Smoking

Hi! The ghost of Conservathing 2 is here.

Should we allow parents to smoke in their cars and homes, with children present? I say, no.

It has been said that "Secondhand smoke is the third leading preventable cause of death in the U.S. killing 38,000 to 65,000 non-smokers every year." (Facts about second-hand smoke)

Also that "Exposure to secondhand smoke can cause children to develop asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia, other respiratory infections, and ear infections. Exposure to secondhand smoke also increase the risk that infants will die of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)." (same site as before).

So should we risk children's lives by letting their parents smoke in a closed environment with them?

Now, it's not really just smoking in the home, it's mostly smoking in an enclosed area with a child around. The smoke would be stuck in the room and the child would be breathing it constantly. Out in the open smoking is less dangerous for children because they would also get some air, instead of just pure smoke.

However, the worst thing you can do is smoke in car with a child in the back seat and the windows rolled up.

If we were to ban smoking in the household, we could be preventing some cases of asthma in children. We could save some children's lives.

Here are some more facts about second hand smoking and children:

• Nearly 1 in 13 school-aged children has Asthma
• An estimated 8,000 – 26,000 new asthma cases arise in children per year
• Between 1980-1994, asthma among children under 5 years old increased by 160%
• Nearly 1 in 5 of all pediatric emergency room visits are asthma-related
• Nearly 2 out of 5 children aged 2 months-5 years live with at least one smoker
• A estimated 9-12 million children are exposed to secondhand smoke at home
• It is estimated that up to 1 million children have aggravated asthma symptoms due to Secondhand Smoke
• Other major indoor asthma triggers are dust mites, mold, and animal dander, and cockroach allergens

( Facts about Second Hand Smoke )

-Conservathing Two