Legislative Reform / Second Hand Smoking

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Legislative Reform Report What is Secondhand Smoking Secondhand smoking is a term that is commonly used to describe the excess smoke that is made from Active smoking*. There are two types of ambient excess smoke that comes from the cigar; Smoke exhaled by the smoker (called mainstream smoke) and smoke from the tip of the cigar (called sidestream smoke). Sidestream smoke comprises about 90% of the smoke in the atmosphere, and the rest is from the mainstream smoke. However, smokers generally only take several puffs from a cigarette which burns for minutes. There are thousands of chemical compounds found in the excess sidestream smoke, there are more than 50 known or suspected carcinogens* and there are a range of respiratory irritants and other toxic chemicals. Not many people realise the dangerous effects of secondhand smoking. It is harmful, especially to adolescents because they do not have fully developed lungs. Some of the Effects of Secondhand Smoking Can cause a cancer in your tissue called benzene, Releases substances that are viable to affect central nervous system in the prefrontial cortex It can cause eye and skin irritation. It can damage your respiratory system, and Asthmatics will suffer severely. People were unaware of the effects of secondhand smoking, up until the 1980’s. Several international reports were published; there was scientific evidence introduced, describing the effects of secondhand smoke. It has then been shown that secondhand smoking has been a cause of death and illness in non-smokers, ranging from infancy to adulthood. Most of these people lacked control over their environment, or were socially disadvantaged people that were likely to be exposed to secondhand smoke and other frequent areas. It is proven that Australians spend 90% of their time indoors, and that means that indoor air quality is very important to us.

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