| Smoking causes eighty percent of lung cancer | | | | Problems after birth, Mothers who smoke |
| around the world. One in 5 deaths in the U.S | | | | during and after pregnancy may have children |
| results from the use of tobacco & each year, | | | | who are more likely to suffer behavioral |
| smoking claims 400,000 lives in the U.S. | | | | problems such as hyperactivity. In one study, |
| alone. In 1999, 65% of all secondary students | | | | children from similar backgrounds who had |
| reported having used some type of tobacco | | | | parents that smoked scored 6% lower on tests |
| product during their lifetime. There was a | | | | than children whose parents did not smoke. |
| 16% increase in smoking among high school | | | | |
| seniors between 1996 and 1999 in U.S. Each | | | | Birth defects, some studies suggest that |
| year about more than 3,000 non-smoking adults | | | | smoking during pregnancy can cause birth |
| die of lung cancer as a result of breathing | | | | defects such as cleft (split) lip or cleft |
| the smoke of other's cigarettes. | | | | palate (an opening between the nose and the |
| | | | roof of the mouth). Smoking is also |
| Each year, smoking around children leads to | | | | responsible for low birth weight babies, |
| hospitalization of ~15,000 children & ~ | | | | miscarriages, and SIDS. |
| 26,000 new cases of asthma, approximately | | | | |
| 150,000 - 300,000 lung infections like | | | | Cigarette smoking is not only harmful to an |
| bronchitis and pneumonia. Maternal smoking is | | | | individual, but it is particularly |
| responsible for 35% of all SIDS (Sudden | | | | detrimental during the reproductive period, |
| Infant Death Syndrome) deaths in the U. S. | | | | when it may not only harm the unborn child, |
| and smoking during pregnancy triples the risk | | | | but may also damage the reproductive capacity |
| of SIDS. Over 40% of SIDS is due to mothers | | | | of the next generation. Even though tobacco |
| smoking during and/or after pregnancy or | | | | smoking seems to be decreasing considerably |
| another person smoking in the house. Some of | | | | among the older age group, unfortunately the |
| the common problems in children which can be | | | | same is not happening among the younger |
| attributed to second hand smoking include, | | | | generation. It is estimated that in the U.S. |
| but are not limited to: | | | | 38% of males and 39% of females between ages |
| | | | of 20-24 are regular smokers and more |
| Ear Infections, The toxic chemicals in smoke | | | | children than ever before start their smoking |
| irritate the lining of the Eustachian tube, | | | | habit at a very young age. |
| which leads from the back of the nose to the | | | | |
| ear. The irritated lining creates mucous | | | | The most important point that can be made |
| which collects behind the eardrum. The ear | | | | about cigarette-induced fetal damage is that |
| may become infected and cause pain or hearing | | | | it is totally preventable and only by |
| loss. | | | | informing both prospective parents about the |
| | | | potential dangers of tobacco smoking before |
| Asthma, Irritants in tobacco smoke can cause | | | | conception, and particularly the dangers of |
| the lining of the airways to swell making it | | | | maternal smoking whilst pregnant, can we hope |
| difficult for a child to breathe. Tobacco | | | | to reduce these ever increasing statistics of |
| smoke or even the stale odor of old smoke in | | | | pre-term births, low birth weight infants and |
| a car can trigger an asthma attack in a | | | | children presently suffering from various |
| child. | | | | neuro-developmental disorders and general |
| | | | ill-health. |