The Faces Behinds the Numbers
Behind the number and statistics related to secondhand smoke, there are really people who suffer real consequences. Below are some of their stories, in their own words.

Sinus Problems
My friends and I all like to go dancing Saturday nights and, naturally, it's at a bar,
fortunately/unfortunately. We have fun and we like to do it but I know a few of my
good friends have horrible sinus conditions afterward--some that same night only
while another--a really close friend--suffers, frequently, the next day, too, with sinus
irritation, headaches and some bronchitis.

I'm lucky as I don't have as bad a problem with my sinuses but just come home
stinking, head to toe, of smoke. I immediately throw my clothes in the laundry and
have to take a shower before bed--frequently at midnight or 12:30 am--because I
can't stand my own smell. Occasionally, I have to say, it is so bad that even I have
sinus headaches or problems afterward. Like I said above, I'm lucky, though, as I'm
not as unfortunate as most of my friends.

Kevin
 

Sensitive to smoke
I suffer from severe a chemical sensitivity. As a result, secondhand smoke
causes me an extreme amount of pain. It burns my eyes, nose, throat and
lungs. It gives me terrible headaches, sinus infections and long bouts of
bronchitis.

I find it difficult to comprehend how people can be so selfish and insist on
smoking in public when it causes so much physical pain for some people.
Cigarette smoke is not just an annoyance or rudeness to me, it is a real
health hazard.

Indoor and outdoor secondhand smoke greatly limits my life activities. I
cannot do things other people take for granted like walking into a movie
theater, eating out or going to an amusement park. Even my few vacations are
stressful as I must always be on guard against potential exposures. Frankly,
I'd rather stay at home where I know I will be safe.

I used to work for a large corporation with a smoking policy smokers
aggressively ignored. This made my life impossibly miserable. I am relieved
to no longer be working there as my health is so much better now. My next
job, should I ever enter the traditional workforce again, will have to be
with a company that prohibits smoking on its property.

Laural

Concerned mother
Neither my husband nor myself smoke and we feel very strongly about smoking. Ray's two sisters unfortuneatly both are chain smokers. His two nieces are sick all the time and are not at all healthy. We have known that our 3 1/2 year old son is very sensitive to smoke because every time he is exposed to it he always eventually ends up with a sinus infection or bad cold. We used to live in Lawrence, Kansas which is now a smoke free facility city and what a blessing that is. We actually will drive the 20 miles to things just because we don't have to deal with smoke. We live in Topeka now and find that it is difficult to eat out at times because of the smoke. Recently, our son had multiple exposures to several things and was some what compromised. He was fighting a mild viral infection when he was invited by a school mate to a birthday party. We did not think much about it but it was at a local Topeka bowling alley and was smoke filled. Our lungs were burning and we felt like we almost needed to get home and shower and immediately wash our clothes because of the smoke.. However, shortly after returning home we ended up in the local emergency room with our son who started having respiratory difficulty and almost asthma type problems. He does not have asthma. After a round of steroids and breathing treatments he went home but ultimately ended