By JILL LOSSIAH
HEALTHY CHEROKEE
We all have busy lives and that means we spend a lot of our time in vehicles. Smoking in cars can lead to the build of poison inside the car which can be harmful to children.
Children at Agelink’s after school program proudly show their healthy smiles with Mr. Gross Mouth after learning the effects of tobacco use. Shown from left to right and front to back: Janna Girty, McKinsey Cochran, Middle: Jaelyn Lossiah, Kai Saunooke, Kensen Davis. (Photo courtesy of Healthy Cherokee)
Secondhand smoke contains “more than 2,000 chemical, including hundreds that are toxic and about 70 that can cause cancer (https://www.cancer.org/index, 2011).” Children that are exposed to secondhand smoke are more and likely unaware of the harm of the exposure.
“In children, secondhand smoke causes the following:
•Ear infections
•More frequent and severe asthma attacks
•Respiratory symptoms (e.g., coughing, sneezing, shortness of breath)
•Respiratory infections (i.e., bronchitis, pneumonia)
•A greater risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) (https://www.cancer.org/index, 2011)”
Even as an adult who has never smoked, you are still a great risk for heart disease and lung cancer when exposed to secondhand smoke. Thankfully, the passing of laws that have banned smoking in restaurants, work places and other public places has decreased the exposure of secondhand smoke (https://www.cancer.org/index, 2011).
Children learn by example. As parents and guardians, it is our job to keep our children healthy. Children are our future. For information on smoking and how to quit you can contact Healthy Cherokee at (828)-497-7460.
Resources and Helpful Links:
https://www.cancer.org/Cancer/CancerCauses/TobaccoCancer/secondhand-smoke
https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/secondhand_smoke/general_facts/index.htm
https://www.tobaccofreekids.org/
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Office on Smoking and Health
E-mail: tobaccoinfo@cdc.gov
Phone: 1-800-CDC-INFO
For help to stop smoking:
1-800-QUIT-NOW
QuitlinNC.com
Works Cited
(2011, November 14). Retrieved January 24, 2012, from https://www.cancer.org/index: https://www.cancer.org/Cancer/CancerCauses/TobaccoCancer/secondhand-smoke
