By PsychologyToday.com
Most of us are interested in sex to some degree—it's the reason we're here, after all. Libido strength varies between individuals, and even waxes and wanes within one person over time. Why then, would someone on the extreme end of the spectrum be called a "sex addict" instead of, say, "particularly amorous?" Though the term is thrown around quite often, experts disagree over whether sexual addiction is a legitimate mental affliction.
The DSM, the American Psychiatric Association's manual, does not include "sex addiction" in its comprehensive list of diagnosable disorders. Yet Patrick Carnes, who has studied the topic, estimates that 3 to 6 percent of men and women are addicted to sex. These people are preoccupied with sexual gratification reaped from a variety of pursuits, from rampant promiscuity to spending hours on Internet porn sites. Sex consumes their thoughts. Such an obsession can affect one's financial, personal, and professional obligations—just as compulsive gambling or addiction to alcohol or drugs.
Psychiatrist Aviel Goodman, founder and director of the Minnesota Institute of Psychology, believes that sexual addiction stems from an imbalance in the chemicals that operate the brain's reward system. Impulse control takes a hike when the reward system is askew, leaving a person mired in a cycle that mimics that of an alcoholic. These people must increase the intensity and frequency of their behavior to continue reaching the same level of pleasure or escape.
Not including "sexual addiction" in the DSM, argues Victoria White Kress, co-author of Beyond the DSM Story and counseling program coordinator at Youngstown State University, only brings a special kind of shame for people. It could even preclude them from seeking help. "For many people, having a disorder to describe their behavior helps empower them to take more control."
But Stanton Peele, a practicing psychotherapist who has researched alcoholism, argues that pathologizing unconventional sexual behavior is merely a way of enforcing our Puritan values. We arbitrarily define our acceptable sexual activity level against a diverse global backdrop. According to Peele, sexual "addiction" occurs along a continuum, and many individuals demonstrate a form of it at some point in their lives. "Many people give a good rendition of sexual addiction in their youth," Peele points out. He contends that sexual "addiction" naturally goes into remission over time.
Perhaps more important than putting an official label on such behavior is determining whether it's enhancing or sabotaging your well-being. Engaging in risky sexual behaviors or feeling incapable of controlling your impulses could in fact be symptoms of other well-established conditions, for which help (and insurance coverage) is largely available.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Yar’Adua Shakes up Armed Forces, Names New CDS, Service Chief
Yar’Adua Shakes up Armed Forces, Names New CDS, Service Chief From LUCKY NWANKWERE, AbujaThursday, August 21, 2008
Sun news publishing
More Stories on This Section
Barely two days after he abolished the office of the chief of staff to the president and sent all the political office holders attached to that office packing, President Umaru Yar’Adua on Wednesday approved changes in the command structure of the Armed Forces, with the immediate retirement of the military service chiefs.Those affected are the Chief of Defence Staff, General Andrew Azazi, Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Luka Yusuf and the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ganiyu Adekeye.In the latest shake up, announced in Abuja by presidential spokesman, Mr. Olusegun Adeniyi, former Chief of Air Staff was named the Chief of Defence Staff, succeeding General Andrew Azazi.Major-General Abdulrahman Dambazau, who until Wednesday was the General Officer Commanding the 2nd Division of the Nigerian Army in Ibadan takes over from Luka as the new Chief of Army Staff; Rear Admiral Isaiah Iko Ibrahim, who was the Flag Officer Commanding the Naval Training Command, Lagos was appointed Chief of Naval Staff in place of Vice Admiral G.T.A. Adekeye, while Air Marshal Oluseyi Petinrin, the Air Officer Commanding the Nigerian Air Force Training Command, Kaduna was named the new Chief of Air Staff.Adeniyi told the State House correspondents that President Yar’Adua who left Abuja on Wednesday to perform the lesser Hajj in Saudi Arabia and the Minister of Defence, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed met with the outgoing Chief of Defence Staff and service chiefs to thank them for their services to the country.Meanwhile, following the development, the Defence Retreat scheduled to begin in Kaduna today (August 21) has been postponed until further notice.The Minister of Defence, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed who made this known regretted any inconveniences the postponement might cause all those invited particularly former heads of state and royal fathers.
