Passive smoking does not only increase a person’s risk of developing lung cancer but also the risk of developing other health conditions as well as exacerbation of pre-existing health problems. Infants and children who are passive smokers are at risk of more frequent and severe asthma attacks, respiratory infections, ear infections, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). For adult passive smokers, exposure to secondhand smoke has immediate adverse effects on blood and blood vessels, increasing the risk of having a heart attack or stroke.
What can you do to protect yourself and your children from secondhand smoke?
The best thing you can do to protect your family from secondhand smoke is to quit smoking altogether. This eliminates the potential exposure of passive smokers towards tobacco smoke and its residue in the house, car and clothes. In Malaysia, hundreds of mQuit clinics have been set up in the country to provide adequate and effective help for smokers to quit. Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) with nicotine patches or gums can also help you get over cravings. Other steps that you can take in the meantime includes:
- Making sure that your house and car remain smoke-free. Passive smokers breathe in secondhand smoke at home more than any other place.
- Ensure that caretakers like nannies, babysitters, and day care staff do not smoke around you and your family.
- Eat at smoke-free restaurants and dining places. Avoid indoor public places that allow smoking.
- Teach your children to stay away from secondhand smoke or cover their mouth and nose when walking through a group of smokers. Better yet, notify smokers who are smoking near you that you are not comfortable with tobacco smoke.
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