According to the World Health Organization (WHO) study, passive smoking kills 600,000 annually. This was based on a data gathered from 192 countries in 2oo4, with the results released last November 2010.
Passive smoking or second hand smoking could even be more dangerous because victims are sometimes not aware that they are already breathing the polluted air. Children and women are most often the victims and this was proven in the study by the higher percentage of death in children and women, than in men. Oftentimes, children suffer because of smoking members in their families and not because of public smokers.
Passive smoking can cause lung cancer and various respiratory conditions that can prove fatal if left untreated. This WHO study promoted more public awareness and had emphasized the need to ban this toxic substance from the market.
This 2010, smoking is banned in public places in Australia, China, Canada, Europe and many more countries which recognizes the gravity of the condition. The ban moves to reduce or totally eradicate the death of children due to second hand smoking. Cars carrying children, playgrounds, schools and offices are required to be “smoke-free.”
Countries are now becoming in cigarette or tobacco production. Manufacturers are now being required to put health warnings in their labels and advertisements.
With this global awareness and concern, hopefully the deaths caused by smoking would soon be reduced.
