300,000 extra GP visits for children due to passive smoking - time to make cars and homes smoke free

By Dr. Ananya Mandal, MDMar 25 2010

Consider these facts -

• 78% homes have already banned smoke and 48% people have banned smoking in their gardens.
• The Royal College of Physicians has in their statement said that passive smoking results in 300,000 extra visits for children to the GP for asthma and smoking related problems every year.
• Passive smoking results in 9500 hospital admissions each year.
• There is a 100% rise in bacterial meningitis and 35% rise in middle ear infections, 20,000 chest infections per year due to second hand smoke.
• Apart from this one in five sudden infant deaths are also linked to passive smoking.
• The NHS spends £23.3 million each year on the effects of passive smoke in children.
• Children whose parents smoke are at a nine times higher risk of passive smoking than those whose parents do not smoke.

RCP says

Doctors have urged an immediate review of the anti-smoking laws in light of such alarming facts. They want a ban on smoking in public places and cars.

2007 law against smoking in public closed spaces was a huge success. This has prompted even tougher restrictions of smoking. Where there are protests saying that this would impinge upon the basic freedom of the population and the justification of banning smoking in cars without children, Martin Dockrell, the director of policy at the anti-smoking group ASH and one of the authors of the report said "That injustice is completely outweighed by the current injustice of the harm that's done to kids."

“Many parents believe that smoking in only one room or when the children have gone to bed will somehow protect the children from exposure,” Professor John Britton, chairman of the RCP's Tobacco Advisory Group said. “It doesn’t.” He added that there was a misconception that opening a window would reduce risk.

Opposition

There are a group of non supporters to this cause, Forest, claiming the car as their “private space.” While they are OK with smoking ban in public spaces the car or van still remains a smoking zone. Simon Clark the chairman of this lobby group said that this law is “unacceptable and unenforceable”. He said,

“If you ban smoking in cars, which is a private space, it’s a small step to banning smoking in the home,” he said. “Smoking in outdoor areas poses little or no threat to anyone’s health. Banning smoking in parks and other areas where children congregate would be a gross overreaction. We wouldn’t encourage people to smoke around children but adults should be allowed to use their common sense.”

Professor Britton accepts the fact that smoking in open spaces does not harm others but he continues to say that the report "isn't just about protecting children from passive smoking, it's about taking smoke completely out of children's lives".

Public speaks up

A survey last year has come up with surprising results saying that 75% children whose parents smoke in cars want them to stop. More than 75% adults in another survey said that they would want a ban on smoking in outdoor areas where children frequent like parks and playgrounds.

Way forward

There are valid claims that banning smoking does not only protect the health of the children but also prevents them from adapting adult smoking behavior. The aims of RCP is to stop smoking completely.

The measures that law makers need to adopt according to the RCP suggest increase in the real price of tobacco, stop tobacco smuggling and illegal trading and stop the media from advertising to young people. They demand removal of cigarettes from display at shops and packaging should be generic and standardised. Decreasing images of smoking in films and television can be another important approach.

Sir Liam Donaldson, the Chief Medical Officer, applauded the effort saying. “This is a serious public health concern.” This report is in tune with the Government’s 10-year vision for tobacco control set out in its strategy for England, A Smokefree Future.

“Among the many commitments in that report are plans to do more to reduce smoking in homes and cars in which children are present,” Sir Liam added.

The report was considered “very valuable” and would be considered as part of the Department of Health’s review of the legislation in England in 2010.