Hi Everyone!

I hope that everyone had a safe and enjoyable weekend.

Saturday, I was watching television and saw a public service announcement about what cigarette smoke does to children. It was not nice and it was really scary to think what smoke from some one’s cigarette, cigar, or pipe can do to the growth of a child.

I decided to talk to Mama and Dada about this problem. Dada said that when he was young, he smoked. He said that during that time there was not much known about the dangers of smoking. He said that it was a “dirty” “nasty” habit and he was so glad when he quit. We have a few relatives that smoke but Mama and Dada will not allow them to smoke in our house. We live in a smoke-free home. My parents will not allow us to go anywhere there is smoking like a store, restaurant, or another family’s home that has smoking. Dada said it is impossible to be a 100% smoke-free but he said that we must work towards that goal.

Here are some facts from the UICC (International Union Against Cancer): Around 700 million children - almost half of the world’s children - breathe air polluted by tobacco smoke, particularly at home. On 4 February 2008, World Cancer Day directed a simple message to parents: “Second-hand smoke is a health hazard for you and your family. There is no safe level of exposure to second-hand smoke. Give your child a smoke-free childhood.”

Second-hand smoke (SHS), also known as environmental tobacco smoke, consists of both the smoke that is exhaled from the lungs of smokers and the smoke that is given off by a burning tobacco product between puffs. Second-hand smoke contains hundreds of chemicals known to be toxic or cancer-causing. The 2006 United States Surgeon General’s Report concluded that there is no safe level of exposure to second-hand smoke and that even brief exposures can be harmful.

A single cigarette smoked in a room with poor ventilation generates much higher concentrations of toxic substances in the air than normal, everyday activities in a city. Toxic compounds from second-hand smoke linger in the air for an extended period of time. Nicotine from second-hand smoke is deposited on household surfaces and in dust. The air quality found inside a car with someone smoking is similar to or worse than the air quality found in smoky bars.Non-smokers who are exposed even briefly to a smoky environment take up and process (metabolize) the components of tobacco smoke.

Exposure to second-hand smoke in children increases risk of:
Low birth weight
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
Ear infections
Poor lung development
Bronchitis and pneumonia
Asthma, cough, and wheeze
Being exposed to second-hand smoke as a child may lead to respiratory problems later in life.

If your Mama or Dada smokes, please tell them that it is not healthy for them and it will hurt your childhood health. Childhood health is very important because this is the time when your body grows. Do everything you can to avoid smoke from people who smoke.

Mama is including a download report from the UICC (International Union Against Cancer) that gives all the facts so your parents can make healthy decisions for your family. Please click this link to start the download process: Protecting Our Children From Second-Hand Smoke

Here is a copy of the public service announcement for your viewing:

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Technorati Tags: Healthy Childhood, International Union Against Cancer, Second-Hand Smoke, Smoke-Free Childhood, UICC

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