As a chemist, I am constantly shouting at the television when stories come up in the news about ‘chemicals’ being bad for you. We are all made of chemicals and everything we eat, drink and touch is made entirely from chemicals.
Another annoyance is ‘natural’. Some natural chemicals are extremely toxic, as plants and animals have evolved to produce toxic chemicals to avoid being eaten. And some chemicals from the chemist’s stock cupboard are completely safe – at least in reasonable amounts.
Two reports this week have given different perspectives on all this for children. First, Public Health England has published advice on second-hand smoke exposure – with research indicating that more than 800 children every day visit their doctor with problems associated with second-hand smoke exposure.
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