UK: Campaign to Raise Awareness of Secondhand Smoke Dangers

Source from:  ITV Network Limited (uk) 02/15/2015

Kent County Counci is supporting a campaign by Pubic Health England to highlight the hidden damage that secondhand smoke can cause to children's health. It follows the government's decision to end smoking in cars carrying children.

Secondhand smoke is particularly harmful to children as they breathe more rapidly and have less developed airways. Children being exposed to secondhand smoke results in more than 300,000 GP consultations and 9,500 hospital admissions every year.

The number of smokers in Kent is higher than the national average and is even higher among certain ethnic groups, pregnant women and routine and manual workers.

It's estimated there are around 240,000 smokers in Kent and that smoking costs the county around £406million every year, including the £49million in direct costs to the NHS and £19.5million in social care costs.

The government estimates that three million children in England are exposed to secondhand smoke in their family car, which puts them at risk of serious conditions including, respiratory infections, meningitis and triggering asthma. A survey by the British Lung Foundation found that 86% of children who are exposed to smoking in cars would like the smoker to stop; yet only 31% actually feel able to ask them to do so.
We thoroughly support this law and the campaign to raise awareness as we consider it an important initiative that will bring considerable health benefits, in particular to young people. We are committed to reducing the avoidable cost in death, loss to the economy and cost to the health and social care system. This new law will help us to achieve that.

Smoking just a single cigarette in a car exposes children to high levels of air pollutants and cancer causing chemicals like arsenic, formaldehyde and tar. Children are least equipped to speak out to protest against secondhand smoke, so I welcome this legislation to end smoking in cars when they are present. Enditem