A lot of the world population undergoes it. No one is spared. Right from Gauri Khan, SRK’s wife, to the local professor's wife. Some by choice, others willingly. Even you and I, mostly unwillingly, undergo it. Maybe at the bus stop, in public places or worse - with your friends and co-workers.
 

Smoking is bad, but passive smoking is worse than smoking. A passive smoker is at 90% more risk of suffering from various smoke related ailments than an active smoker. The Oxford Dictionary defines passive smoking as breathing in smoke from other people’s cigarettes, cigars or pipe. Thus, one can see that a passive smoker, though indirectly, inhales a lot of smoke as compared to a smoker who eventually blows it out.

Smoking is nothing but inhaling in tobacco smoke. And tobacco smoke has been found to contain around 50 or more compounds that are carcinogenic (cancer causing). These compounds include arsenic, DDT, cadmiuim, lead, nickel, etc. Apart from these it also contains 6 developmental or reproductive toxicants that include HCN (hydrogen cyanide).

These carcinogens and toxicants are very harmful to the human body as they directly affect the system.

According to the American Cancer Society, in 2005 alone 3000 non-smoking adults died from lung cancer, another 46,000 from coronary heart diseases. Apart from this about 430 newborns died due to sudden infant death syndrome (SID). All the above ailments viz. lung cancer, coronary heart diseases and SID syndrome are directly related to passive smoking.

This is not the case only in India but around the world. Though, in India, the case is exaggerated because of the easy access to cigarettes and no control over smoking in public places. Moreover, the cigarettes hold a 'Statutory Warning' stating that cigarette smoking is injurious to health, but this mostly goes unheeded. Also, there is a ban to sell tobacco and tobacco based products to children below 18 years of age, but then this too is rejected by local vendors who sell it to anyone and everyone. Thus, for every individual smoking around, the chances of inhaling second hand smoke is exaggerated over 5 times.

There is a common myth that second hand smoking can be controlled by ventilation. But the fact remains that it can’t be. The only alternative is to stay away from it. As it is said play it safe, avoid your loved ones from smoking. This ensures yours as well as their safety and good health.