How to Protect Your Kids from Secondhand Smoke

How to Protect Your Kids from Secondhand Smoke
Secondhand smoke is the combination of smoke that comes from a cigarette and smoke breathed out by a smoker. When a non-smoker is around someone smoking, they breathe in secondhand smoke.

Secondhand smoke is dangerous to anyone who breathes it in. There is no safe amount of secondhand smoke. It contains over 7,000 harmful chemicals, at least 250 of which are known to damage your health. It can also stay in the air for several hours after somebody smokes. Even breathing secondhand smoke for a short amount of time can hurt your body.
Here 6 steps How to Protect Your Kids from Secondhand Smoke :
1.   Don’t Believe the Myths
Many adults think they understand the dangers of secondhand smoke. But they are exposing their children to harmful effects of secondhand smoke when they believe they are limiting their exposure.
Don’t buy into the myths. Find out more about the myths of secondhand smoke and other ways to use the health of your kids as motivation to quit

2.   Smoke outdoors.
Make it a rule to never smoke inside the home, even in the middle of winter. Indoor smoke builds up and anyone in proximity to that smoke is a target of the carcinogenic chemicals and respiratory irritants cigarette smoke contains. The chemical particles also fall onto the household furniture, upholstery and walls, and continue to emit potentially damaging chemicals long after the cigarette is extinguished, not to mention the stale odor of tobacco smoke. Standing on your driveway and lighting up may be bad for people who pass by, and smoke in the yard can easily go over walls and fences, however, smoking outdoors is always the best choice: The smoke will naturally dissipate much faster outdoors than indoors. Smoking in your home is similar to smoking in a car with the windows rolled up, except that the effects are more instant in a car rather than more long term in a home.

3.   Explain the dangers when kids are old enough to understand.

4.   Never smoke in the car.
It is never okay to smoke in a car when you have kids, even when your kids are not in the car with you, because the smoke residue lingers and off-gases when the kids are in the car. Rolling down a window helps some, but can blow the smoke directly into your kids' faces.

5.   Avoiding indoor public places that allow smoking

6.   Ask babysitters not to smoke.
This can be difficult, especially if you are asking grandparents or friends to babysit, but you must be firm for the sake of your children's health.