| Passive smoking is the involuntary inhalation of | | | | prevalent in smoking households. It is thought that |
| cigarette smoke of other people's cigarettes. Passive | | | | between 1,000 and 5,400 new cases of asthma are |
| smoking, secondary smoke, second hand smoke or | | | | solely attributable to passive smoking every year in the |
| environmental tobacco smoke all relate to the same | | | | UK. |
| thing - that being the involuntary inhalation of tobacco | | | | A further report from Britain in 2006 linked smoking |
| smoke. Cigarette smoke is generally defined as either | | | | with a three-fold increase in the risk of Sudden Infant |
| the exhaled smoke from a smoker or the 'sidestream' | | | | Death Syndrome (SIDS), commonly called cot death. |
| smoke from the cigarette tip. It is made up of over | | | | Many other studies have found environmental tobacco |
| 4,000 chemicals of which, 40 or so are known to | | | | smoke exposure to directly correlate with increased |
| cause cancer, including numerous hydrocarbons, | | | | incidences of ear infections, meningitis, mental |
| arsenic and polonium. | | | | impairment, autism, subdued vitamin C levels and |
| Smokers choose to inhale this noxious combination of | | | | poorer sense of smell and taste. On top of these |
| chemicals and carcinogens but non-smokers do not. In | | | | malaises, there have also been found, links between |
| the case of children or babies, there is normally no | | | | childhood exposure to tobacco smoke and the risk of |
| choice whatsoever and it is estimated that some 700 | | | | cancer in later life and with general malaise. A |
| million children around the world are exposed to | | | | Norwegian study found that adults who had been |
| secondary smoke from the 1.2 billion smokers in the | | | | exposed to smoke during their childhood had poorer |
| global population. | | | | attendance levels in their adult life at work. |
| It is well documented now that secondary smoke or | | | | Studies in Britain have found that there is widespread |
| passive smoking has some adverse affects on the | | | | acknowledgement that passive smoking is not only |
| passive smoker and most significantly when they are | | | | bad for children but also for adults. However, the |
| children. Indeed, in an extract from the 1997 Declaration | | | | specific risks that increase because of passive |
| of the Environment Leaders of the Eight (G8) on | | | | smoking are not well known. The majority of people |
| Children's Environmental Health, they stated; | | | | cited chest infections and increased risk of asthma as |
| "We affirm that environmental tobacco smoke is a | | | | the most common outcomes of passive smoking. |
| significant public health risk to young children and that | | | | Two more common outcomes of environmental |
| parents need to know about the risks of smoking in | | | | tobacco smoke in infants are cot death and glue ear |
| the home around their young children. We agree to | | | | (ear infection), but this was not recognised by most |
| co-operate on education and public awareness efforts | | | | respondents in the survey. Despite this, two thirds of |
| aimed at reducing children's exposure to environmental | | | | smokers say that they do not smoke in the same |
| tobacco smoke." | | | | room as children and a quarter state that they would |
| So, what evidence is the G8 working from and why | | | | smoke less in the company of a child because of their |
| should we care? Well, a review by the World Health | | | | knowledge of the dangers of secondary smoke. |
| Organization in 1998 concluded that passive smoking is | | | | In order to protect children, there are a number of |
| a cause of bronchitis, pneumonia, coughing and | | | | things that parent should do to try and minimise their |
| wheezing, asthma attacks, middle ear infection, cot | | | | child's exposure to tobacco smoke: |
| death, and possibly cardiovascular and neurobiological | | | | Smokers should try to smoke only outside. If you must |
| impairment in children. Furthermore, a report in 1992 by | | | | smoke inside limit smoking to a room where you can |
| the Royal College of Physicians in London estimates | | | | open windows to allow adequate ventilation. Smokers |
| that 17,000 under 5s are admitted to hospitals in the | | | | should never smoke in a child's bedroom and must not |
| UK every year as a direct result of passive smoking. | | | | allow anyone else to smoke there. Smokers should not |
| A report from Hong Kong in 2001 concluded that | | | | smoke while washing, dressing or playing with children. |
| children living in homes where there are two or more | | | | Finally, smokers should never smoke in the car with the |
| smokers are 30% more likely to be admitted to | | | | windows closed or open. |
| hospital for treatment than those living in a smoke-free | | | | Some children rights campaigners suggest that |
| house. | | | | exposing children to cigarette smoke is a form of child |
| UK reports from 2000 and 2001 have found that | | | | abuse and should be punished accordingly. I am inclined |
| environmental tobacco smoke has a detrimental effect | | | | to agree with them. |
| on children of any age and also that asthma is more | | | | |