Sun news publishing
More Stories on This Section
Barely two days after he abolished the office of the chief of staff to the president and sent all the political office holders attached to that office packing, President Umaru Yar’Adua on Wednesday approved changes in the command structure of the Armed Forces, with the immediate retirement of the military service chiefs.Those affected are the Chief of Defence Staff, General Andrew Azazi, Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Luka Yusuf and the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ganiyu Adekeye.In the latest shake up, announced in Abuja by presidential spokesman, Mr. Olusegun Adeniyi, former Chief of Air Staff was named the Chief of Defence Staff, succeeding General Andrew Azazi.Major-General Abdulrahman Dambazau, who until Wednesday was the General Officer Commanding the 2nd Division of the Nigerian Army in Ibadan takes over from Luka as the new Chief of Army Staff; Rear Admiral Isaiah Iko Ibrahim, who was the Flag Officer Commanding the Naval Training Command, Lagos was appointed Chief of Naval Staff in place of Vice Admiral G.T.A. Adekeye, while Air Marshal Oluseyi Petinrin, the Air Officer Commanding the Nigerian Air Force Training Command, Kaduna was named the new Chief of Air Staff.Adeniyi told the State House correspondents that President Yar’Adua who left Abuja on Wednesday to perform the lesser Hajj in Saudi Arabia and the Minister of Defence, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed met with the outgoing Chief of Defence Staff and service chiefs to thank them for their services to the country.Meanwhile, following the development, the Defence Retreat scheduled to begin in Kaduna today (August 21) has been postponed until further notice.The Minister of Defence, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed who made this known regretted any inconveniences the postponement might cause all those invited particularly former heads of state and royal fathers.
Yar’Adua Shakes up Armed Forces, Names New CDS, Service Chief
Yar’Adua Shakes up Armed Forces, Names New CDS, Service Chief From LUCKY NWANKWERE, AbujaThursday, August 21, 2008
Sun news publishing
More Stories on This Section
Barely two days after he abolished the office of the chief of staff to the president and sent all the political office holders attached to that office packing, President Umaru Yar’Adua on Wednesday approved changes in the command structure of the Armed Forces, with the immediate retirement of the military service chiefs.Those affected are the Chief of Defence Staff, General Andrew Azazi, Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Luka Yusuf and the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ganiyu Adekeye.In the latest shake up, announced in Abuja by presidential spokesman, Mr. Olusegun Adeniyi, former Chief of Air Staff was named the Chief of Defence Staff, succeeding General Andrew Azazi.Major-General Abdulrahman Dambazau, who until Wednesday was the General Officer Commanding the 2nd Division of the Nigerian Army in Ibadan takes over from Luka as the new Chief of Army Staff; Rear Admiral Isaiah Iko Ibrahim, who was the Flag Officer Commanding the Naval Training Command, Lagos was appointed Chief of Naval Staff in place of Vice Admiral G.T.A. Adekeye, while Air Marshal Oluseyi Petinrin, the Air Officer Commanding the Nigerian Air Force Training Command, Kaduna was named the new Chief of Air Staff.Adeniyi told the State House correspondents that President Yar’Adua who left Abuja on Wednesday to perform the lesser Hajj in Saudi Arabia and the Minister of Defence, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed met with the outgoing Chief of Defence Staff and service chiefs to thank them for their services to the country.Meanwhile, following the development, the Defence Retreat scheduled to begin in Kaduna today (August 21) has been postponed until further notice.The Minister of Defence, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed who made this known regretted any inconveniences the postponement might cause all those invited particularly former heads of state and royal fathers.
