Children want parents to stop smoking in the home
Joe Lepper
Saturday, March 31, 2012
A Department of Health survey of 1,000 eight- to 13-year-olds whose parents smoke, found that 82 per cent wish their parents would stop smoking in front of them in the home.
A similar proportion (78 per cent) wanted parents to stop smoking during car journeys with them and four out of ten said cigarette smoke made them feel ill or cough.
Almost all of those surveyed (98 per cent) wanted their parents to quit smoking.
The latest survey comes as the government launches a national TV campaign on the dangers of second-hand smoke.
Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said: "We all know smoking kills but not enough people realise the serious effect that second hand smoke can have on the health of others, particularly children.
"This campaign will raise awareness of this danger and encourage people to take action to protect others from second hand smoke."
Passive smoking accounts for an estimated 300,000 GP visits, 9,500 visits and costs the NHS around £23.6m a year, according to latest government figures.
Chief medical officer Professor Dame Sally Davies added: "I see children every week with conditions which are made worse by second-hand smoke. Most parents would be horrified to know that even a short car journey where an adult has been smoking would result in breakdown products of nicotine in their child’s urine."
