Healthy Hint #5

There are bad habits and there are bad habits. When people smoke cigarettes, cigars or pipes, they’re not just hurting themselves. Every exhale puts more than 250 dangerous chemicals into the air.

Secondhand smoke, like smoking itself, is a risk factor for four leading causes of death in the U.S. These include heart disease, cancer, respiratory illness and stroke.

Children who breathe secondhand smoke are especially at risk. They have higher rates of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), acute respiratory infections, ear problems and severe asthma. So protect yourself. If someone’s blowing smoke your way, walk away. No amount of smoke is safe.