Children and Passsive Smoking

Research Paper: Children and Passive Smoking.

Most people would not be surprised to hear that a lot of people die each year from active smoking, but many would be surprised at the great number of people who die or are seriously affected by secondhand smoke each year. And a great number of them are children. Passive smoking occurs when other people inhale smoke exhaled by an active smoker. There are numerous studies presenting the many ill effects of passive smoking on children that I'm going to analyze in my research paper, where I want to answer the question why second-hand smoke is dangerous to children. I hope to prove that environmental tobacco smoke is more dangerous than directly inhaled smoke and children are exposed to it every day.

In The Tobacco Atlas (2002), which is published by the World Health Organization, authors and doctors Mackay and Eriksen inform us that, "a complex mixture of chemicals is generated from the burning and smoking of tobacco [...] the non smoker breathes sidestream smoke from the burning tip of the cigarette and mainstream smoke that has been inhaled and then exhaled by the smoker"(35). According to the Canadian Cancer Society, "second-hand smoke releases the same 4.000 chemicals as smoke that is directly inhaled, but in even greater quantity. Approximately 50 of these chemicals cause cancer". Of course, this is supreme evidence about the health risks of involuntary smoking for children.

An online article in the website of the ASH Organization, called "Passive Smoking: The Impact on Children", is giving us the information that a review by the World Health Organization ended with the inference that second hand smoke is a source of illness for children. As a fact, it causes "bronchitis, pneumonia, coughing and wheezing, asthma, middle ear infection, cot death, and possibly cardiovascular and neurobiological impairment". There are also lung and breathing problems caused by passive smoking. For example, being too active on the playground may cause loss of breath. The American Lung Organization gives specific information and statistical evidence about the effects of passive smoking on children's health. Reading the numbers it make us horrified. 43% of the children in the United States, almost half of the children's population, are exposed to environmental tobacco smoke at their homes. There are also about 200.000 to 1.000.000 children suffering from asthma whose symptoms are getting worse. Hospitalization of children aged less than eighteen months, with symptoms of pneumonia and bronchitis, results about 7.500 to 15.000 each year. Information comes from the same article that was mentioned in the beginning of the paragraph.

Smoking while mother is pregnant can cause the unborn child problems before the child is able to take its first breath on its own. Smoking can cause "low birth weight and pregnancy complication" as Clive Bates, director of "Action on Smoking and Health" states. According to him, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is another risk for an unborn baby after birth, just as respiratory illnesses are. The Canadian Cancer Society is giving a detailed description of the way second-hand smoke affects the fetus:

Unfortunately, second-hand smoke does affect the unborn children of mothers who smoke or who are exposed to high levels of second-hand smoke. Nicotine, which is the addictive stimulant in tobacco, can be measured in the blood of a pregnant woman who is exposed to second-hand smoke. Nicotine speeds up the heartbeat of the fetus and slows down the growth of the baby's lungs and breathing passages.

In Encyclopedia Britannica Christine Ann Rose writes that "women who smoke are more likely to experience infertility and miscarriage". She continues by writing that "some toxins from the smoke can be passed to the fetus. These toxins can later affect an infant's lung development and lung function"(11). It's obvious that smoking during pregnancy can be detrimental to the child's future, and can affect its whole being for the worse.

In Tobacco Atlas we can read about some other effects of passive smoking on children such as smelling hair, possible association between passive smoking and lymphoma, and greater likelihood of becoming a smoker as a teenager (35).

Children are mostly "suffering" from passive smoking at their homes and family cars. Other places in which children are exposed to secondhand smoke are public places, restaurants and probably schools and child care centers, especially when there are unconscionable teachers. ASH (Action on Smoking and Health) Organization gives specific information about parental smoking effects on children: " more than 10 million children (31.2%) are still being exposed to cigarette smoke in their homes [....] Kids exposed to smoke miss more than 28 million days of school [....]. These children also have 1,7 million more colds and acute respiratory infections [....]". Some other important details are given by ASH Organization, such as the fact that "children in homes with low income and educational levels are far more likely (48%) to be exposed than kids with high income and educational levels (28%)". Therefore, it is clear that parental education quality is so important for their awareness on health issues.

One can avoid smoking around children by doing just a few simple things. Smoking outdoors and away from areas where children are playing is one of the simplest ways to prevent children's exposure to the poisonous chemicals of tobacco smoke. Stopping smoking in vehicles is another way to avoid exposure, especially when children are present. Not smoking in areas where children spend most of their time playing can also prevent involuntary tobacco exposure. Being careful to find out whether or not parents of other children smoke is another way to protect children from being exposed to second-hand smoke. However, the best way to protect children is that parents quit smoking and make sure that children are not around someone that smokes.

The belief that second-hand smoke will not hurt children is common among parents who smoke, although studies have disproved that thinking. Second-hand smoke is the third major preventable cause of death and parental smoking kills more young children than all unintentional injuries combined. We can learn more details while reading the OMA, (Ontario Medical Association), position paper on second hand smoke written by the Committee on Population Health. For decades, the U.S. Surgeon General has reported that, based