Three Ways Your Smoking Is Affecting Your Loved Ones

You’ve probably heard for years that smoking is bad for your health – and that’s true! But what you may not know is that your smoking also hurts your loved ones. Quitting is not only good for you, it can also help protect who you love in three main ways:

Secondhand smoke hurts people and pets.
The biggest way smoking hurts people who don’t smoke is through contact with secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke is the chemicals in the air that come from a lit cigarette and the smoke breathed out by a smoker. When someone breathes secondhand smoke, they’re breathing in the same toxins as the person who is smoking.
 
Secondhand smoke is dangerous. It can trigger heart attacks and even cause lung cancer in people who have never smoked. Kids who breathe secondhand smoke are more likely to get sick with pneumonia and ear infections, and babies are at an increased risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Even dogs and cats are at risk – they’re twice as likely to get cancer if their owner smokes.
 
The best way to protect your loved ones from secondhand smoke is to quit smoking.
 
Thirdhand smoke puts your home at risk.
Most people know about the dangers of secondhand smoke, but what about thirdhand smoke? Thirdhand smoke is the leftover nicotine and other chemicals that stay on surfaces after someone smokes. These toxins stick to carpets, walls, clothes, the interior of your car, and even your hair and kids’ toys. Thirdhand smoke is in your home long after the smoke clears, and you can’t get rid of it by opening windows or using fans.
 
Thirdhand smoke causes carcinogens, which are chemicals that cause cancer. Babies and pets are at particularly high risk because they spend so much time near the floor, where a lot of thirdhand smoke settles. Young children are in extra danger because they like to put toys and other objects in their mouths, which can mean more exposure to the toxic residue from thirdhand smoke.  
 
Your loved ones want more quality time with you.
Your smoking doesn’t only affect your loved ones’ physical health. Since they love you and they know smoking is dangerous, your family and friends are probably worried about what smoking is doing to your lungs or heart. What’s more, when you smoke, you may miss out on:

• Having more money to spend on the people you love. Most Kentuckians who quit smoking will save thousands of dollars each year by not buying cigarettes!
• Helping your kids have a healthier future, since children raised by smokers are more likely to become smokers themselves.
• Having more birthdays, holidays, and special memories with your family. Quitting smoking can add ten years to your life!

The earlier you quit, the bigger the benefits for yourself and for your loved ones – but it’s never too late to give them a happier, healthier home and life.