A recent study published in the April 2008 issue of the American Journal of Public Health, found that women and children who live with smokers are at increased risk for premature death and disease as a result of exposure to second hand smoke.

In an effort to quantify the level of second hand smoke exposure in women and children living with smokers, Heather Wipfli, PhD and colleagues measured the nicotine levels in household air and in the hair of nonsmoking women and children in the household. The levels of nicotine in the air were 17 times higher in households with a smoker compared to those without. Air concentrations were nearly 13 times higher in households that permitted smoking indoors, compared to those that voluntarily restricted indoor smoking.

A total of 1284 households in 31 countries participated in the study. Each household had at least one child 11 years of age or younger. Eighty percent of the households had at least one male smoker; 20 percent had two or more smokers; and 20 percent had no smokers. Average air nicotine levels in households with smokers were highest in Europe, followed by Latin America and Asia. Nicotine was detected in hair samples in 78 percent of children living with a smoker and 59 percent of those who did not live with a smoker. In most instances, hair nicotine levels were positively correlated with nicotine air concentrations.

Researchers found that the younger the child, the greater the risk for damage. Hair nicotine levels in children under the age of 5 years living with smokers were twice as high as children 5 years and older living with smokers. Air nicotine levels were significantly higher among women and children living with two or more smokers compared to those living with no smokers. A child whose mother and father smoked had hair nicotine levels three times higher than children whose father smoked but whose mother did not. Forty percent of toddlers in the study had nicotine levels equal to those of adult smokers, perhaps because toddlers spend more time with their parents, and breathe more rapidly, therefore inhaling more smoke.

Heather Wipfli was quoted in Science Daily as saying, “Our research clearly shows that parents are failing to protect their children from secondhand smoke exposure, perhaps because they are unaware of the risks. The results highlight the need to improve public awareness of the importance of going outside to smoke to limit the exposure to children living in the home.”

Second hand smoke
Exactly what is second hand smoke? It includes the smoke that comes from the burning end of a cigarette, cigar or pipe along with the smoke exhaled by the smoker. Second hand smoke contains more than 50 cancer-causing agents, including arsenic (a heavy metal toxin), benzene (a chemical found in gasoline), and cadmium (a metal used in batteries).

Protecting children from second hand smoke
The American Lung Association estimates that 21 million, or 35 percent of children live in homes where residents or visitors smoke in the home on a regular basis. You can protect your child from second hand smoke by doing the following:

• Quit smoking. If you are having trouble quitting, seek help from your healthcare provider.
• If you cannot quit, do not smoke in the house, car, or anywhere near your children.
• After smoking, change your clothes before approaching your children, and wash your hands in an effort to reduce exposure.
• Make your home a smoke-free zone. Don’t allow anyone to smoke in your home, including family, friends, baby-sitters, or others who care for your children.
• Only use retail establishments (restaurants, shops, theaters, sports arenas) that are smoke-free.
• Choose a smoke-free childcare facility.