Secondhand smoke is the combination of smoke from the burning end of the cigarette and the smoke breathed out by smokers. Secondhand smoke is classified as a Group A, a substance known to cause cancer.  Secondhand smoke is one of the leading preventable causes of death in the United States.   According to The Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, almost 400 deaths annually in Nebraska are caused by secondhand smoke and thousands more people suffer from illnesses caused or exacerbated by secondhand smoke.

There are over 4,000 identifiable chemicals in cigarette smoke, 200 of which are poisons and 40 carcinogens - chemicals which are known to cause cancer. Here are just a few of the chemicals found in cigarette smoke:

According to te U.S. Surgeon General's Report released June 27, 2006:

• There is no safe amount of secondhand smoke. Breathing even a little secondhand smoke can be dangerous.
• Breathing secondhand smoke is a known cause of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Children are also more likely to have lung problems, ear infections, and severe asthma from being around smoke.
• Secondhand smoke causes heart disease and cancer.
• Separate "no smoking" sections DO NOT protect you from secondhand smoke. Neither does filtering the air or opening a window.

For the full report, please visit: http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/secondhandsmoke/