Will I get cancer from my mom's second hand smoke?!
Question: I'm 20 and she has smoked 2 packs a day my whole life... I'm moving out soon and wondering how this will affect me when I am older. Do you think it probably hurt my lungs alot? I've tried talking to her (and crying when I was young) but she doesn't care if she gets cancer so there's no motivation to make her stop...
Answers: I'm 20 and she has smoked 2 packs a day my whole life... I'm moving out soon and wondering how this will affect me when I am older. Do you think it probably hurt my lungs alot? I've tried talking to her (and crying when I was young) but she doesn't care if she gets cancer so there's no motivation to make her stop...
The Cancer Society proved that if you quit smoking by your mid thirties, the effects on your lungs are fully reversed within 15-20 years. In other words, any second hand smoke you've inhaled shouldn't have much of an effect on you in the long run assuming you don't smoke yourself and lead a healthy lifestyle.
Furthermore, if she wants to quit smoking you can recommend Chantix. It's a pill taken once a day that changes your brain chemistry in a way that stops the addiction and eliminates the pleasure effects that come from smoking. I smoked a pack a day for 5 years and was able to quit completely in a month using Chantix. It's really amazing. I can even drink alcohol or take adderall and not crave a cigarette!
You have a much better chance of getting cancer from breathing the exhaust fumes from millions of cars but nobody ever talks about that because it's not as "sexy" as second hand smoke.
I have ben hearing alot more bad things lately about 2nd hand smoke and nothing very good either. I guess it could be a good thing that you are going to be moving out. Breath the clean air at least in your own place. People are addicted to cigs and sometimes they tend not to look at the damage they are doing to others.
I would not waste alot of time worrying about it.You should be fine.
Breathing in second-hand smoke certainly puts a person at a greater risk of getting lung cancer. Your lungs probably have been hurt by it. I just have to be in a smoker's house for a few hours and my lungs hurt. The good thing is though, the longer you are away from the smoke the better. Your lungs can improve and your chances of getting lung cancer can gradually go down.