Viana Indi warns about dangers of passive smoking after hospital admission

• Viana Indi said passive smoking caused serious health complications.

• She revealed she was admitted to hospital with a respiratory infection.

• Indi urged people to avoid smoke-filled environments.

• WHO warns that secondhand smoke can cause severe health problems even in non-smokers.

Radio personality Viana Indi has spoken about the dangers of passive smoking after suffering a serious respiratory infection that left her admitted in hospital.

In a statement shared on social media, Indi said she had ignored the dangers of secondhand smoke until it started affecting her health.

“One thing I never took seriously enough was passive smoking until it started affecting my health directly,” she wrote.

She said constant exposure to cigarette and shisha smoke damaged her health over time despite not being a smoker herself.

“I recently got a serious respiratory infection and it got so bad that I ended up admitted in the hospital. The coughing, chest discomfort, difficulty breathing, body weakness… it’s honestly been exhausting physically and mentally,” she said.

Indi urged people to become more careful about the environments they spend time in and asked smokers to think about those around them.

“Secondhand smoke is real, and for some people it can trigger severe health complications,” she added.

She revealed that she is now recovering from home and warned that any kind of smoke can cause respiratory infections.

Health experts have for years warned about the effects of passive smoking, also known as secondhand smoke. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), secondhand smoke contains thousands of harmful chemicals, including substances linked to cancer and heart disease.  

WHO states that there is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke. The organisation says exposure can trigger asthma attacks, breathing problems, lung infections and heart complications, especially among children and people with weak immune systems.  

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also warns that secondhand smoke can cause respiratory infections, coughing, chest discomfort and long-term lung problems in non-smokers.  

Public health experts continue to encourage smoke-free homes, workplaces and public spaces to reduce exposure and protect non-smokers.