Secondhand smoke is the smoke that comes from the burning end of a cigarette, cigar, or pipe, and smoke that a smoker exhales (breathes out). Secondhand vapor is the vapor (or aerosol) that someone breathes out when using an e-cigarette. Secondhand smoke and vapor can cause health problems in people who are around it.

Make your home and car smoke-free and vape-free to help keep your family healthy.

To help keep secondhand smoke and vapor away from your child:

• Make your home and car completely smoke-free, even when children are not around. Smoking in one room of the house pollutes all the air in the house. Air filters, air fresheners, and open windows can't remove tobacco smoke from the air. Even a small amount of smoke can harm your child — even smoke you can't smell. If someone needs to smoke, they should go outside and stay away from open windows.
• Don't allow anyone to use e-cigarettes ("vape") in your home or car, or around your children. The vapor contains nicotine, fine particles, and toxins that can cause health problems. If someone vapes marijuana around your kids, the chemicals that cause a high (THC) can get absorbed into their bloodstreams.
• Remove ashtrays, lighters, and other smoking or vaping materials to help prevent smoking in your home.
• Ask babysitters, friends, and relatives not to smoke or vape around your child.
• If you or anyone else in your household smokes or vapes:
  • Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW or visit www.smokefree.gov for advice on quitting.
  • Keep your rule that no one EVER smokes or vapes in the house or car.
  • When smokers come back inside, they should wash their hands and change their clothing, especially before holding or hugging children.

• You have any questions.
• You need more advice about keeping your home and car smoke-free and vape-free.

What can happen if kids are around secondhand smoke? In kids, secondhand smoke can lead to:

• more colds and coughs
• ear infections
• lung infections, like pneumonia and bronchitis
• asthma flare-ups (attacks)
• a higher risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), also called crib death
• more missed school days

Later in life, kids who are around secondhand smoke can develop hearing loss, lung and other cancers, strokes, and heart disease. Also, kids who grow up in a home where parents smoke are more likely to grow up to be smokers.

What can happen if kids are around secondhand vapor? E-cigarette vapor contains nicotine, fine particles, and toxins that can irritate the lungs and cause other medical problems. Being around secondhand vapor can lead to shortness of breath, coughing, and other respiratory symptoms.

What can happen if kids are around secondhand marijuana smoke? Marijuana smoke and vapor can cause lung irritation and asthma flare-ups. Also, THC (the active part of marijuana that makes people feel high) is found in secondhand marijuana smoke and vapor. Being around secondhand marijuana smoke can make someone feel high. Also, babies and children who are around secondhand marijuana smoke can have measurable amounts of THC in their blood. Marijuana causes short- and long-term changes in thinking and learning, attention, anxiety, and more.