News and Events
Protecting Kids from Secondhand Smoke
Tracy DeCubellis, MS,
November 6, 2015
People want a clean environment including clean air, water, and safe food to eat. This is especially important for children as they are growing. We know that secondhand smoke is unhealthy, but do we really think about what it might be doing to kids who are around it?
Did you know that babies who are around cigarette smoke have a higher chance of dying of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)? The CDC reports that 400 babies die as a result of SIDS connected to secondhand smoke every year (CDC, 2015). This is a tragedy that may be avoided by encouraging new parents not to smoke around kids.
Secondhand smoke can create other problems for kids. Some effects of secondhand smoke around children include:
- Increased risk of bronchitis and pneumonia
- Increased risk of asthma and allergies
- More ear infections
- Increased risk of cavities
- Attention and behavior problems (First 5 California, 2015)
| There are more than 4,000 toxic chemicals in secondhand smoke. We owe it to our kids to keep them safe by keeping those chemicals away from the air they breathe, and from sticking to the walls, carpets, and toys they touch every day. Let’s use our knowledge of the problem to create a solution – protect our kids from secondhand smoke. |  |
To do this, consider the following ideas for early learning centers and day care centers:
- Make all areas of the property tobacco free, including car pick up and drop off areas.
- Let parents know about the dangers of secondhand smoke and train teachers, too.
- Use signs to let everyone know this is a smoke-free campus.
This might seem difficult, but we want to help! Our local Tobacco Free Partnership can offer resources and support to help early learning centers keep kids and families smoke-free.
For more information on how to create tobacco free policies at day care centers that protect children, please see this Fact Sheet from the Public Health Law Center.
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References:
- Center for Disease Control & Prevention. (2015). Secondhand smoke. CDC Vital Signs. Retrieved from: http://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/tobacco/
- First 5 California. (2015). Kids and smoke don’t mix: A tobacco training for child care providers and preschool teachers. Retrieved from: http://helpline.ucsd.edu/files/KidsAndSmokeDontMix.pdf
- Public Health Law Center. (2011). Smoke-free child care: A policy overview. Retrieved from: http://www.publichealthlawcenter.org/sites/default/files/resources/phlc-fs-smokefreechildcare-2011.pdf
