Protecting your loved ones from second-hand smoke

Most smokers, when asked who they want to quit for, do not say themselves first. They say their kids. Their partner. Their grandchildren. The person they care about being around for, longer.

And the protective effect of stopping is real. Here is what second-hand smoke does, and what changes the moment you stop.

What is in second-hand smoke

It is not just the smoke you exhale. Second-hand smoke (also called passive smoke) includes the smoke from the burning tip of the cigarette, which contains over 4,000 chemicals — many toxic, several known to cause cancer.

Crucially, it lingers. Opening a window or smoking in a different room only removes a small fraction. Most of the harmful chemicals stay airborne and settle on surfaces, clothes, carpets, soft furnishings and skin. (This residue is sometimes called "third-hand smoke" and children, who put hands and toys in their mouths, are particularly exposed.)

Effects on children

Children exposed to second-hand smoke at home have a significantly increased risk of:

• Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
• Chest infections, bronchitis and pneumonia
• Asthma — both developing it and more severe attacks
• Glue ear and ear infections
• Meningitis
• Slower lung growth

The effect is dose-related: more exposure, more risk. Children with two smoking parents are more affected than those with one. Children who live in flats where neighbours smoke can also be affected.

Effects on adults

A non-smoking partner of a smoker has a measurably increased risk of lung cancer, heart disease and stroke. It is a less dramatic increase than smoking itself, but it is real — and it is happening to someone who has not chosen the risk.

What changes the day you stop

• The air your family breathes at home starts clearing immediately.
• The smell on your clothes, in your hair, on the soft furnishings starts fading within days.
• Your kids' risk of chest infections drops in the weeks that follow.
• You become a non-smoking role model for them — children of non-smokers are much less likely to start smoking themselves.

Smoking outside is better — but not enough

If you cannot quit yet, smoking outside, away from the door and downwind, does reduce exposure significantly. So does never smoking in cars, especially with children in them (this is illegal in the UK if anyone under 18 is present).

But the only way to fully protect the people you live with is to stop. And the good news is that you have help.

Bring your family in

Many of our most successful quitters have had a family member sit in on their first consultation. Partners often want to know what NRT does, what the plan is, how they can help on hard days. We welcome it. (And if your partner smokes too, we offer joint sessions.)

Quitting for the people you love is one of the strongest motivations there is. Let us turn that motivation into a plan.