Second Hand Smoke?

This question came to me last night after I attended my local support group -- wish I had thought of it DURING, but nooooooooooo.   One issue that kept popping up was the fact that post surgery, cigarette smoking is an ABSOLUTE NO-NO!!! 

I've never smoked and don't intend to take it up BUT I am exposed to 2nd hand smoke at work.  [Owner of company made his money from big tobacco.  He smokes and my immediate boss lives on cigarettes and coffee.  We don't share the same office but I'm around it at least once daily if he's here.]

Aside from the obvious negative affects it's having on my lungs, is it the SMOKE that can cause the post-op complications or the ACT OF SMOKING???

If it is the smoke, I can use this as more ammo to ask him not to light up around me...

[Posted on Bariatric Buddies and HRVS]

Thanks for the response.  I've fought this issue for almost 25 years here but, sad to say, old habits die hard; Good Ol' Boy Networks die harder. Don't get me wrong, I have seen many improvements over the years in people management, but sometimes I feel like I'm living in the late '60's/early '70's.   Fortunately, we're down to one chain smoker that I have to deal with daily and he does not smoke while in my office.

I honestly hadn't thought about it until the lightbulb came on last night as I drove home.  I've had other surgeries and it has never been brought up but since that subject came up so often [we played gastric bypass Jeopardy and had a hoot!], it gave me a momentary pause.

I'll be upfront and just tell him, don't smoke in my presence because I could die.