Passive smoking causes irreversible damage to a child’s heart

Even with all the efforts many parents put into making sure their children are not exposed to smoke, a new study suggests that smoking around children should be cut out completely.

 

In the study of 2,401 children from Finland and 1,375 children in Australia between three and 18, the researchers questioned children about their parents smoking habits and then measured the thickness of the children’s artery walls once they grew older.

 

They found that exposure to both parents smoking leads to thickening of the artery walls and that second-hand smoking adds 3.3 years to the age of blood vessels by the time a child reaches adulthood.

 

This means that youngsters exposed to smoking are at a greater risk of heart attacks and strokes in the future.

 

Researcher Dr Seana Gall, said: “Our study shows that exposure to passive smoke in childhood causes a direct and irreversible damage to the structure of the arteries.”

 

“Parents, or even those thinking about becoming parents, should quit smoking. This will not only restore their own health but also protect the health of their children into the future,” added Dr Gall.

 

According to Ash Ireland, an anti-tobacco advocacy organisation in Ireland, those who smoke 20 a day spend up to €3,500 every year. This means that if parents quit the habit, not only will they protect their children and their own health, but they will also save a large amount of money.