Second-hand smoke is often treated as a nuisance, something that causes coughing or makes a room smell unpleasant.
The new Lancet analysis found ischaemic heart disease was the biggest contributor to second-hand-smoke-related DALYs overall.
The World Health Organization also states that second-hand smoke causes serious cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, including heart disease and lung cancer.
Dr Jagadeesh Kumar P, Consultant – Interventional Pulmonology, Manipal Hospital Yeshwanthpur, said the changing pattern of lung disease deserves attention.
“More patients walking into my clinic with lung cancer have never smoked a single cigarette.
Second-hand smoke is often treated as a nuisance, something that causes coughing or makes a room smell unpleasant. The evidence is much more serious.
The new Lancet analysis found ischaemic heart disease was the biggest contributor to second-hand-smoke-related DALYs overall. Among children, lower respiratory infections caused the largest burden.
The World Health Organization also states that second-hand smoke causes serious cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, including heart disease and lung cancer. It stresses that there is no safe level of exposure.
Dr Jagadeesh Kumar P, Consultant – Interventional Pulmonology, Manipal Hospital Yeshwanthpur, said the changing pattern of lung disease deserves attention.
“More patients walking into my clinic with lung cancer have never smoked a single cigarette. Many are women in their 40s or 50s. Some are young and health conscious. This shift is real and it deserves attention.”
He also pointed to second-hand smoke among several factors that can contribute to lung health risks, particularly when exposure begins early in life.
