Second-Hand Smoke Linked to 1.7 Million Global Deaths in 2023

A study published in The Lancet Public Health reveals that second-hand smoke exposure contributed to nearly 1.7 million deaths globally in 2023.

Approximately 2.7 billion people were exposed to second-hand smoke in 2023, including 767 million children aged 0–14 who suffered 5.2 million respiratory tract infections.

Researchers analyzed data from 204 countries between 1990 and 2023, finding that while smoking prevalence has declined, population growth has kept exposure levels stable.