Make Your Home Smokefree

Why should your home (and car) be smokefree?


Everyone knows that smoking is bad for you but if you do smoke, you should only smoke outside and always protect your kids from second-hand smoke


Dangers of second-hand smoke


Second-hand smoke is the smoke from other people’s cigarettes, pipes or cigars. When you come in contact with other people’s cigarette smoke you breathe in second-hand smoke with all of its harmful chemicals (called passive smoking).  Infants and children of all ages develop health problems from passive smoking because they are smaller and the dangerous substances in smoke are more harmful to them.  They also spend a lot of time with parents and caregivers and if the parent or caregiver smokes they are exposed to it for longer periods of time.  

Infants and children who breathe in other people’s cigarette smoke can:
  • develop glue ear or middle ear infections
  • suffer more ear, nose, throat or chest infections, croup and wheezing
  • develop asthma   
  • develop pneumonia and bronchitis
  • be at risk from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
  • be at risk from meningococcal disease
Children and teenagers whose parents/caregivers smoke are more likely to become smokers themselves.

Asthma


Smoke is also a trigger for a lot of people with asthma.  Around three quarters of people with asthma become wheezy in a smoky room.  Children with asthma whose parents smoke have more asthma symptoms than children whose parents don’t smoke.

What can you do?


Make your home (and car) smokefree – make it a rule that your home is smokefree at all times for everyone.  Let other people know and ask people who want to smoke to go outside.  Remove all ashtrays from inside your home.  Celebrate your home being smokefree and let friends and family know by putting up Smokefree home/Whare Auahi Kore stickers on your letterbox or at the entrance to your home (your local public health service has these free stickers).

Wait until the kids are in bed or smoking less inside doesn’t actually reduce exposure to second-hand smoke.  A total ban on smoking in the house is the best way to protect your children.

Portions of this fact sheet were sourced from the Heath Sponsorship Council’s pamphlet "A guide to making your home and car Smokefree"
www.smokefreehomes.co.nz

© Asthma and Respiratory Foundation of New Zealand (Inc.) 2005  Photocopy permission granted