“Second-hand cigarette smoke triggers an estimated
20,000 asthma attacks in New Zealand children every year. Lately the
spotlight’s been on smoking in pubs and clubs, and the dangers of
second-hand smoke in the home have been pushed into the background,”
she says.
Ms Patterson says that second-hand smoke has negative
health effects for anyone exposed to it, but that children are
particularly vulnerable.
“Kids are still developing physically, they have
higher breathing rates than adults and little control over their indoor
environments. As a result they’re hit harder by second-hand smoke - it
can trigger asthma episodes, make asthma symptoms more severe, and can
even lead to new cases of asthma in children who have not had it before.”
Research by quit smoking organisation The Quit Group
suggests that asthma is not the only negative health effect for children
exposed to second-hand smoke.
Medical adviser to the group Dr Peter Martin says
that second-hand smoke can also cause glue ear and cot death, and
endorses the Asthma and Respiratory Foundation’s call for people to
think before they light up in front of children.
“It’s not only asthma - cigarette smoke is also
linked to more than 1000 cases of glue ear and 50 cot deaths in New
Zealand children each year. Yet it’s simple enough to protect children
from second-hand exposure – just take the smoke outside.”
Dr Martin says that second-hand smoke contains over
200 poisonous chemicals.
“Parents would think twice about smoking inside if
they realised they were exposing their children to poisons like cyanide
and arsenic.”
