[dropcap]T[/dropcap]here are laws that protect minors from physical abuse. These laws prevent adults from harming their children in any physical way, shape, or form. But isn’t the damage from secondhand smoking also considered physical abuse? Shouldn’t these laws also protect children from being harmed by secondhand smoke? 

Secondhand smoke is the combination of the smoke exhaled by smokers and the burning end of a cigarette. This smoke is dangerous for anyone and cigarettes should not be used in the tight, restricted area of a car with children.

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Why is Secondhand Smoking Physically Harmful to Children?

Secondhand smoking causes many defects in children as they grow up. As parents of young children that smoke in the car, these children are exposed to this secondhand smoke frequently. According to Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “Secondhand smoke causes numerous health problems in infants and children, including more frequent and severe asthma attacks, respiratory infections, ear infection, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).” As these children age, the health problems resulting from the secondhand smoke exposure affects their lifestyle and future.

Children do not deserve to be exposed to such toxins so young. Parents are supposed to protect their children, not jeopardize their health with their own bad habit and life choices. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also states, [perfectpullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]”Secondhand smoke contains more than 7,000 chemicals, hundreds are toxic and about 70 are known to cause cancer.” [/perfectpullquote]

Secondhand smoke is dangerous to all passengers in the car. The Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights (ANR) argues, “Exposing passengers, both children and adults, to secondhand smoke in the confined space of a car is extremely hazardous.” This hazard is something that can be avoided if laws are passed to make smoking with children in the car illegal.

Another reason smoking in cars with children should be banned is because it would be best to limit kids’ exposure to cigarettes because according to Medical Daily, children that are regularly around smoke are six times more likely to become smokers too. Children look up to older figures like parents and older siblings. When they see someone like a parent smoking, they have the mindset it is acceptable or it is a cool thing to do. The more times a child sees a parent or caregiver smoking, it influences them by making smoking part of their “normal” lifestyle.

I believe that it is not okay for parents to think that exposing children to secondhand smoke is not a problem.  The mentality that there is not a problem is exactly the problem with secondhand smoking. I know it is very difficult to quit smoking. I am not asking parents to stop smoking, just to take it outside away from children’s developing bodies.

Studies to Prove Secondhand Smokes’ Dangers

A study found on Rabbit Air website performed by UK researchers found levels of fine particulate matter were measured from the rear passenger seat of cars of over a dozen smokers and 3 non-smokers. These tests lasted an average of 27 minutes and 49 car trips involved smoke and 34 trips measured did not. The results were that the smoke-free car rides measured levels of particulate matter with an average 7.4 micrograms per cubic meter and those levels climbed to an average of 11 times as high during the car rides with smokers, the highest recorded level being 880 micrograms per cubic meter. Even with some form of ventilation like a cracked or open window, these extreme levels of particulate matter are too high to be considered safe by the World Health Organization which is 25 mcg/m3. Exposure to secondhand smoke in the extreme, confined spaces of a vehicle is very hazardous whether it’s a child or adult.

Video by TobaccoFreeCA

The video above proves that even if you roll down a window or open up a car door, research shows that it takes only seconds of a lit cigarette for the air quality inside a vehicle to highly exceed the levels that are considered hazardous to breathe. There is no such thing as a safe level of secondhand smoke exposure because of the particles in smoke, they are so small you cannot see them. These small particles are particularly harmful because of their small size they can reach down into the very small recesses of the lung and cause damage. As for children, pound for pound they breathe more air in on a minute by minute basis. So that in any given environment, children are actually sucking in more air pollution than adults in the same environment. Not only this, but they are still in a developing phase. Which means these children who are just along for the ride are extra vulnerable to these toxic fumes.

Taking Action to Fix this Problem

When parents smoke in the car, they may or may not know the secondhand smoke being produced from the cigarette is being constantly circulated through your car. The smell and reminisce of the smoke will be permanently soaked into the seats. The Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights (ANR) support “any smokefree car campaign be accompanied by a strong education effort, stressing the health hazards of smoke-filled vehicles.” This is what I am trying to fulfill in this post. In showing the effects and danger of secondhand smoke, I hope to inform and convince the public something must happen to improve this problem.

There have already been some laws to improve the health and well being of children. According to The Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights (ANR), Arkansas was the first US state to pass a law to prohibit smoking in a vehicle with a child under the age of 6 or under 60 pounds in July of 2006. This law was part of the Arkansas Clean Indoor Air Act. This law was later amended to extend the age of children included in the vehicle smokefree provision to include children up to 13 years of age in July of 2011. States to follow with similar smokefree provisions were California, Louisiana, Maine, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Utah, Vermont, and Virginia. The fact that many states are making it illegal to smoke in a vehicle with children is hope for change for the whole country.

The Public Health Law Center describes the “best interest of the children” standard as a legal way to ensure children get what is best for them. This standard is used in all fifty U.S. states to allow the courts to make child placement decisions. To ensure a better future for children, more laws must be passed. This is a great start, but there is more to be done.

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I hope to someday hear people say, “I can not believe people ever smoked cigarettes. What were they thinking?” With the passing of the smokefree cars with minors in the car law, we are one step closer to that reality and to no longer have the threat of other peoples’ bad habits affecting innocent lives.

Featured Image by Pixabay