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  Manage a Condition | BREATHE - Asthma | Smoking and Second Hand Smoke

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  Smokers When you smoke When you stop smoking Preparing to quit Non-smokers What can you do to avoid it? QuitCare - Smoking Cessation Program

  Smokers Toss your cigarettes away! Into the nearest trash basket. Cigarette smoking is an enemy—particularly if you have asthma. It can trigger frequent episodes. Smoke entering your lungs can trigger an asthma episode. Some smokers with asthma keep their lungs in a constant asthma state.

  When you smoke
  1. Hot smoke dries the lining of your airways and makes them sore
  2. You breathe in poisonous gases. They paralyze your cilia, the tiny hair-like sweepers in your airways that help clean out dirt and mucus
  3. When your cilia can’t work, smoke leaves behind more dirt, and it causes your lungs to make more mucus than usual
  4. Mucus in your lungs makes a perfect place for infections to grow
  5. In cigarette smoke, carbon monoxide, a poisonous gas, robs your blood of oxygen
  6. Irritation from smoke deep in your lungs can cause permanent damage to the tiny, fragile air sacs that deliver oxygen to your blood
  7. You are at greater risk of having a heart attack, stroke, or cancer
  8. Environmental tobacco smoke in the home places your family members, especially children, at increased risk of developing respiratory conditions, like asthma

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  When you stop smoking

  The minute you stop smoking, your body goes to work to repair much of the damage to your airways.

  1. After a period of coughing up excess mucus, your cough will lessen. That may happen in a couple of days, or it may take weeks
  2. With your airways more open, you will breathe easier
  3. Your lungs will put more oxygen into your blood, and you’ll feel less tired than when you smoked
  4. Your lungs will be better able to defend themselves against infections
  5. Your blood circulation and your senses of taste and smell will improve
  6. You’ll probably be able to do more work or exercise without shortness of breath
  7. You can look forward to a longer, healthier life
  8. You can be proud of yourself for winning a tough struggle
  9. Your example will help others make the decision not to smoke
  10. You will decrease your risk of having a heart attack, stroke, or cancer
  11. Your family members will benefit from breathing smoke-free air

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  Preparing to quit

  Some people find it surprisingly easy to quit suddenly. After a few days of missing cigarettes, they just don’t want them anymore. For some, it’s a struggle, but they stick to it, taking one day at a time, and it starts getting easier in a couple of weeks.

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  Non-smokers

  Secondhand smoke—from other people’s cigarettes—is a real threat to nonsmokers. Secondhand smoke seems to be everywhere. It irritates your sensitive lungs, and for many asthma sufferers, it is a powerful trigger of asthma episodes.

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  What can you do to avoid it?
  1. Think about your right to breathe clean air
  2. Discuss your need for clean air first with your family, closest friends, and immediate co-workers
  3. Declare your home off-limits for smoking
  4. Request a smoke-free work area
  5. Call ahead to restaurants to ask if they have a smoke-free dining area
  6. Ask smokers to observe no-smoking signs in public areas
  7. Remove yourself from smoking areas

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  QuitCare - Smoking Cessation Program

  Are you thinking about quitting smoking? Learn more about how our QuitCare program can help you succeed.

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  In This Section

  • DiabetiCare - Diabetes
  • HeartCare - Heart Failure
  • HeartCare - Coronary Artery Disease
  • BREATHE - Asthma
  • Asthma Update
  • Working With Your Doctor
  • Asthma Triggers
  • Learning about Asthma
  • Asthma Medications
  • Asthma Action Plan
  • Peak Flow Meter
  • Second Hand Smoke
  • Spirometry
  • Asthma Control Test
  • BREATHE - COPD
  • QuitCare - Smoking Cessation
  • If You Participate...
  • Rights and Responsibilities
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