Passive smoking

Passive smoking is the involuntary inhalation of tobacco smoke released by burning tobacco products or exhaled by smokers. It exposes nonsmokers to many of the same toxic chemicals found in smoke inhaled by smokers.

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Secondhand smoke: Airborne smoke from burning tobacco products and smoke exhaled by smokers, inhaled by people nearby. This is the mixture people inhale during passive smoking.
Lung cancer: A group of cancers that begin in the lungs, most commonly in cells lining the airways. Long-term secondhand smoke exposure increases the risk of this cancer.
Smoke-free legislation: Laws that prohibit smoking in specified public or shared spaces. These rules reduce involuntary exposure in workplaces and public venues.
Thirdhand smoke: Tobacco pollutants that persist on surfaces, dust, and materials after smoking has stopped. It concerns residual contamination rather than smoke inhaled while airborne.
Sidestream smoke: Smoke released from the burning end of a cigarette or other tobacco product. It enters shared air directly from smoldering tobacco.
Coronary heart disease: Disease caused by narrowed or blocked coronary arteries, reducing blood flow to the heart muscle. Secondhand smoke can damage blood vessels and increase the risk of heart disease.
Indoor air quality: The condition of air inside buildings as determined by pollutants, ventilation, and other factors. Indoor measurements help assess smoke contamination and exposure.
Electronic cigarette aerosol: An airborne mixture of particles and gases produced by an electronic cigarette. It is not smoke from burning tobacco, though it can expose bystanders to pollutants.
Mainstream smoke: Smoke drawn through a tobacco product and inhaled by its user, some of which is later exhaled. Exhaled mainstream smoke is one source of involuntary exposure.
Stroke: Brain injury caused by interrupted blood flow or bleeding within or around the brain. Exposure to secondhand smoke raises the risk of stroke.