Menu
02/04/2012
Children Call For Smokefree Homes
A new hard-hitting campaign, highlighting the shocking truth behind secondhand smoke will hit our TV screens tonight, Health Secretary Andrew Lansley announced today.
New TV and radio adverts will show that smoking by a window or the backdoor is not enough to protect children from secondhand smoke. Over 80 per cent of secondhand smoke is invisible. This contains harmful cancer causing toxins and poisons that are unknowingly damaging children across the country every day.
Millions of children in the UK are exposed to secondhand smoke that puts them at increased risk of lung disease, meningitis and cot death. It results in over 300,000 GP visits, 9,500 hospital visits in the UK each year and costs the NHS more than a staggering £23.6 million every year.
The only way to completely protect people from secondhand smoke is to make homes and cars entirely smokefree. As the campaign launches, a new survey reveals that children want smokefree lives. The survey found:
•98 per cent of children wish their parents would stop smoking;
• 82 per cent of children wish their parents wouldn’t smoke in front of them at home;
• 78 per cent of the children wished their parents wouldn’t smoke in front of them in the car;
•41 per cent of children said cigarette smoke made them feel ill; and
•42 per cent of children said cigarette smoke made them cough.
Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said: "We all know smoking kills but not enough people realise the serious effect that secondhand 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 secondhand smoke.
"This is just one part of our wider strategy on tobacco. We need to do more. That is why next week we will end tobacco displays in large shops. We will also be consulting on plain packaging this spring."
Chief Medical Officer Professor Dame Sally Davies said: "Secondhand smoke can cause a range of serious health problems for children and adults. Smoking damages our lungs, causes cancers and is now the biggest risk for cot death. Parents who smoke need to think about the effect it has on their family.
"Giving up smoking or making sure you have a completely smokefree home and car is the only way to protect your family.
"If people do want to quit there is excellent support and advice available. Get in touch with your local stop smoking service, GP or pharmacist or visit nhs.uk/smokefree."
(GK)
New TV and radio adverts will show that smoking by a window or the backdoor is not enough to protect children from secondhand smoke. Over 80 per cent of secondhand smoke is invisible. This contains harmful cancer causing toxins and poisons that are unknowingly damaging children across the country every day.
Millions of children in the UK are exposed to secondhand smoke that puts them at increased risk of lung disease, meningitis and cot death. It results in over 300,000 GP visits, 9,500 hospital visits in the UK each year and costs the NHS more than a staggering £23.6 million every year.
The only way to completely protect people from secondhand smoke is to make homes and cars entirely smokefree. As the campaign launches, a new survey reveals that children want smokefree lives. The survey found:
•98 per cent of children wish their parents would stop smoking;
• 82 per cent of children wish their parents wouldn’t smoke in front of them at home;
• 78 per cent of the children wished their parents wouldn’t smoke in front of them in the car;
•41 per cent of children said cigarette smoke made them feel ill; and
•42 per cent of children said cigarette smoke made them cough.
Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said: "We all know smoking kills but not enough people realise the serious effect that secondhand 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 secondhand smoke.
"This is just one part of our wider strategy on tobacco. We need to do more. That is why next week we will end tobacco displays in large shops. We will also be consulting on plain packaging this spring."
Chief Medical Officer Professor Dame Sally Davies said: "Secondhand smoke can cause a range of serious health problems for children and adults. Smoking damages our lungs, causes cancers and is now the biggest risk for cot death. Parents who smoke need to think about the effect it has on their family.
"Giving up smoking or making sure you have a completely smokefree home and car is the only way to protect your family.
"If people do want to quit there is excellent support and advice available. Get in touch with your local stop smoking service, GP or pharmacist or visit nhs.uk/smokefree."
(GK)
Related UK National News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.
12 December 2012
One In Three Year Six Children Overweight
One in three final year primary school children are overweight or obese. The percentage of final year – Year 6 - primary school children (generally aged ten to 11) who were overweight or obese increased to 33.9 per cent in 2011/12, up from 33.4 per cent in the previous year.
One In Three Year Six Children Overweight
One in three final year primary school children are overweight or obese. The percentage of final year – Year 6 - primary school children (generally aged ten to 11) who were overweight or obese increased to 33.9 per cent in 2011/12, up from 33.4 per cent in the previous year.
25 November 2003
Royal Colleges urge smoking ban in public
A group of leading surgeons and medical experts have called for a nationwide ban on smoking in public places, in a letter sent to the Times Newspaper. The UK’s medical Royal Colleges and their Faculties stated in the letter that "the time has come for legislation to make public places smoke free".
Royal Colleges urge smoking ban in public
A group of leading surgeons and medical experts have called for a nationwide ban on smoking in public places, in a letter sent to the Times Newspaper. The UK’s medical Royal Colleges and their Faculties stated in the letter that "the time has come for legislation to make public places smoke free".
12 January 2004
Ash warns on actionable secondhand smoking
The hospitality trade faces a rising threat of legal action from employees whose health is damaged by secondhand smoke, Action on Smoking and Health (Ash) and personal injury and trade union law firm Thompsons has warned.
Ash warns on actionable secondhand smoking
The hospitality trade faces a rising threat of legal action from employees whose health is damaged by secondhand smoke, Action on Smoking and Health (Ash) and personal injury and trade union law firm Thompsons has warned.
03 December 2003
Parents urged to quit smoking for sake of children
New measures have been unveiled today aimed at encouraging parents to give up smoking round their children. As part of the next stage of the NHS campaign to raise awareness of the damaging effect that smoking in the home has on children, new bibs with a secondhand smoking slogan will be made freely available for every baby born in December.
Parents urged to quit smoking for sake of children
New measures have been unveiled today aimed at encouraging parents to give up smoking round their children. As part of the next stage of the NHS campaign to raise awareness of the damaging effect that smoking in the home has on children, new bibs with a secondhand smoking slogan will be made freely available for every baby born in December.
10 January 2012
Millions Of New Year Quit Attempts Doomed To Go Up In Smoke
Two thirds of UK smokers, the equivalent of six million people, will try and quit in January but half will have failed within just one week, according to new research among 6,300 current or former smokers. In addition, one in ten quit attempts will last less than 24 hours.
Millions Of New Year Quit Attempts Doomed To Go Up In Smoke
Two thirds of UK smokers, the equivalent of six million people, will try and quit in January but half will have failed within just one week, according to new research among 6,300 current or former smokers. In addition, one in ten quit attempts will last less than 24 hours.
-
Northern Ireland WeatherThis Evening and Tonight:Clear start with a fairly widespread frost developing. Increasing cloud brings occasionally heavy rain overnight, preceded, especially over western hills, briefly by snow. Occasional southeasterly gales, severe near coasts, developing. Minimum temperature -2 °C.
