Passive smoke
Passive smoking is described as a form of second hand smoke that is a mixture of side stream smoke from the burning tip of a cigarette, and mainstream smoke exhaled by a smoker.
Legislation introducing smoke free public buildings and workplaces has reduced the exposure to passive smoking. In 2010 research on promoting smoke free homes concluded that smoke free homes can have a big impact on children, family members and visitors to that home.
A report in Canada suggested that besides offering practical protection against passive smoking, smoking bans also decreased the normative status of smoking, and may discourage people from taking up smoking as well as encourage smokers to quit smoking.
Did you know, all schools are smoke free zones!
In South Africa school going children start smoking as early as 13 years old, often resulting in early chronic disease diagnosis. Studies have revealed that adolescents are mostly influenced by the smoking habits of their parents and friends. It has been reported that young children who have experimented with smoking are more likely to have experienced second-hand smoke within their family, and those who associate with friends who smoke are at an increased risk.
The good news
Research also suggests that adolescents from homes with a total ban of smoking were less likely to have experimented with smoking, and this association remains regardless of the smoking habits of their peers.
Promoting smoke free homes works better when there is a community-wide school health project. Schools can take the initiative of increasing smoke free homes through educating school-aged children, as well as their parents, about the benefits of smoke-free homes as to reduce the children’s exposure to passive smoking, and to normalize the idea of a smoke-free environment among the school-aged children and the general public.
Did you know, no adult is allowed to smoke in the car if there are children in the car?
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