Sun news publishing
More Stories on This Section
Barely two days after he abolished the office of the chief of staff to the president and sent all the political office holders attached to that office packing, President Umaru Yar’Adua on Wednesday approved changes in the command structure of the Armed Forces, with the immediate retirement of the military service chiefs.Those affected are the Chief of Defence Staff, General Andrew Azazi, Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Luka Yusuf and the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ganiyu Adekeye.In the latest shake up, announced in Abuja by presidential spokesman, Mr. Olusegun Adeniyi, former Chief of Air Staff was named the Chief of Defence Staff, succeeding General Andrew Azazi.Major-General Abdulrahman Dambazau, who until Wednesday was the General Officer Commanding the 2nd Division of the Nigerian Army in Ibadan takes over from Luka as the new Chief of Army Staff; Rear Admiral Isaiah Iko Ibrahim, who was the Flag Officer Commanding the Naval Training Command, Lagos was appointed Chief of Naval Staff in place of Vice Admiral G.T.A. Adekeye, while Air Marshal Oluseyi Petinrin, the Air Officer Commanding the Nigerian Air Force Training Command, Kaduna was named the new Chief of Air Staff.Adeniyi told the State House correspondents that President Yar’Adua who left Abuja on Wednesday to perform the lesser Hajj in Saudi Arabia and the Minister of Defence, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed met with the outgoing Chief of Defence Staff and service chiefs to thank them for their services to the country.Meanwhile, following the development, the Defence Retreat scheduled to begin in Kaduna today (August 21) has been postponed until further notice.The Minister of Defence, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed who made this known regretted any inconveniences the postponement might cause all those invited particularly former heads of state and royal fathers.
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'Thunder' rumbles past 'Dark Knight' with $26M
LOS ANGELES (AP) — It took four of Hollywood's biggest stars to take down Batman. The DreamWorks-Paramount comedy "Tropic Thunder" — with Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr., Jack Black and Tom Cruise — debuted at No. 1 with $26 million, bumping "The Dark Knight" to second place after four weekends on top, according to studio estimates Sunday.
The Warner Bros. Batman flick pulled in $16.8 million to raise its total to $471.5 million. "The Dark Knight" passed the original "Star Wars" ($461 million) and now stands as No. 2 on the all-time domestic charts, behind only "Titanic" ($600.8 million).
Taking inflation into account, "The Dark Knight" trails both movies in actual tickets sold, however. "The Dark Knight" would need to gross about $900 million to match the number of admissions for "Titanic" and about $1.2 billion to equal "Star Wars."
Warner Bros. expects "The Dark Knight" to top out at about $530 million domestically, said Dan Fellman, the studio's head of distribution.
"The Dark Knight" managed to fend off another "Star Wars" movie this weekend. The animated tale "Star Wars: The Clone Wars," also released by Warner Bros., opened at No. 3 with $15.5 million.
Families made up two-thirds of the audience for "Clone Wars," Fellman said. "Star Wars" creator George Lucas, who has an executive producer credit on "Clone Wars," intended the movie as an introduction to his "Clone Wars" TV show debuting this fall on the Cartoon Network.
"It was targeted to a specific audience for specific reasons," Fellman said. "We accomplished that mission, and it will continue in another medium."
"Tropic Thunder" was the third R-rated comedy to open solidly in recent weeks, following "Pineapple Express" and "Step Brothers." Most summer comedies are rated PG-13, since an R rating limits the audience by requiring anyone younger than 17 to come with an adult.
R-rated comedy hits tend to open in the $20 million to $30 million range, lower than their PG-13 counterparts, but often have a longer shelf life in theaters as audiences spread the word. R-rated movies such as "The 40-Year-Old Virgin," "Knocked Up" and "Superbad" all opened around those levels and went on to become $100 million hits.
"We're thrilled, quite frankly. It played out exactly how we hoped," said DreamWorks spokesman Chip Sullivan.
Stiller directed and co-wrote "Tropic Thunder," in which he stars with Downey and Black as pampered actors who find themselves in a real combat situation while shooting a Vietnam War epic in the Asian jungles. Cruise co-stars as a bald, egomaniacal studio boss.
"Tropic Thunder" raised its total to $37 million since opening Wednesday.
The 20th Century Fox horror tale "Mirrors," starring Kiefer Sutherland as a security guard whose family is terrorized by spirits, opened at No. 4 with $11.1 million.
Woody Allen returned to commercial form with his Spanish romance "Vicky Cristina Barcelona," which opened at No. 10 with $3.7 million.
The movie played in narrower release, 692 theaters compared with 3,000-plus for "Tropic Thunder" and "Clone Wars." Still, it opened far wider than most Allen films, which usually start in a handful of theaters and gradually expand.
"You never can predict how something's going to do, but we felt that the movie is so strong, we just needed to get it out there," said Harvey Weinstein, whose Weinstein Co. released the movie under its distribution agreement with MGM. "The audience reaction is terrific."
