Throwing a smokescreen over all research

Wednesday, January 10, 2001

I was startled by the Government's announcement that childminders would be allowed to smoke while supervising their charges (News, 14 December and 21/28 December). Surely there is a mountain of evidence now showing that smoking in the presence of babies and children is extremely dangerous to them (and to other passive smokers). Among the many health risks, a recent study by a team of scientists at Edinburgh University shows babies whose parents smoke are more likely to harbour deadly meningitis bacteria, meaning they carry a higher risk of contracting meningitis.