In adults who have never smoked, secondhand smoke can cause heart disease and/or lung cancer.3
Heart Disease
For nonsmokers, breathing secondhand smoke has immediate harmful effects on the cardiovascular system that can increase the risk for heart attack. People who already have heart disease are at especially high risk.3,5
Nonsmokers who are exposed to secondhand smoke at home or work increase their heart disease risk by 2530%.3
Secondhand smoke exposure causes an estimated 46,000 heart disease deaths annually among adult nonsmokers in the United States.6
Lung Cancer
Nonsmokers who are exposed to secondhand smoke at home or work increase their lung cancer risk by 2030%.3
Secondhand smoke exposure causes an estimated 3,400 lung cancer deaths annually among adult nonsmokers in the United States.6