Nursery World - A Unique Child: Health

The law banning smoking in cars is addressing what is currently a
significant health risk for children, says Public Health England.

We know that second-hand cigarette smoke is very harmful. Over 80 per cent of it is invisible, but its health impact can become all too clear over time. It is especially dangerous for children and young people, who are often passive smokers against their will and are put at greater risk of conditions such as meningitis, asthma and cancer. On 1 October, a law came into force to help tackle this problem, making it illegal to smoke in a vehicle with anyone under the age of 18.

Some three million children a year are currently exposed to second-hand smoke in a car and about 200 of them have to visit their GP every week because of issues related to smoking. Second-hand smoke, especially in somewhere as enclosed as a car, is a huge threat to children. This is because they breathe faster than adults and so the smoke can be even more dangerous to them.

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