Tobacco present in cigarettes is the leading cause of preventable diseases, disabilities, and death in the United States. More than 40 million American adults still smoke cigarettes today, with over 16 million of them living with a smoking-related illness. However, second-hand or side-stream smoke from the end of cigarettes, cigars, or pipes is unfiltered, meaning the surrounding people inhale more harmful toxins.
Even if you don’t smoke in front of people, it settles on the surfaces in rooms or space you smoked at, affecting those around you. This smoke can be ingested by both adults and children, making them sick with bronchitis or pneumonia.
Before you explore your opportunities for getting an auto franchise, it’s best to practice healthy habits to avoid affecting the surrounding people, including your family, friends, and — employees and customers of your future business, to let you achieve a healthier and productive lifestyle.
It’s best to quit smoking overall, but if you can’t, here are some tips you consider making your home and car smoke-free.
Making Your Home Smoke-Free
When you smoke inside any room in your house, it can leave nasty toxins that are harmful when ingested, especially to children. Although the smell will dissipate after a couple of hours with proper ventilation, prevention is always better. Here’s what you can do to make your house smoke-free.
- Don’t smoke inside your household even when it’s freezing outdoors. That’s because smoking indoors once is enough to contaminate your entire home even when smoking inside a room with the doors closed.
- Create a designated area outside for you to smoke freely and away from your loved ones.
- Having an umbrella by your doors can encourage you to take your smoking outside even when faced with bad weather.
- Inform your guests beforehand that your home is smoke-free by telling them or posting signs around the household.
Transforming Your Car into A Smoke-Free Cruiser
When you smoke a cigar, cigarette, or pipe inside your car, the smell can linger in the vehicle for two days, affecting both you and your passengers’ journey. Although the smell leaves after a few days, it’s best to do the precautionary measures below to make your car smoke-free.
- Never smoke in a vehicle ridden by children. That’s because smoking in a car once can fill its interior with toxins, even if you leave the windows open.
- Try to hold off on lighting a stick until you reach a destination to keep your children and car healthier.
- Remind your passengers never to smoke inside the car, or you can place a sticker inside to remind them that you’re driving a strictly ‘no smoking’ vehicle.
- Fill your vehicle’s built-in ashtray with spare change or mints to deter you from filling it with ash.
- Leave a phone or other device’s charger plugged into your car’s adapter outlet to prevent you from using it as a lighter.
- Store your cigarettes and cigars in the trunk other hard to reach places while driving to deter you from smoking inside the vehicle.
Whether you smoke frequently or haven’t smoked in your life but have smokers around you, remember that there’s no ‘safe’ level of exposure. The health impacts of second-hand smoking may affect your loved ones, both young and old — so make an effort to follow the changes mentioned if you can’t quit the habit — for everyone’s safety, health, and well-being.
