Passive smoking
- Passive smoking is a proven health hazard. Over 600 medical reports have been published linking passive smoking to diseases.
- The breathing in of tobacco smoke by non-smokers can lead to harmful health effects in the unborn child, and middle ear infections and bronchitis, pneumonia, asthma and other chest conditions in children. It is also linked to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
- In 1999-2001 in Queensland , exposure to passive smoking caused an estimated 21 deaths per year in children aged newborn to four years.
- In adults, passive smoking can increase the risk of heart disease, lung cancer and other chronic lung diseases.
This page last updated:
June 2006
Review date: September 2006
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