|
[CyberSalad]
[An Ounce of Prevention]
[Being An Informed Consumer]
[Avoiding Destructive Habits] [Exercising Regularly] [Learning First Aid] [Eating Properly] [Controlling Stress] [Adopting Good Personal Health Behaviors] [Seeking and Complying With Medical Advice] [Adopting good Safety Habits] |
 |
|
| Caution: Cigarette Smoking May Be Hazardous to Your Health. | |
| Statement required on cigarette cartons and packages by the 89th US Congress | |
| Most people who smoke know that smoking is bad for their health. Many don't know, however, that their smoking is hazardous to the health of their co-workers, clients, customers, and visitors to their workplace. The purpose of this page is to provide information about the hazards of workplace smoking. |
| Burning tobacco results in the production of two kinds of smoke. | |
| Mainstream smoke is inhaled through the tobacco and into the lungs of the smoker. This smoke contains thousands of chemicals, among which the most dangerous are: |
| * nicotine which narrows blood vessels and speeds up the heart | |
| * carbon monoxide which decreases the amount of oxygen in the blood | |
| * tar which coats the lungs and causes cancer |
| Other poisons found in mainstream smoke include: | |
| * nitrogen dioxide | |
| * ammonia | |
| * benzopyrene which is suspected of causing cancer | |
| * cadmium | |
| * formaldehyde | |
| * hydrogen sulfide |
| Secondhand smoke is the smoke that rises from burning tobacco into the air. Secondhand smoke contains: |
| * 2 times more nicotine | |
| * 5 times more carbon monoxide | |
| * 2 times more tar | |
| * 73 times more ammonia | |
| * 3 times more benzopyrene | |
| * more cadmium |
| Tobacco smoke can combine with other substances in the workplace environment and carry them through the air. This increases the chance that more people will be exposed to hazardous materials. Some of these substances are: |
| * asbestos | |
| * coal dust | |
| * cotton dust | |
| * rubber | |
| * uranium | |
| * chlorine |
| What makes secondhand smoke more toxic than mainstream smoke? |
| * As mainstream smoke passes through the unburned tobacco (and filter, if there is one), it is cleaned to a degree. Secondhand smoke goes directly into the air. |
|
| * As a smoker inhales, air is drawn over the tobacco, causing it to burn more cleanly. "Idling" tobacco, however, burns more slowly, and consequently less cleanly, so secondhand smoke is more poisonous. |
|
| * A smoker is inhaling mainstream smoke only a fraction of a time the tobacco is lit, but secondhand smoke is constantly being produced. |
| The hazards of "passive" smoking |
| A passive smoker is a person exposed to secondhand smoke and the mainstream smoke exhaled by the active smoker. After 30 minutes, passive smokers can have nearly as much carbon monoxide in their blood as someone who has actively smoked 1 cigarette. |
| Potential short-term effects of passive smoking: | |
| * coughing | |
| * headache | |
| * irritated eyes and throat | |
| * sneezing and nasal discharge | |
| * nausea | |
| * breathing problems | |
| * increased heart rate | |
| Potential long-term effects of passive smoking: | |
| * damage to small airways in lungs | |
| * an increased risk of cancer |
| [ Tobacco Abuse] [Effects of Smoking] [You Can Quit Smoking] [Smoking Resources] [Smoking in the Workplace] |
|
|
|
|
|
 1998-2004 CyberSalad: An Ounce of Prevention. All Rights Reserved.WebMistress: Barbara Anders, RN, BC, MSN, CNA, BC, HCS-D This site best viewed in 800x600 resolution. Graphics on this site are for my personal use only, and are not available for download. Please do not take. |
|
| Site launched July 16, 1999. Site updated May 3, 2004. |
|
[CyberSalad]
[An Ounce of Prevention]
[Being An Informed Consumer]
[Avoiding Destructive Habits] [Exercising Regularly] [Learning First Aid] [Eating Properly] [Controlling Stress] [Adopting Good Personal Health Behaviors] [Seeking and Complying With Medical Advice] [Adopting good Safety Habits] |
Email me at