Summit Entertainment's "Fly Me to the Moon," a 3-D animated tale about three flies that tag along on the Apollo 11 moon landing, debuted in 452 theaters and took in $2 million, finishing at No. 12.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Media By Numbers LLC. Final figures will be released Monday.
1. "Tropic Thunder," $26 million.
2. "The Dark Knight," $16.8 million.
3. "Star Wars: The Clone Wars," $15.5 million.
4. "Mirrors," $11.1 million.
5. "Pineapple Express," $10 million.
6. "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor," $8.6 million.
7. "Mamma Mia!", $6.5 million.
8. "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2," $5.9 million.
9. "Step Brothers," $5 million.
10. "Vicky Cristina Barcelona," $3.7 million.
Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Warner Bros. Batman flick pulled in $16.8 million to raise its total to $471.5 million. "The Dark Knight" passed the original "Star Wars" ($461 million) and now stands as No. 2 on the all-time domestic charts, behind only "Titanic" ($600.8 million).
Taking inflation into account, "The Dark Knight" trails both movies in actual tickets sold, however. "The Dark Knight" would need to gross about $900 million to match the number of admissions for "Titanic" and about $1.2 billion to equal "Star Wars."
Warner Bros. expects "The Dark Knight" to top out at about $530 million domestically, said Dan Fellman, the studio's head of distribution.
"The Dark Knight" managed to fend off another "Star Wars" movie this weekend. The animated tale "Star Wars: The Clone Wars," also released by Warner Bros., opened at No. 3 with $15.5 million.
Families made up two-thirds of the audience for "Clone Wars," Fellman said. "Star Wars" creator George Lucas, who has an executive producer credit on "Clone Wars," intended the movie as an introduction to his "Clone Wars" TV show debuting this fall on the Cartoon Network.
"It was targeted to a specific audience for specific reasons," Fellman said. "We accomplished that mission, and it will continue in another medium."
"Tropic Thunder" was the third R-rated comedy to open solidly in recent weeks, following "Pineapple Express" and "Step Brothers." Most summer comedies are rated PG-13, since an R rating limits the audience by requiring anyone younger than 17 to come with an adult.
R-rated comedy hits tend to open in the $20 million to $30 million range, lower than their PG-13 counterparts, but often have a longer shelf life in theaters as audiences spread the word. R-rated movies such as "The 40-Year-Old Virgin," "Knocked Up" and "Superbad" all opened around those levels and went on to become $100 million hits.
"We're thrilled, quite frankly. It played out exactly how we hoped," said DreamWorks spokesman Chip Sullivan.
Stiller directed and co-wrote "Tropic Thunder," in which he stars with Downey and Black as pampered actors who find themselves in a real combat situation while shooting a Vietnam War epic in the Asian jungles. Cruise co-stars as a bald, egomaniacal studio boss.
"Tropic Thunder" raised its total to $37 million since opening Wednesday.
The 20th Century Fox horror tale "Mirrors," starring Kiefer Sutherland as a security guard whose family is terrorized by spirits, opened at No. 4 with $11.1 million.
Woody Allen returned to commercial form with his Spanish romance "Vicky Cristina Barcelona," which opened at No. 10 with $3.7 million.
The movie played in narrower release, 692 theaters compared with 3,000-plus for "Tropic Thunder" and "Clone Wars." Still, it opened far wider than most Allen films, which usually start in a handful of theaters and gradually expand.
"You never can predict how something's going to do, but we felt that the movie is so strong, we just needed to get it out there," said Harvey Weinstein, whose Weinstein Co. released the movie under its distribution agreement with MGM. "The audience reaction is terrific."
Summit Entertainment's "Fly Me to the Moon," a 3-D animated tale about three flies that tag along on the Apollo 11 moon landing, debuted in 452 theaters and took in $2 million, finishing at No. 12.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Media By Numbers LLC. Final figures will be released Monday.
1. "Tropic Thunder," $26 million.
2. "The Dark Knight," $16.8 million.
3. "Star Wars: The Clone Wars," $15.5 million.
4. "Mirrors," $11.1 million.
5. "Pineapple Express," $10 million.
6. "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor," $8.6 million.
7. "Mamma Mia!", $6.5 million.
8. "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2," $5.9 million.
9. "Step Brothers," $5 million.
