What is second-hand smoke? Secondhand smoke is a mixture of smoke from an actively burning cigarette and can also be smoke exhaled by a smoker. There are two different types of second-hand smoke: second-hand smoke which comes directly from burning tobacco and mainstream smoke which is the smoke that the person smoking inhales. Although the smoke that the smoker inhales is very dangerous and harmful to the body, the smoke from a lit cigarette actually contains more harmful substances because the smoke is not filtered as it escapes from the tip of the cigarette . The people most affected by second-hand smoke are children. Children have no choice but to endure the second-hand smoke from their parents' cigarettes, forcing them to become trapped in a harmful environment. There should be laws prohibiting parents from smoking in the presence of their children due to all the harmful dangers of second-hand smoke. Being exposed to second-hand smoke can be more harmful to your body than to the person actually smoking. If you are exposed to it daily, your body can still absorb nicotine as if it were you smoking every day. According to the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, smoke contains more than 4,000 specific chemical compounds. More than 250 of these chemicals are toxic, and more than 50 of them are being researched for the presence of carcinogens. The smoke and accompanying substances can actually linger in the air for over 4 hours and it would only take a few minutes of breathing them in to harm you. Within 5 minutes of exposure to second-hand smoke, it can stiffen your aorta and within 20 minutes, substances in second-hand smoke can cause your blood to clot and increase the build-up of fatty deposits.... .. middle of paper . .....]: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Office on Smoking and Health, [2007] 98 p. : ill., graphic; 28 cm "How We Can Protect Our Children From Secondhand Smoke: A Guide for Parents" Atlanta, Georgia]: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, [2011 ?] 6 p. : col. I will. ; 22 cm “Our children at risk: the five worst environmental threats to their health. » By Lawrie Mott, David Fore, Jennifer Curtis, Gina Solomon. November 1997. Last revised 11/25/1997 “Dangers of Secondhand Smoke (also called “Cigarette Smoke,” “Tobacco Smoke”)” by the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. Copyright 1995-2013 “Can interventions for parents and caregivers reduce children's exposure to tobacco smoke? » By Baxi R, Sharma M, Roseby R, Polnay A, Priest N, Waters E, Spencer N, Webster P. Published March 1, 2014