Everyone knows about the widespread risks of smoking, slowly chipping away at your health and pushing you closer to chronic, potentially fatal ailments with each passing day. But did you know that passive smoking, or simply being close to someone who’s smoking, can also adversely affect your health?
It’s more than just an unpleasant smell that makes you wrinkle your nose; passive smoking can also increase health risks, with the added bummer of not even lighting a cigarette yourself – you are suffering for someone else’s bad habit.
HT Lifestyle reached out to experts who unpacked how secondhand smoke harms health, discussing vulnerable groups like asthma patients, lesser-known effects, and finally, how to cut back on smoking to keep those around safe.
How does passive smoking affect asthma patients?
Some vulnerable groups, like asthma patients, are even more at risk, as exposure to secondhand smoke may worsen symptoms, trigger severe attacks, and make treatment less effective.
Dr Issac Mathai Nooranall, founder chairman and medical director, SOUKYA International Holistic Health Centre, shared how secondhand smoking is a silent danger to asthma patients.
He said, “According to the World Health Organisation, secondhand smoke exposure was responsible for 1,71,000 deaths. While the perils of active smoking are well-documented, the insidious threat of secondhand smoke often remains underrecognised. And the danger isn’t limited to cigarettes alone, smoke and aerosols from hookahs, vaping devices, and bidis also add substantially to this toxic exposure. Research shows that children exposed to secondhand smoke are much more likely to have severe asthma attacks than those who aren’t exposed. In fact, children living with smokers have about a 60 percent higher risk of asthma flare-ups that send them to the emergency room. Adults with asthma aren’t safe either. Even occasional exposure to secondhand smoke can increase their chances of needing urgent care.”
Here are some of the ways secondhand smoke affects asthma patients, as shared by Dr Issac:
- It causes the airways to become more inflamed. Inside the lungs, this smoke irritates the lining of the airways, leading to swelling and extra mucus production. It’s like trying to breathe through a straw that’s getting tighter and clogged; that’s what happens to someone’s lungs during an asthma attack triggered by secondhand smoke.
- Long-term exposure to secondhand smoke can cause lasting changes to the lungs. It speeds up the decline of lung function over time, meaning the lungs don’t work as well as they should. It also makes the airways more sensitive, so even small irritants like dust or pollen can cause big reactions. This persistent inflammation can thicken the walls of the airways and make the damage harder to reverse.
- Many people with asthma rely on steroid inhalers to reduce inflammation and keep symptoms in check. However, studies have found that breathing secondhand smoke can reduce how well these medications work. This means people exposed to smoke may need stronger treatments or more hospital visits because their usual medicines don’t help as much.
- Children are particularly vulnerable to these effects because their lungs are still developing, and they breathe faster than adults, so they take in more air (and toxins) relative to their size. Babies exposed to smoke during pregnancy or in early childhood have a higher chance of developing asthma and experiencing frequent attacks.
Lesser-known damages of passive smoking
Typically, much of the discourse is centred around the more obvious respiratory effects, but even in the case of passive smoking, the damage extends far beyond just the lungs. Secondhand smoke affects your oral health, too.
Dr Puneet Batra, pro vice chancellor, health sciences and principal, Manav Rachna Dental College, shared some of the ways passive smoking affects your oral health.
He said, “Individuals who are exposed are at a high risk of changes in the normal oral and nasopharyngeal flora, which may lead to upper airway infections. It may also cause severe periodontitis, implant failure, gingival pigmentation, tooth decay, and tooth loss. Additionally, it can delay tooth development.”
How to cut back on smoking?
If not for your own sake, quitting smoking is a big, non-negotiable must for the health of your family and friends. Whether it’s increasing the risk of asthma in children or contributing to lesser-known dental problems, passive smoking doesn’t spare anyone, almost like active smoking. So for their sake, consider quitting.
Dr Alpa Dalal, head of pulmonary medicine and consultant pulmonologist at Jupiter Hospital, Thane, shared one effective way to begin this journey- joining a support group.
She said, “Support groups function as safe spaces where individuals can share their struggles, learn from others who have successfully quit, and receive guidance from medical professionals and behavioural experts. These groups include doctors, tobacco-free individuals, Supportive therapies (such as meditation and various healing modalities), and mental health professionals, all working collaboratively to strengthen individuals’ resolve. There’s a precedent for this. De-addiction for alcohol has shown remarkable success because it builds communities, fosters accountability, and offers consistent emotional reinforcement. Alcoholics routinely attribute their recovery to the group environment, where collective experience yields collective strength. This program emulates that model, broadening it to tobacco smokers who commonly share the same psychological obstacles and social prejudices as alcoholics.”
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