10. "Vicky Cristina Barcelona," $3.7 million.
Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Secondhand smoke: Avoid dangers in the air you breathe
Secondhand smoke — Find out how it harms you and how you can avoid it.
From MayoClinic.com
You don't smoke because you understand the dangers. But what about that thick cloud of secondhand smoke at your favorite restaurant? Or the smoky haze left behind by guests after an evening of partying? What about the effect of secondhand smoke on your children when smoking relatives come to visit?
These instances of secondhand smoke present health hazards comparable to smoking. High in toxic chemicals, secondhand smoke plays a role in causing or contributing to a number of health problems, from cardiovascular disease to cancer. The Surgeon General reported in 2006 that scientific evidence shows there is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke.
But secondhand smoke is often avoidable. Take steps to protect yourself and those you care about from secondhand smoke.
Toxins in secondhand smoke
What exactly is secondhand smoke? It's two different forms of smoke from cigarettes, pipes or cigars:
Sidestream smoke comes directly from the burning tobacco product.
Mainstream smoke is smoke that the smoker exhales.
Secondhand smoke is also known as environmental tobacco smoke, passive smoking, involuntary smoking and perhaps a more descriptive term, tobacco smoke pollution.
Regardless of what you call it, both types of secondhand smoke contain harmful chemicals — and a lot of them. Tobacco smoke contains more than 4,000 chemical compounds, more than 250 of which are toxic. And more than 50 of the chemicals in cigarette smoke are known or suspected to cause cancer. Included in secondhand smoke are:
Formaldehyde
Arsenic
Cadmium
Benzene
Polonium
Here are a few more chemicals in secondhand smoke that might sound familiar, along with their effects on health:
Ammonia — irritates your lungs
Carbon monoxide — reduces oxygen in your blood
Methanol — toxic when inhaled or swallowed
Hydrogen cyanide — a potent poison that interferes with respiratory function
The dangerous particles in secondhand smoke can linger in the air for hours. Breathing them even for a short time — as little as 20 or 30 minutes — can harm you in a variety of ways. And breathing in secondhand smoke over years can be all the more dangerous.
Health threats to adults from secondhand smoke
Health experts have recognized the relationship between secondhand smoke and health risks for decades. Research exploring these connections continues.
Some of the known or suspected health risks include:
CancerSecondhand smoke is a known risk factor for lung cancer. Experts believe that secondhand smoke is to blame for about 3,400 deaths from lung cancer in adult nonsmokers each year in the United States. Secondhand smoke is also linked to cancer of the nasal sinuses.
Heart diseaseSecondhand smoke harms the cardiovascular system of nonsmokers in many ways. For one thing, it causes heart disease, such as a heart attack. It also damages blood vessels, interferes with circulation and increases the risk of blood clots. It's estimated that some 35,000 nonsmokers die of secondhand smoke-related heart disease in the United States every year.
Lung diseaseChronic lung ailments, such as bronchitis and asthma, have been associated with secondhand smoke. Exposure to secondhand smoke is also associated with chest tightness at night and feelings of breathlessness after physical activity.
Health threats to children from secondhand smoke
Secondhand smoke has a marked effect on the health of infants and children. They're more vulnerable than adults are because they're still developing physically and generally have higher breathing rates, which means they may inhale greater quantities of secondhand smoke than adults do.
For children who live in households where someone smokes, the effects are worst during the child's first five years, since the child may spend the bulk of that time with a smoking parent or guardian. Ironically, infants are at the highest risk of secondhand smoke from their own mothers. A child who spends just one hour in a very smoky room is inhaling as many dangerous chemicals as if he or she smoked 10 or more cigarettes. And even when parents don't smoke at home or in the car, there can still be negative effects when children are exposed to the tobacco smoke pollution released from the clothing and hair of smoking parents.
Here's a look at some of the main health problems in infants and children associated with secondhand smoke.
Growth and developmentWomen who are exposed to secondhand smoke during pregnancy are at higher risk of having babies of slightly lower birth weight. This can cause a host of health problems for the baby, such as cerebral palsy or learning disabilities. Women who actively smoke during pregnancy expose their developing baby to passive smoke — the chemicals may pass through the placenta — and put the baby at risk of lower birth weight.
