Passive smoking damages Childs health

Passive smoke is also known as second hand smoke or environmental tobacco smoke. A combination of sidestream and mainstream smoke make up passive smoke. When a smoker exhales the tobacco smoke, it is known as mainstream smoke. Sidestream smoke comes from the burning tip of the cigarette. Both of these smoke contain similar chemicals.

Both sidestream and mainstream smoke contain 4,000 harmful chemical of which 80 are known to be carcinogenic. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) identified second hand smoke. It is the most dangerous indoor pollutant. People spend most of their time at home. Imagine if your home is filled with smokers. It is like living next to the exhaust of a running car. As passive smokers, your health is affected adversely. Passive smoking is the involuntary inhalation of cigarette smoke of other people's cigarettes. Passive smoking, secondary smoke, second hand smoke or environmental tobacco smoke all relate to the same thing - that being the involuntary inhalation of tobacco smoke. Cigarette smoke is generally defined as either the exhaled smoke from a smoker or the 'sidestream' smoke from the cigarette tip. It is made up of over 4,000 chemicals of which, 40 or so are known to cause cancer, including numerous hydrocarbons, arsenic and polonium.

Passive smokers usually have to confront with many detrimental diseases such as heart related diseases, cancer, ear infections and respiratory problems. Passive smoking has been also found to be responsible for lower birth weights and a major cause of several infant deaths. As per recent studies, around one million smokers are found suffering from asthma, which is primarily caused by passive smoking.

Health organizations demand stronger measures to protect passive smokers. Public areas such as kindergartens, children's playgrounds, schools, sports facilities, shopping centers, restaurants as well as public means of transport, should be smoke free in the future. Non-smokers, especially children, have a right to their health.

You put your children's health at risk when you expose them to second hand smoke. Tobacco smoke is the most dangerous interior pollutant. Children cannot choose not to inhale nor resist this dangerous cigarette smoke from the smokers as they receive it involuntarily. Passive smoking also affects your child's lung function. Children exposed to passive smoke suffer respiratory illnesses such as phlegm, cough, asthma, rhinitis, wheezing, common cold bronchitis, pneumonia, and shortness of breath. They also get middle ear infections.

It can damage your child’s teeth badly he can have frequent asthma attack can cause problems in his or her sexual organs. Passive smoking can also lead to sudden infant death syndrome. The more people smoke in your home, the higher the severity of symptoms your child will experience. Opening a window in a room or in the car cannot protect your child from passive smoking. Even smoking outside your house doesn't provide any insurance for your child. The only sensible way is to quit smoking completely. This will remove almost all dangers on your child.

Articles