What  Can I Do
to  Reduce Childrens'

Health
Risks

from

Secondhand Smoke?

In Your Home:

• Choose not to smoke in your
  home and don't permit others to
  do so.

  Choose not to smoke if children
  are present, especially infants
  and toddlers.  They are
  particularly susceptible to the
  effects of passive smoking.

  Don't allow baby-sitters or
  others who work in your home
  to smoke in the house or near
  your children.

  Choose not to smoke in your
  car.
                                         United States
                                         Environmental Protection
                                         Agency
                     EPA/402-F-99-003
                     March 1999
                                         Office of Air and Radiation
Where Can I  get  More

Information on

Secondhand Smoke

and Children?


Where to Find Free Information:

National Service Center for
Environmental Publications (NCEPI)
http://www.epa.gov/ncepihom/
or call at 1-800-490-9198

Visit EPA's Web Site at:
http://www.epa.gov/iaq/ets.html

You can also call IAQINFO at:
(800) 438-4318 to speak to an
information specialist, Monday through
Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. eastern
time. After hours, you may leave a voice
message, or you may make inquiries by
fax (703) 356-5386 or via e-mail:
iaqinfo@aol.com anytime.
*EPA Children
       and
       Secondhand
       Smoke

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Just

What  is

Secondhand

Smoke?

Secondhand smoke is a mixture of the
smoke given off by the burning end of a
cigarette, pipe, or cigar, and the smoke that
is exhaled from the lungs of the smoker.

Secondhand smoke is also called
environmental tobacco smoke (ETS);
exposure to secondhand smoke is often
called involuntary smoking or passive
smoking.


Why Should  Parents  Be

Concerned About

Secondhand Smoke?


Effect on Lungs...

Children who breathe secondhand smoke
are more likely to suffer from pneumonia,
bronchitis, and other lung diseases.

Ear Infections...

Children who breathe secondhand smoke
can have more ear infections.
Asthma...


Children who breathe secondhand smoke
can have more asthma attacks and the
episodes can be more severe.

Secondhand smoke may also cause
thousands of healthy children to develop
asthma each year. Infants and very young
children who breathe secondhand smoke
are more likely to get lung infections,
resulting in thousands of hospitalizations
each year.
Choose not to smoke in your home and
     don't permit others to do so.
  Choose not to smoke if children are
    present, especially infants and
    toddlers. They are particularly
  susceptible to the effects of passive
            smoking.
What  Can  I  Do to

Reduce  Children's

Health

Risks

from

Secondhand Smoke?


Other Places Your Children
Spend Time:

EPA recommends that every organzation
dealing with children have a smoking
policy that effectively protects children
from exposure to secondhand smoke.

Find out about the smoking policies of
the day care providers, pre-schools,
schools, and other care-givers for your
children.  Help other parents understand
the serious health risks to children from
secondhand smoke. Work with
parent/teacher associations, your school
board and school administrators,
community leaders, and other concerned
citizens to make your child's environment
smoke free.

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