Cigarette smoking is dangerous to your health. Smoking kills. Government warnings about the ill effects of smoking are everywhere, and you probably know that smoking is bad. But do you know just how dangerous second hand smoke is for defenseless children?

Secondhand smoke, also known as environmental tobacco smoke or ETS, contains about 4,000 toxic substances. Over 40 of these have been linked to cancer. And that’s only the beginning.

Second hand smoke injures babies.

Premature birth is likely among children whose mothers smoked during pregnancy. Low birth weight is also common. Lung function is also compromised. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is also largely contributed to maternal smoking.

Second hand smoke harms your child’s developing respiratory system.

Not only can second hand smoke put your child in danger of child bronchitis or pneumonia, the growth and development of his lungs may also be hindered. Asthma attacks may become more recurring and severe.

Second hand smoke affects your child’s intelligence and behavior.

Second hand smoke is neurotoxic. Pregnant women who smoked a pack a day during pregnancy produced children with lower IQ. Children exposed to second hand smoke may also show deficits in reading, mathematics, and visuospatial reasoning. They are also more prone to suffering from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

Second hand smoke will haunt your child’s health until he is well into adulthood.

Children exposed to second hand smoke grow up with weaker lung function. They also have higher chances of suffering from heart diseases, stroke, or type II diabetes. Women (who were exposed to second hand smoke as kids) also have a higher difficulty in getting pregnant. They may also suffer from miscarriages. Also, the more exposed a child is to second hand smoke, the more likely he is to become a smoker as an adult.

If no one smokes in the family, that’s great! What you need to ensure though is that you keep your kids away from people who smoke or places where smoking is allowed. Talk to your smoker-friends or relatives and request them to refrain from smoking inside the house and around your children. Check that your children’s schools are 100% smoke-free.

But if you or your spouse smokes, consider quitting now. Set a good example for your kids. If you love your kids more than you love your cigarette sticks, seek medical help for your addiction. Children need your protection and support, with their immunity foundation largely underdeveloped. You wouldn’t want to put their health in danger.