Secondhand Smoke Facts 1. The 2006 U.S. Surgeon General's Report found that there is no risk-free level of exposure to secondhand smoke and that the only way to protect nonsmokers from secondhand smoke is to require smoke-free workplaces and public places. 2. Secondhand smoke exposure is a cause of heart disease and lung cancer in nonsmoking adults. In infants and children secondhand smoke is a cause of respiratory problems, ear infections, asthma attacks and a greater risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). - 2006 U.S. Surgeon General's Report, The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke. 3. For nonsmokers, breathing secondhand smoke has immediate harmful effects on the cardiovascular system that can increase the risk for heart attack. People who already have heart disease are at especially high risk. - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 4. Eliminating smoking in indoor spaces is the only way to fully protect nonsmokers from secondhand smoke exposure. Separating smokers from nonsmokers, cleaning the air, and ventilating buildings does not eliminate secondhand smoke exposure. - 2006 U.S. Surgeon General's Report, The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke. 5. Nonsmokers exposed to secondhand smoke at home or work increase their risk of developing heart disease by 25 to 30% and lung cancer by 20 to 30%. - 2006 U.S. Surgeon General's Report, The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke.