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Secondhand Smoke, Protecting Those Who Can't Protect Themselves
Protecting Those Who Can’t Protect Themselves: Saving Children from the Effects of Secondhand Smoke
Many children today are growing up in homes where at least one parent smokes. For some of these children there is no escape and nothing they can do to protect themselves from the harmful toxins they are inhaling everyday. Who is going to step in and protect these children who are so defenseless and helpless to change the conditions in which they are living? I think that it is everyone’s responsibility to protect the children that are our countries future. There isn’t enough being done by parents, government or healthcare providers to protect our youth. What future can there be for this country if we are already put our children at a huge disadvantage physically.
I think education is always the first step to prevention. We need to get the word out to parents and others about what effects secondhand smoke has on these innocent children. The government can create more laws to protect children from secondhand smoke, doctors can get more involved with their patients at a young age and let them know the effects smoking or secondhand smoke can have on them and our schools can get more involved in educating kids on the effects of secondhand smoke.
First let’s start with some basic information about secondhand smoke. According to Medterms.com secondhand smoke is when ETS (Environmental Tobacco Smoke) is involuntarily or passively inhaled by someone who is not smoking. Per an article on Pregnancy.net, when a person smokes a cigarette they only inhale about fifteen percent of the smoke, the other eighty five percent goes into the air and then into the lungs of anyone who happens to be standing by. So when a person spends two hours in a room with someone who is smoking they will actually inhale four cigarettes worth of smoke themselves. In this same article they explain how there are over 4000 chemical present in secondhand smoke that people aren’t even aware of. Of those, 40 are known to cause cancer and 200 are poisons. In the end the person inhaling the secondhand smoke is receiving more of the toxins than the person actually smoking the cigarette.
A lot of people don’t realize all of the risks associated with secondhand smoke and children. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services there has already been some progress made. Per their report made by the surgeon general the percentage of children regularly exposed to second hand smoke has decreased from twenty percent to just eight percent since 1998 (4). I know there are pamphlets available for people on the effects of secondhand smoke, however in my personal experience I know that I tend to ignore pamphlets when I am given them. Education should start in the schools. Information on how secondhand smoke affects children should be taught not only to parents, but to kids in high school. I think that the information should be given in high school so that people can learn the information before they even consider having children. Otherwise it may be hard to track down everyone who is a parent and make them listen to the facts. And the facts are very scary when you look at them through a parent’s perspective.
Education can not only have an effect on making kids aware of what secondhand smoke does, but it is likely that it may keep the kids from smoking themselves. A major U.S. government study reported that people who have not graduated from high school or received their General Education Development (GED) certificate tend to have higher smoking rates than those who attended college. Higher rates of cigarette smoking have been reported among adults who have earned a GED and those with a 9 – 11 grade education. The lowest rates are seen among those with advanced college degrees (Simon 2). I personally was horrified when I read some of the statistics. The United States Environmental Protection Agency’s website has some great publications and resources that could be given out at schools, doctor’s offices, churches or any other place where people might see them. They even have ways to coordinate a pledge event to get the ball rolling in your own community to stop children from being exposed to secondhand smoke. Figure 1. “Smoke-free Homes Community Action Kit.” Photo of brochure from the Environmental Protection Agency.
Some of the effects of secondhand smoke on children include sudden infant death syndrome, asthma, ear infections, bronchitis, slow lung development and in the most severe cases an early death. According to the Surgeon General’s report 430 children die each year from sudden infant death syndrome caused by secondhand smoke. In the same report they tell us that secondhand smoke is responsible for 202,300 asthma episodes and 790,000 doctor’s visits for children with ear infections in the U.S. annually.(4) The sad part is that this doesn’t even cover every child that has medical problems every year associated with secondhand smoke.
Another sad fact is that children who grow up with parents that smoke and live in a home where smoking is permitted are more likely to become smokers themselves. However, I think this is where the doctor needs to step in and become more active with their young patients, and let them know what effect smoking has not only on them, but also on the people around them inhaling the secondhand smoke. According to a report done by Simon, Harvey, doctors can have a major effect on young people, However, in one survey less than half of the teenagers had ever been asked by their doctors if they smoked or were counseled not to smoke, even though most teen smokers said they would admit it if asked (1). Doctors should also stress what effects secondhand smoke has on children if their patient is a smoker who has children.
According to the Center for Disease Control children are especially more vulnerable to the toxins of secondhand smoke because they are still developing. There may also be an increased risk for cancer and childhood leukemia for children who grow up inhaling secondhand smoke. According to a report done by The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services titled The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke they state that infants who are exposed to secondhand smoke either while in the womb or after being born have an 11.1 percent risk of infant mortality. That is sixty eight percent higher than that of babies who have not been exposed to secondhand smoke (198). It also states that a mother who smokes is more likely to deliver her baby prematurely. Conditions related to the premature deliver include premature labor, placenta previa, abruption of the placenta and premature membrane rupture. All of these risk factors for premature delivery are higher for mothers who smoke and who are around secondhand smoke. (194-196). Mothers are not only risking the lives of their infants, but of themselves as well.
Being a mother myself, I was totally shocked by the facts once I started to read them. I had no idea that secondhand smoke had such extreme effects on infants and children. When I think of my own children, all I can think is that I would never want to do anything that would make them sick or compromise their health in anyway. As parents it is our job to protect our children. It seems to me that if more people actually realized all of the horrific facts associated with secondhand smoke and its effects on children, they might realize that it is never okay to smoke around a child. In that state of Washington they are trying to pass a bill that would make it illegal to smoke in your car if there is someone under the age of eighteen present. There are a few other states that have already passed similar bills. Every state needs to get involved and make these same laws to protect children everywhere throughout the country.
While many states have banned smoking in many public places, it still isn’t enough. More needs to be done by our government to take a stand for our children, our future. While protection of any child should start first with the parent or guardian, there needs to be a way to reinforce that parents are actually doing what is best for their child’s health and welfare. The simple law of making it illegal to smoke in the car with a child present is a great start in the right direction. At least it gives the government some form of authority in making sure children are safe part of the time. However, education I think is still the real key to success. People need to be aware of what they are doing to their children when they light up a cigarette while their child around. How hard is to step out side away from your child to light up a cigarette? It seems as though it would be common sense to want to do the right thing for your child, once you were presented with the facts. I hope this essay gets people thinking about secondhand smoke and its effects on children. They are innocent, little victims that need our protection. They are our future.
Works Cited
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department Of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Coordinating Center for Health Promotion, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 2006.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Children and Secondhand Smoke Exposure. Excerpts from the Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Coordinating Center for Health Promotion, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 2007.
Simon, Harvey. "SMOKING.." Smoking (08 Oct. 2007): 1-11. Health Source - Consumer Edition. EBSCO. [Library name], [City], [State abbreviation]. 27 May 2009 <http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy.chemeketa.edu:2048/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=cookie,ip,url,cpid,uid&custid=s8960175&db=hxh&AN=35569553&loginpage=Login.asp&site=ehost-live>.
Many children today are growing up in homes where at least one parent smokes. For some of these children there is no escape and nothing they can do to protect themselves from the harmful toxins they are inhaling everyday. Who is going to step in and protect these children who are so defenseless and helpless to change the conditions in which they are living? I think that it is everyone’s responsibility to protect the children that are our countries future. There isn’t enough being done by parents, government or healthcare providers to protect our youth. What future can there be for this country if we are already put our children at a huge disadvantage physically.
I think education is always the first step to prevention. We need to get the word out to parents and others about what effects secondhand smoke has on these innocent children. The government can create more laws to protect children from secondhand smoke, doctors can get more involved with their patients at a young age and let them know the effects smoking or secondhand smoke can have on them and our schools can get more involved in educating kids on the effects of secondhand smoke.
First let’s start with some basic information about secondhand smoke. According to Medterms.com secondhand smoke is when ETS (Environmental Tobacco Smoke) is involuntarily or passively inhaled by someone who is not smoking. Per an article on Pregnancy.net, when a person smokes a cigarette they only inhale about fifteen percent of the smoke, the other eighty five percent goes into the air and then into the lungs of anyone who happens to be standing by. So when a person spends two hours in a room with someone who is smoking they will actually inhale four cigarettes worth of smoke themselves. In this same article they explain how there are over 4000 chemical present in secondhand smoke that people aren’t even aware of. Of those, 40 are known to cause cancer and 200 are poisons. In the end the person inhaling the secondhand smoke is receiving more of the toxins than the person actually smoking the cigarette.
A lot of people don’t realize all of the risks associated with secondhand smoke and children. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services there has already been some progress made. Per their report made by the surgeon general the percentage of children regularly exposed to second hand smoke has decreased from twenty percent to just eight percent since 1998 (4). I know there are pamphlets available for people on the effects of secondhand smoke, however in my personal experience I know that I tend to ignore pamphlets when I am given them. Education should start in the schools. Information on how secondhand smoke affects children should be taught not only to parents, but to kids in high school. I think that the information should be given in high school so that people can learn the information before they even consider having children. Otherwise it may be hard to track down everyone who is a parent and make them listen to the facts. And the facts are very scary when you look at them through a parent’s perspective.
Education can not only have an effect on making kids aware of what secondhand smoke does, but it is likely that it may keep the kids from smoking themselves. A major U.S. government study reported that people who have not graduated from high school or received their General Education Development (GED) certificate tend to have higher smoking rates than those who attended college. Higher rates of cigarette smoking have been reported among adults who have earned a GED and those with a 9 – 11 grade education. The lowest rates are seen among those with advanced college degrees (Simon 2). I personally was horrified when I read some of the statistics. The United States Environmental Protection Agency’s website has some great publications and resources that could be given out at schools, doctor’s offices, churches or any other place where people might see them. They even have ways to coordinate a pledge event to get the ball rolling in your own community to stop children from being exposed to secondhand smoke. Figure 1. “Smoke-free Homes Community Action Kit.” Photo of brochure from the Environmental Protection Agency.
Some of the effects of secondhand smoke on children include sudden infant death syndrome, asthma, ear infections, bronchitis, slow lung development and in the most severe cases an early death. According to the Surgeon General’s report 430 children die each year from sudden infant death syndrome caused by secondhand smoke. In the same report they tell us that secondhand smoke is responsible for 202,300 asthma episodes and 790,000 doctor’s visits for children with ear infections in the U.S. annually.(4) The sad part is that this doesn’t even cover every child that has medical problems every year associated with secondhand smoke.
Another sad fact is that children who grow up with parents that smoke and live in a home where smoking is permitted are more likely to become smokers themselves. However, I think this is where the doctor needs to step in and become more active with their young patients, and let them know what effect smoking has not only on them, but also on the people around them inhaling the secondhand smoke. According to a report done by Simon, Harvey, doctors can have a major effect on young people, However, in one survey less than half of the teenagers had ever been asked by their doctors if they smoked or were counseled not to smoke, even though most teen smokers said they would admit it if asked (1). Doctors should also stress what effects secondhand smoke has on children if their patient is a smoker who has children.
According to the Center for Disease Control children are especially more vulnerable to the toxins of secondhand smoke because they are still developing. There may also be an increased risk for cancer and childhood leukemia for children who grow up inhaling secondhand smoke. According to a report done by The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services titled The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke they state that infants who are exposed to secondhand smoke either while in the womb or after being born have an 11.1 percent risk of infant mortality. That is sixty eight percent higher than that of babies who have not been exposed to secondhand smoke (198). It also states that a mother who smokes is more likely to deliver her baby prematurely. Conditions related to the premature deliver include premature labor, placenta previa, abruption of the placenta and premature membrane rupture. All of these risk factors for premature delivery are higher for mothers who smoke and who are around secondhand smoke. (194-196). Mothers are not only risking the lives of their infants, but of themselves as well.
Being a mother myself, I was totally shocked by the facts once I started to read them. I had no idea that secondhand smoke had such extreme effects on infants and children. When I think of my own children, all I can think is that I would never want to do anything that would make them sick or compromise their health in anyway. As parents it is our job to protect our children. It seems to me that if more people actually realized all of the horrific facts associated with secondhand smoke and its effects on children, they might realize that it is never okay to smoke around a child. In that state of Washington they are trying to pass a bill that would make it illegal to smoke in your car if there is someone under the age of eighteen present. There are a few other states that have already passed similar bills. Every state needs to get involved and make these same laws to protect children everywhere throughout the country.
While many states have banned smoking in many public places, it still isn’t enough. More needs to be done by our government to take a stand for our children, our future. While protection of any child should start first with the parent or guardian, there needs to be a way to reinforce that parents are actually doing what is best for their child’s health and welfare. The simple law of making it illegal to smoke in the car with a child present is a great start in the right direction. At least it gives the government some form of authority in making sure children are safe part of the time. However, education I think is still the real key to success. People need to be aware of what they are doing to their children when they light up a cigarette while their child around. How hard is to step out side away from your child to light up a cigarette? It seems as though it would be common sense to want to do the right thing for your child, once you were presented with the facts. I hope this essay gets people thinking about secondhand smoke and its effects on children. They are innocent, little victims that need our protection. They are our future.
Works Cited
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department Of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Coordinating Center for Health Promotion, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 2006.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Children and Secondhand Smoke Exposure. Excerpts from the Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Coordinating Center for Health Promotion, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 2007.
Simon, Harvey. "SMOKING.." Smoking (08 Oct. 2007): 1-11. Health Source - Consumer Edition. EBSCO. [Library name], [City], [State abbreviation]. 27 May 2009 <http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy.chemeketa.edu:2048/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=cookie,ip,url,cpid,uid&custid=s8960175&db=hxh&AN=35569553&loginpage=Login.asp&site=ehost-live>.
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