An infant who was exposed to secondhand smoke as a developing fetus may be at increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Post-birth exposure to secondhand smoke from the mother, father or others in the household also increases the risk of SIDS.
Asthma and other respiratory problemsSecondhand smoke may cause asthma in children. In children who already have asthma, secondhand smoke can make episodes more frequent and more severe.
Secondhand smoke is also tied to infections of the lower respiratory tract, such as bronchitis and pneumonia, especially in those younger than 6. It's also associated with irritation of the upper respiratory tract and a small reduction in lung function.
Middle ear conditionsChildren living in households with smokers are more likely to develop middle ear infections (otitis media).
Other health problems related to secondhand smoke
For both adults and children, secondhand smoke is linked to a variety of other health problems, including:
Chronic coughing, phlegm and wheezing
Eye and nose irritation
Reduced lung function
Irritability
Dental cavities
How to avoid secondhand smoke
Limiting exposure to secondhand smoke takes planning. Here are some ways you can reduce or eliminate secondhand smoke in your life.
Don't allow smoking in your home. If family members or guests want to smoke, ask them to step outside. Don't rely on an air conditioner or an open window to clear the air. Running the air conditioner may remove the visible smoke, but it doesn't remove the dangerous particles from circulation. An open window doesn't provide adequate ventilation, either.
Insist that smoking restrictions be enforced in your workplace. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has classified secondhand smoke as a Group A carcinogen, which means it's known to cause cancer in humans. The only way to fully protect nonsmokers from exposure to secondhand smoke is to prevent all smoking in the building. Even powerful ventilation fans don't effectively remove secondhand smoke from the work environment.
Choose smoke-free care facilities. If you take your children to a child care provider, choose one with a no-smoking policy. The same goes for aging relatives. If they live in a long term care facility, make sure it's smoke-free.
Don't allow smoking in your vehicle. If someone must smoke on the road, stop at a rest stop for a smoke break outside the car.
Patronize businesses with no-smoking policies and tell the management that you appreciate the healthy air. Many restaurants and other establishments are entirely smoke-free.
When you absolutely must share a room with people who are smoking, sit as far away from them as possible.
If your spouse or partner smokes, have him or her refrain from smoking indoors, just as you would with houseguests. Encourage your partner to quit smoking.
content by:
From MayoClinic.com
You don't smoke because you understand the dangers. But what about that thick cloud of secondhand smoke at your favorite restaurant? Or the smoky haze left behind by guests after an evening of partying? What about the effect of secondhand smoke on your children when smoking relatives come to visit?
These instances of secondhand smoke present health hazards comparable to smoking. High in toxic chemicals, secondhand smoke plays a role in causing or contributing to a number of health problems, from cardiovascular disease to cancer. The Surgeon General reported in 2006 that scientific evidence shows there is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke.
But secondhand smoke is often avoidable. Take steps to protect yourself and those you care about from secondhand smoke.
Toxins in secondhand smoke
What exactly is secondhand smoke? It's two different forms of smoke from cigarettes, pipes or cigars:
Sidestream smoke comes directly from the burning tobacco product.
Mainstream smoke is smoke that the smoker exhales.
Secondhand smoke is also known as environmental tobacco smoke, passive smoking, involuntary smoking and perhaps a more descriptive term, tobacco smoke pollution.
Regardless of what you call it, both types of secondhand smoke contain harmful chemicals — and a lot of them. Tobacco smoke contains more than 4,000 chemical compounds, more than 250 of which are toxic. And more than 50 of the chemicals in cigarette smoke are known or suspected to cause cancer. Included in secondhand smoke are:
Formaldehyde
Arsenic
Cadmium
Benzene
Polonium
Here are a few more chemicals in secondhand smoke that might sound familiar, along with their effects on health:
Ammonia — irritates your lungs
Carbon monoxide — reduces oxygen in your blood
Methanol — toxic when inhaled or swallowed
Hydrogen cyanide — a potent poison that interferes with respiratory function
The dangerous particles in secondhand smoke can linger in the air for hours. Breathing them even for a short time — as little as 20 or 30 minutes — can harm you in a variety of ways. And breathing in secondhand smoke over years can be all the more dangerous.
Health threats to adults from secondhand smoke
Health experts have recognized the relationship between secondhand smoke and health risks for decades. Research exploring these connections continues.
