How Safe Is It To Smoke Around Kids? Absolutely not, without any second thoughts. The Government has made it mandatory for all the Tobacco and Cigarettes manufacturers to mention the caption "Smoking is injurious to Health" on the packet of every unit. Seldom do people even give a thought to it, as the momentary pleasure they derive by using them always overpowers their thinking capacity. As time passes, the habit becomes so strong that they do not even bother about people / family that surrounds them. For a minute just think about this, if you are so concerned about your child’s health and well being, why do we unintentionally do things to harm their health? We always see to it that we give their vaccinations on time; we also take care of what they eat! As parents we tell our kids to not eat food that has fallen on floor…then why are we careless when it comes to smoking?

Why & How Is Cigarette Smoke Harmful?

Second hand smoke is a mixture of exhaled cigarette smoke and smoke that comes from the burning end of a cigarette. This smoke is a mixture of more than 7,000 chemicals, 250 of which have been identified as poisonous and upwards of 70 are carcinogenic. Now you know How Safe Is It To Smoke Around Kids?

Shocking Facts About Tobacco & Smoking –

• There are approximately 120 million smokers in India.
• India is home to 12% of the world’s smokers.
• There is an increase of 38%, between 1998 and 2017.
• About 24% of children under the age of 16 years (10th class) have used some form of tobacco. 14% are still using tobacco products like
• In 2007, Chandigarh became the first city in India to become 'smoke-free'.
• Smoking Causes over 11% deaths, India among the Top 4 countries
• More than 625000 children (10-14 yrs old) and 103614000 adults (15+ yrs old) smoke each day.
• Buying tobacco robs families of the resources they may need to rise out of poverty. A smoker in India would have to spend 24.87% of their average income (measured by per capita GDP) to purchase 10 of the most popular cigarettes to smoke daily each year!
• Only 5-10% of the tobacco consumers plan to quit smoking at some point.
• ~60% of the people who smoke used tobacco within 30mins of waking up!

Pregnancy & Smoking - If you are pregnant or expecting:

As a mother if you have a habit to smoke or are exposed to second hand smoke, it may lead to serious health problems during pregnancy such as:

• Miscarriage
• Lower birth weight
• Premature birth
• Birth defects

In children if they are exposed to smoke, then they are at risk of:

• Ear infections
• Coughs and colds which do become incurable over a period of time
• Respiratory problems, such as bronchitis and pneumonia
• Tooth decay
• Reduced lung growth
• Onset of asthma

Smoking around your children may make them miss their school days because of health hazards caused by smoking. Other problems caused by second hand smoke are headache, sore throat, eye irritation and hoarseness. Certain studies also point out that second hand smoke also has an effect on children’s learning development and behavior. And if you have a child who has asthma, they maybe even more sensitive, leading to severe asthma attack. If children are continuously exposed to smoke may invite problems like, lungs not developing or grow to their full potential, difficulty breathing, heart disease or cataracts (eye problem). The bigger picture is that if you are seen smoking around your child, it may also encourage him or her to pick up a cigarette at an early age say during their teens to smoke.

Creating a smoke free environment

How Safe Is It To Smoke Around Kids? If the country’s pollution isn’t enough why do we add a bonus point by smoking in front of our kids? Even if you aren’t smoking in front of them, the place where you have smoked and left can leave residues of smoke which are harmful to your children. Throw those cigarette boxes away because though you may not be smoking in front of your child, chances are that they be curious to try it out if not in their early years but during their teenage years. Don’t put out smoke on ashtrays, even if it is in another room. Avoid it; smoke will travel in air to several other places in your house making it harmful for your child. Avoid smoking in your car, even if you roll down the windows it doesn’t stop the toxins settle on surfaces and they will be exposed to them.

No Smokers at Home

Even though there are no smokers at your home, chances are you will find them in millions as soon as you step out with your child. They can be found at:

• A friend or a relative’s house
• At a restaurant
• At the mall
• Sporting events or concerts
• Parks or playgrounds

In case you are not smoking but you and your children are exposed to other smokers, ensure that there is some distance between you, your children and the smoker. Be careful of where the wind is blowing. Don’t stand directly in front of it. However, most of the places have a no smoking zone but its better to be safe. Try to quit smoking as early as possible not only for the well being of your child, but also for your health. After all you need to be in good health to raise happy and healthy kids. Besides you do not want to teach them bad habits! It may interest you to read- How To Stop Diarrhoea In Kids Best Formula Foods For Babies In India