Is breathing other people's tobacco smoke harmful?

Second-hand tobacco smoke is a major cause of heart disease and lung cancer amongst non-smokers who work with people who smoke. It is estimated that around 700 workers a year die as a direct result of second-hand tobacco smoke in their workplace.

Second-hand smoke is also responsible for many thousands of episodes of illness. For example, Asthma UK reports that it is the second most common asthma trigger in the workplace. 82% of people with asthma say that other people's smoke worsens their asthma and 1 in 5 people with asthma feel excluded from parts of their workplace where people smoke.

Around a quarter of workers smoke, although not in the workplace, where there are now strict smoking restrictions across the whole of the UK.