You might have not smoked for your entire lifetime, and yet you do get to be affected by the hazards of tobacco smoking.  This happens when others smoke in your presence and you inhale it thus becoming a passive smoker.

Passive smoking or involuntary smoking is inhaling the tobacco smoke, exhaled by others. Research studies have revealed that passive smoking is as deadly as active one and has become a great health hazard to

non-smokers. It can cause several diseases including lung cancer.

Extensive studies have conclusively proved that the disease risk due to inhalation of tobacco smoke isnot limited to that of individual who is smoking alone, but extends to others who inhale it. In fact, it is now revealed that tobacco - related cancer cases reported among the males in India.

In 1990, 2.1 lac people developed tobacco - related cancer. It is predicted, by 2000 AD, out of 7.7 lac cancer victims, 2.4 lakh would have go tit by tobacco smoking.

In a controlled study in 1989, it was found that women exposed to passive smoking for three or more hours a day ran thrice the risk of getting cervix cancer than those not so exposed. It is feared that three million people will die of cancer during 1990's.

The tobacco smoke contains a complex mix of more than 4000 compounds, a mix that contains many known or suspected human carcinogens and toxic agents, says the US Environmental Protection
Agency report.  Passive smoking is particularly dangerous for children, the report states, contributing to 1.5 lakh to 3 lakh cases, annually, of respiratory illness such as pneumonia and bronchitis among children less than 18 months. 

Realizing the danger of passive smoking, a sustained campaign by non-smokers is now going on world over against smoking. Ban-tobacco campaigners are vociferously demanding curbs on smoking in public  places like air-conditioned, poorly ventilated offices, public transport systems etc.It is estimated in a centrally air-conditioned office, at least 75 percent of the cigarette smoke lingers for hours.

Realizing the health hazard the countries world over are trying to bring in legislation to curb smoking.Unfortunately the Indian government is still, dilly- dallying on the issue despite public demand.

However some private companies are more responsive and a few leading private sector companies have already banned smoking in their office premises. In the, United States, it has been estimated, that the ban on smoking in offices has reduced the incidence of cancer by 25 percent.

With the decline of smoking in the western countries, the multinational companies have restarted dumping cigarettes on developing countries. Unfortunately India too is a prey to this. The World Health
Organization has already expressed its strong resentment against this practice.
Smoking is no more an individual's right considering the risk involved to others. A non-smoker too has a right to life and clean and disease-free atmosphere. Sooner the smoker realizes this, the better for him and the society. .

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