can reactivate these genes, leading to cancer. Shockingly, experts have found that the harm of secondhand smoke is almost equal to that of smoking. Experts warn that the dangers of secondhand smoke should not be underestimated. Non-smokers living or working with smokers, inhaling smoke for even 15 minutes a day over a year, face risks equivalent to smoking.
10% of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is caused by secondhand smoke. Harmful chemicals released during tobacco combustion can easily pass through the placenta to "disturb" innocent babies. Toxic gases like carbon monoxide reduce oxygen levels in the mother's blood, leading to fetal hypoxia. The addictive drug nicotine in tobacco narrows blood vessels, slowing blood flow, which means less oxygen and nutrients are supplied to the fetus, increasing the risk of premature birth. Premature infants often suffer from respiratory, digestive, and temperature regulation disorders, and some may even die shortly after birth. Pregnant women who smoke have a significantly higher chance of giving birth to low-birth-weight babies, which can lead to early health problems and is a major cause of infant mortality. 10% of SIDS cases are linked to passive smoking.
Women who smoke during pregnancy have a higher rate of birth defects compared to non-smokers, and their children have a higher incidence of intellectual disabilities and mental health issues. Smoking during breastfeeding reduces milk production, and nicotine can also enter breast milk. Women who smoke 10–20 cigarettes daily can excrete 0.4–0.5 milligrams of nicotine per kilogram of breast milk, posing a serious threat to infants' health.
After birth, the smoke lingering in the air makes it difficult for infants to breathe, and newborns are at a much higher risk of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), making them more susceptible to colds, bronchitis, pneumonia, bronchial asthma, and other respiratory and lung infections. Children exposed to smoke grow more slowly, are more prone to irritability, crying, and difficulty feeding, and have a higher risk of ear, nose, and throat infections, as well as hearing impairment.
Lifestyle Care: How to Reduce the Harm of Inhaled Secondhand Smoke
1. Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables (especially those rich in carotene and vitamin C), as vitamins have antioxidant properties that can help prevent cancer (e.g., papaya, tomatoes, carrots, pumpkin, etc.).
2. Drink more water and urinate frequently. Engage in more exercise and sweating to accelerate the excretion of harmful substances like nicotine from the body.
3. Experts recommend that lung cancer prevention should be the priority. Young people should quit smoking or smoke as little as possible. Those with a smoking history, early symptoms such as coughing, chest pain, or shoulder joint pain, chronic respiratory diseases, or a family history of tumors should undergo low-dose spiral CT scans once or twice a year for early detection and treatment. These are preventive measures, but persuading others not to smoke is the fundamental solution.