Ellen Campbell -Grizzle We now know that approximately two-thirds of Jamaican students are exposed to smoking in public places. Findings from the CDC/PAHO Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GTYS) 2006, reveal that the overwhelming majority of students (82 per cent) favour the banning of smoking in public places.
Our children want to breathe clean air and deserve the opportunity to live healthy lives. They are aware of the dangers of smoking, however, many are too intimidated to object to adult smoking in their presence. The truth is that they should not be subjected to such life-threatening situations and adults must act to protect the life and health of all children.
The GYTS 2006 confirms that nearly one-third of the children in Jamaica live with parents who smoke. If you are such a parent or guardian, you know that smoking is dangerous to your health. Do you also know that if you smoke at home or in the car, the smoke that you exhale can cause serious health problems for your children? It is time that you eliminate your child's exposure to this dangerous substance.
Here are some important facts about second-hand smoke also called environmental smoke (ETS).
ETS hangs in the air for hours and days. Smoke particles are too small to see and even if the air seems perfectly clear, it is not. If you only smoke in one room, the smoke particles quickly filter throughout the house.
Cigarette smoke contains more than 400 chemicals. Many of these chemicals irritate the nose, sinuses, middle air and lungs; cause cancer in smokers and increase the risk of cancer in non-smokers.
Children are very vulnerable to the poisons in second-hand smoke because their bodies are developing.
ETS increases the risk that your child will develop asthma and infections anywhere from the nose down to the lungs. These infections include sinus infections, ear infections, pneumonia and bronchitis.
The more the exposure, the greater the risks. The only safe level of exposure is none at all.
If you are pregnant, your smoking may be harming your unborn child. Babies exposed to cigarette smoke before birth are, as a group, smaller. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is more likely to claim the life of babies who are exposed to cigarette smoke.
Research, based on the levels of cotinine (a substance found in the body after exposure to ETS), shows that children who live in homes where smoking occurs have higher levels of this substance than those who live in smoke-free homes.
Get help now
Now that you know of the dangers that ETS poses to your family, you may wish to quit smoking. This would be a wise decision for the sake of your children, your family and yourself. You should know that cigarette smoking is highly addictive and that you need help to quit.
Consult with your doctor as to the best course that you should take. Also, the National Council of Drug Abuse (NCDA) can refer to treatment centres that are currently treating tobacco addiction. Call 1-888-991-4244. for help.
Ellen Campbell Grizzle, president, Caribbean Association of Pharmacists; director, Information & Research, National Council on Drug Abuse; email: yourhealth@gleanerjm.com.
