).
III. People affected by second hand smoke may include family members, friends, and even co-workers.
1. Infants and young children whose parents smoke are among the most seriously affected by exposure to secondhand smoke because their lungs are not fully developed. .
a. They are at an increased risk of lower respiratory tract infections such as pneumonia and bronchitis, and for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
b. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that passive smoking is responsible for between 150,000 and 300,000 lower respiratory tract infections in infants and children under 18 months of age annually, resulting in between 7,500 and 15,000 hospitalizations each year.
2. An estimated 3,000 lung cancer deaths and 35,000 coronary heart disease deaths occur annually among adult nonsmokers in the United States as a result of exposure to secondhand smoke. .
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Conclusion:.
In the US, tobacco causes nearly 1 in every 5 deaths. Based on current smoking patterns, smoking will kill about 500 million people alive in the world today. Tobacco-caused deaths worldwide are expected to increase from about 4 million per year today to about 10 million per year by the 2030s. .
Action Plan:.
So, What do we do? The earlier we learn the better. There are great programs out there that teach our children to stay away from drugs remember, cigarettes are a drug. If your child's school does not have an active D.A.R.E program, call your local police department to set one up. Preventing a habit is easier than breaking one. Next, for those of us who are smokers, get help. There's no one right way to quit. There are many methods to help you quit. Some examples are using step-by-step manuals, self-help classes or counseling, or using a nicotine replacement therapy. Smokers may also need to make changes in their daily routine to help them not smoke. For example those that adopt a daily exercise routine are less likely to have cravings to smoke.
