Advertorial
By U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 7
Protect Your Home. Protect Your Health.
What ;s Secondhand Smo/ce?
Secondhand smoke is a mixture of the smoke
given off by the burning end of a cigarette,
pipe, or cigar, and the smoke exhaled by
smokers. Secondhand smoke is also called
environmental tobacco smoke and exposure
to secondhand smoke is sometimes called
involuntary or passive smoking. Secondhand
smoke contains more than 4,000 substances,
several of which are known to cause cancer in
humans or animals.
EPA has concluded that exposure to
secondhand smoke can cause lung cancer
in adults who do not smoke. EPA estimates
that exposure to secondhand smoke causes
approximately 3,000 lung cancer deaths per
year in nonsmokers.
Exposure to secondhand smoke has also been
shown in a number of studies to increase the
risk of heart disease.
Ser/ous Health R/'s/cs to Children
Children are particularly vulnerable to the
effects of secondhand smoke because they
are still developing physically, have higher
breathing rates than adults, and have little
control over their indoor environments. Children
exposed to high doses of secondhand smoke,
such as those whose mothers smoke, run the
greatest relative risk of experiencing damaging
health effects.
Exposure to secondhand smoke can cause
asthma in children who have not previously
exhibited symptoms.
Exposure to secondhand smoke increases the
risk for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
Infants and children younger than 6 who are
regularly exposed to secondhand smoke are
at increased risk of lower respiratory track
infections, such as pneumonia and bronchitis.
Children who regularly breathe secondhand
smoke are at increased risk for middle
ear infections.
Health R/s/cs to Children with Asthma
Asthma is the most common chronic childhood
disease affecting 1 in 13 school aged children
on average.
Exposure to secondhand smoke can cause
new cases of asthma in children who have not
previously shown symptoms.
Exposure to secondhand smoke can trigger
asthma attacks and make asthma symptoms
more severe.
Protect Your Family
Make your car and home smoke-free. Family,
friends or visitors should never smoke inside
your home or car.
How Healthy Is Your Home?
.econdhand Smoke is Dangerous
Protect your Family from
Secondhand Smoke
Everyone knows that smoking is bad for
smokers, but did you know:
Breathing in someone else's cigarette,
pipe or cigar smoke can make you and
your children sick.
Children who live in homes where
people smoke may get sick more often
with coughs, wheezing, ear infections,
bronchitis or pneumonia.
Children with asthma may have asthma
attacks that are more severe or occur
more often.
Opening windows or using fans or air
conditioners will not stop secondhand
smoke exposure.
• Secondhand smoke also can cause lung
cancer and heart disease.
The U.S. Surgeon General says that
secondhand smoke can cause Sudden
Infant Death Syndrome, also known
as SIDS.
- Secondhand smoke can cause children
to suffer bronchitis, pneumonia,
ear infections and more severe
asthma attacks.
You can become a child's hero by keeping a
smoke-free home and car. Join the millions of
people who are protecting their children from
secondhand smoke.
Take the Smoke-Free Home Pledge
By taking the pledge, you:
• Choose not to smoke in your home and do
not permit others to do so. Small children are
especially vulnerable to the health effects of
secondhand smoke.
• Choose to smoke outside, if you must smoke.
Moving to another room or opening a window is
not enough to protect your children.
www.epa.gov/smokefree/healtheffects.html
• Use resources provided at the following link to
find tips on keeping a smoke-free home and car.
www.epa.gov/smokefree/index.html
Take the pledge at:
www.epa.gov/smokefree/pledge/index.html
EPA Region 7-800-223-0425
Healthy Homes Community Initiative:
www.epa.gov/region07/citizens/healthy_homes.htm
To inquire about managing your child's asthma, and
for more information on safe and healthy homes and
how to receive a healthy homes assessment, contact
Children's Mercy Hospital at 816-855-1895.
To inquire about getting your child tested for lead
poisoning and for more information on resources to
rid your home of lead hazards, contact the Kansas
City, Missouri Health Department at 816-513-6048.
Children^ Mercy
HOSPITAL
PublicHealth.
Keep yourself and your children away from
places where smoking is allowed. If you smoke,
smoke only outside. Ask your doctor for ways
to help you stop smoking.
Remember
Keeping a smoke-free home and car can help
improve your health, the health of your children
and the health of your community.
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