According to a recent study, behavioral and mental health issues in children are linked to secondhand smoke. Those children who lived in homes in the United States and were exposed to secondhand smoke by smoking parents or care givers are twice as likely to suffer from asthma as well as ear infections and SIDS. Two studies were conducted that revealed this data according to the Pediatrics journal. The odds of developing these conditions are increased by as much as 50% for behavioral and mental issues. Other conditions and disorders mentioned in the study and linked to secondhand smoke pertaining to children, include:
Linked Conditions and Disorders Associated with Children and Secondhand Smoke
- Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
- Ear Infections
- Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
- Asthma
- Depression
- Anxiety
In the study, more than 55,000 children ages 11 and younger were studied based on information and responses from parents or legal guardians of these children.
In adults who have never smoked before, secondhandsmoke can lead to heart disease, lung cancer and stroke.
The CDC describes secondhand smoke as, “Secondhand smoke is smoke from burning tobacco products, such as cigarettes, cigars, or pipes. Secondhand smoke also is smoke that has been exhaled, or breathed out, by the person smoking. Tobacco smoke contains more than 7,000 chemicals, including hundreds that are toxic and about 70 that can cause cancer.”
