Final answer:
The sentence cited functions to present evidence about the risks of outdoor smoking, including secondhand smoke and physical byproducts like hot ash. Secondhand smoke is shown to increase health risks significantly, including lung cancer and heart disease. Creating smoke-free environments is essential to fully protect non-smokers from these hazards.
Step-by-step explanation:
The sentence "Evidence is growing that outdoor smoking poses health risks to non-smokers from secondhand smoke, hot ash, and burning cigarettes." serves an evidence function in a discussion about the dangers of secondhand smoke. This statement supports the claim with factual information, suggesting that not only does secondhand smoke present health risks, but the physical byproducts of smoking, like hot ash and burning cigarettes, do as well.
Secondhand smoke, which includes a mix of sidestream smoke from the burning end of a cigarette and mainstream smoke exhaled by smokers, contains over 250 toxic and carcinogenic compounds. Compounds such as polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), N-nitrosamines, and formaldehyde are known carcinogens that pose severe health risks, including lung cancer, heart disease, and an array of respiratory conditions, even to non-smokers.
There is a significant increase in the risk of developing lung cancer among non-smokers who are exposed to secondhand smoke, highlighting the health effects of passive smoking. Furthermore, exposure to tobacco smoke can lead to a range of health issues in children, such as higher rates of lower respiratory infections, a greater number of ear infections, and triggering or worsening asthma symptoms. Therefore, smoking in indoor environments is particularly harmful and the only effective prevention method is to create smoke-free spaces.