About passive smoking
Get the lingo! - Breathing in someone else’s cigarette smoke is called passive smoking. Passive smoking is also known as second-hand or involuntary smoking and sometimes cigarette smoke in the air is called ‘environmental tobacco smoke’ (ETS). Call it what you like – it’s proven to be harmful. So much so, that in the USA, ETS is classed as a cancer causing substance alongside asbestos, arsenic and radon gas – all very toxic stuff!
Click here to get up to speed on passive smoking.
 
 

How passive smoking hurts
In the UK more than 17,000 children are hospitalised every year with breathing problems linked to passive smoking. And it’s not just the smoke; the chemicals in the smoke can hide in your home, lurking in household dust and on furniture, meaning you can be exposed to levels of harm that are the same as several hours of smoking.
Click here to find out why there’s nothing passive about passive smoking.
 
 

What about our furry friends?
It’s been proven that passive smoking is harmful for people, but spare a thought too for our pets, who can’t tell us how they feel - it’s Up-2-You to work it out! Your pets can be affected by cigarette smoke – they’re breathing in the chemicals in the smoke and they may even be eating the cigarette butts.
Click here to read more about how passive smoking could be harming your pets.
 
 

Protecting yourself and others
Whether you do or don't smoke, you can take action to help protect yourself and others from passive smoking.
Click here to find out what you can do about passive smoking.
 

Passive smoking - there's nothing passive about it
A campaign In Northern Ireland let people know about the effects of passive smoking.
Click here to watch some TV and see the campaign!