Passive smoking harming children

Every day in the UK, it is estimated that around 50 children under five are admitted to hospital as a result of passive smoking. Now there is a new move by doctors and nurses to spotlight the dangers of cigarette smoke for all children, and especially for those with lung problems such as asthma, and those susceptible to chest infections. Dr Liz Edwards, paediatric respiratory fellow based at the Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Trust in London, is the driving force behind the campaign She stresses that the short-and long-term damage to children's health caused by passive smoking - that is, breathing in other people's tobacco smoke - should not be underestimated. 'Smoke from just one cigarette lingers in the air for more than two hours, even with a window open,' says Dr Edwards. 'This smoke contains over 4,000 harmful chemicals.' The chemicals include acetone, used as a paint stripper; arsenic, used in rat poison; ammonia, a cleaning agent; butane, a lighter fuel; DDT, an insecticide; and formaldehyde, used to preserve dead bodies.