Some of the known or suspected health risks include:
CancerSecondhand smoke is a known risk factor for lung cancer. Experts believe that secondhand smoke is to blame for about 3,400 deaths from lung cancer in adult nonsmokers each year in the United States. Secondhand smoke is also linked to cancer of the nasal sinuses.
Heart diseaseSecondhand smoke harms the cardiovascular system of nonsmokers in many ways. For one thing, it causes heart disease, such as a heart attack. It also damages blood vessels, interferes with circulation and increases the risk of blood clots. It's estimated that some 35,000 nonsmokers die of secondhand smoke-related heart disease in the United States every year.
Lung diseaseChronic lung ailments, such as bronchitis and asthma, have been associated with secondhand smoke. Exposure to secondhand smoke is also associated with chest tightness at night and feelings of breathlessness after physical activity.
Health threats to children from secondhand smoke
Secondhand smoke has a marked effect on the health of infants and children. They're more vulnerable than adults are because they're still developing physically and generally have higher breathing rates, which means they may inhale greater quantities of secondhand smoke than adults do.
For children who live in households where someone smokes, the effects are worst during the child's first five years, since the child may spend the bulk of that time with a smoking parent or guardian. Ironically, infants are at the highest risk of secondhand smoke from their own mothers. A child who spends just one hour in a very smoky room is inhaling as many dangerous chemicals as if he or she smoked 10 or more cigarettes. And even when parents don't smoke at home or in the car, there can still be negative effects when children are exposed to the tobacco smoke pollution released from the clothing and hair of smoking parents.
Here's a look at some of the main health problems in infants and children associated with secondhand smoke.
Growth and developmentWomen who are exposed to secondhand smoke during pregnancy are at higher risk of having babies of slightly lower birth weight. This can cause a host of health problems for the baby, such as cerebral palsy or learning disabilities. Women who actively smoke during pregnancy expose their developing baby to passive smoke — the chemicals may pass through the placenta — and put the baby at risk of lower birth weight.
An infant who was exposed to secondhand smoke as a developing fetus may be at increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Post-birth exposure to secondhand smoke from the mother, father or others in the household also increases the risk of SIDS.
Asthma and other respiratory problemsSecondhand smoke may cause asthma in children. In children who already have asthma, secondhand smoke can make episodes more frequent and more severe.
Secondhand smoke is also tied to infections of the lower respiratory tract, such as bronchitis and pneumonia, especially in those younger than 6. It's also associated with irritation of the upper respiratory tract and a small reduction in lung function.
Middle ear conditionsChildren living in households with smokers are more likely to develop middle ear infections (otitis media).
Other health problems related to secondhand smoke
For both adults and children, secondhand smoke is linked to a variety of other health problems, including:
Chronic coughing, phlegm and wheezing
Eye and nose irritation
Reduced lung function
Irritability
Dental cavities
How to avoid secondhand smoke
Limiting exposure to secondhand smoke takes planning. Here are some ways you can reduce or eliminate secondhand smoke in your life.
Don't allow smoking in your home. If family members or guests want to smoke, ask them to step outside. Don't rely on an air conditioner or an open window to clear the air. Running the air conditioner may remove the visible smoke, but it doesn't remove the dangerous particles from circulation. An open window doesn't provide adequate ventilation, either.
Insist that smoking restrictions be enforced in your workplace. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has classified secondhand smoke as a Group A carcinogen, which means it's known to cause cancer in humans. The only way to fully protect nonsmokers from exposure to secondhand smoke is to prevent all smoking in the building. Even powerful ventilation fans don't effectively remove secondhand smoke from the work environment.
Choose smoke-free care facilities. If you take your children to a child care provider, choose one with a no-smoking policy. The same goes for aging relatives. If they live in a long term care facility, make sure it's smoke-free.
Don't allow smoking in your vehicle. If someone must smoke on the road, stop at a rest stop for a smoke break outside the car.
Patronize businesses with no-smoking policies and tell the management that you appreciate the healthy air. Many restaurants and other establishments are entirely smoke-free.
When you absolutely must share a room with people who are smoking, sit as far away from them as possible.
If your spouse or partner smokes, have him or her refrain from smoking indoors, just as you would with houseguests. Encourage your partner to quit smoking.
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