-New national
campaign highlights the hidden dangers of secondhand smoke- 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; and42 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.”
Consultant Paediatrician at the
Royal Surrey Hospital Dr Charles Godden
said: “I see children every week with conditions which are
made worse by secondhand smoke. Most parents would be horrified to
know that even a short car journey where an adult has been smoking
would result in breakdown products of nicotine in their child’s urine.
“This shows exactly why we should all make our homes and cars
smokefree and that children need protection from exposure to
secondhand smoke.”
Smokers can order a new NHS Smokefree Kit by texting POISONS to
63818 or by visiting nhs.uk/smokefree for facts, tips and tools to
help them on the way to a smokefree future.
Notes to Editors
Secondhand smoke is the smoke breathed in from other people’s
cigarettes. 80 per cent of it is invisible, it contains more than
4,500 chemicals, toxins, and irritants, of which over 60 are known
carcinogens. Leaflets and posters are also available for
stakeholders to order through our smokefree resource centre.The
cost of treating illness in children caused by secondhand smoke
each year in the UK has been conservatively estimated by the Royal
College of Physicians at over £23 million. This total takes into
account primary care visits, asthma treatment and hospital
admissions in children attributable to illnesses caused by
secondhand smoke exposure.Research Bods carried out a survey of
1,000 young people (aged between eight - thirteen) across nine
regions of England. The survey took place in October 2011 on
behalf of the Department of Health.For help and advice visit
http://smokefree.nhs.uk and register for the new free Smokefree
Kit to help them on their way to a smokefree future.Evidence about
the harms has been compiled by the Royal College of Physicians in
the following publications: Passive Smoking and
Children(2010).Going smoke-free: the medical case for clean air in
the home, at work and in public places: A report on passive
smoking by the Tobacco Advisory Group of the RoyalCollege of
Physicians (2005).For more information please contact the
Department of Health press office on 020 7210 5221.
Contacts:
Department of Health
Phone: 020 7210 5221
NDS.DH@coi.gsi.gov.uk