FALLS CHURCH, Va. — You don’t have to be a routine smoker to feel the harmful health effects that cigarette smoke produces. Keeping the windows open in the car or house doesn’t eliminate the risk, either.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that secondhand smoke exposure causes more than 41,000 deaths from heart disease and lung cancer among non-smoking adults each year. Secondhand smoke contains more than 7,000 chemicals, including 70 that have been linked to cancer.

Young children are most affected by secondhand smoke. This is especially true for children that live in a household where one or both parents smoke cigarettes at home. Common symptoms seen in children who are exposed to secondhand smoke include ear infections, severe asthma attacks and respiratory problems.

Keep in mind that there’s no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke. The best way to protect yourself is to not allow smoking in your home, car or anywhere you and your family live, work and play. Talk with friends and family members who are thinking about quitting. Your support can make the difference in their attempts to quit.

When you’re ready to quit smoking, TRICARE has your tobacco cessation benefits covered. TRICARE covers tobacco cessation counseling, nicotine replacement therapies and prescription drugs.

Quit Tobacco – UCanQuit2 also has tools and information to help you quit smoking today, including SmokefreeMIL text message support, Live Chat with a cessation coach and the Ready2Quit quit plan.

When you’re thinking about lighting up, remember that it’s not only your health that’s at risk!