Tobacco Use

Tobacco Use: Children exposed to secondhand smoke

Tobacco is one of the products that are widely used across the world. It is smoked by the young and the old. Countries have different regulations on tobacco use for health reasons. In the US, about 4 out of 10 children are exposed to secondhand smoking, accentuating the severity of the problem. The use of tobacco is a concern to public health because of the adverse effect of the smoke on the respiratory system (Ningsih, 2018). Children’s exposure to secondhand smoke from tobacco is of grave concern to public health because of their weak body immunity. The topic of tobacco use and exposure of children to secondhand smoke is important because of the growing cases of smoking-related health issues.  Children are more vulnerable to the effects of secondhand smoke because of their weak immune system that cannot handle the smoke as it is with adults. It is imperative to note that secondhand smoking exposes children to the same chemicals as smokers. Tobacco smoke has cancer-causing chemicals such as vinyl chloride, benzene, polonium 210, and formaldehyde. It also contains dangerous gases that include hydrogen cyanide, toluene, carbon monoxide, and butane, which harm children when exposed to it through secondary smoking (Ningsih, 2018). The exposure of children to the aforementioned chemicals increases the vulnerability of children to health challenges. Sensitizing society about the effect of smoking on children is important to health promotion among young people.

Approaches To Educate the Society about Secondhand Smoke in Children

Children are usually overlooked when parents and adults members smoke in their presence. Cultural values do not give them a say in protesting their parents or old members of the family’s smoking habit, especially where their lives are at risk. It is assumed that adults have a right to live their lives devoid of constraints from children (Hajizadeh & Nandi, 2016). In this respect, educating communities about the dangers of exposing children to secondary smoking is handy in managing the problem.

Media campaigns can also be used to reach out to smokers and the general public about the effects of secondhand smoke on children. Smokers are likely to be sensitive about children’s health if they are properly enlightened on the adverse impact of tobacco smoke on the underage (Agaku et al., 2021). Therefore, television, radio, social media, and newspapers can be used to teach society the health effects of secondary smoking on children. Moreover, seminars or promotional events can be organized in most affected areas such as ghettoes.

The campaign to enlighten the population about the effects of secondhand smoking on children would also include talks with children in schools and from church centers. Children who understand the negative impact of secondary smoking on their bodies are likely to move away from smoking areas or protest when adults smoke within their areas (Agaku et al., 2021). The education should be diversified to address the issue effectively. In this respect, organizing talks with children would also be an important approach to enlightening society about

Ways to Promote Lifestyle Changes

Healthy lifestyles include avoiding smoking as a way of keeping secondhand smoke at bay. Smoke-free societies guarantee their children freedom from the adverse effects of secondary smoking. Families can be encouraged to protect their children from tobacco smoke by ending in-house smoking of tobacco. Parents or adults members of the family who smoke can get over this or opt to smoke in safe places where children are not present or can be reached by the smoke (Agaku et al., 2021). Responsible adults have to protect their children from foreseeable health hazards that came with secondhand smoking.

Parents and guardians would also be involved in the campaign to protect children from secondary smoking. The involvement of the adults is handy in changing their lifestyles from unhealthy to healthy, especially where smoking is involved. Hajizadeh and Nandi (2016) establish that parents are a major factor in perpetuating secondary smoking among children. In this respect, their involvement in the topic is needed to help address the health risks the young people are predisposed to through secondary smoking.

Health promotion strategies

The problem of secondhand smoke among children requires a wide range of strategies to promote good health in society. One of the strategies to attain this is the use of advocacy campaign can be explored to sensitize society about the adverse effects of the use of tobacco in the presence of children. Secondhand smoke is more dangerous than firsthand smoke because the recipients consume the most dangerous part of it (Kloepfer, 2019). Tobacco has nicotine that is harmful to smokers. The material is too strong for children and would predispose them to lung illness, slowed or distorted development, and unnecessary irritation of the respiratory system. Advocacy is the best tool for raising society’s awareness about the effects of smoking on children (Hajizadeh & Nandi, 2016). Therefore, through the campaign, adult community members can understand the risk they put children to through secondary smoking.

Moreover, the behavioral change strategy would be used to change the adult smokers’ behavior before children. Responsible use of tobacco is needed to protect children from secondary smoke (Agaku et al., 2021). The best way to attain this is to change the behaviors of smokers, especially those who have children in their homes. Most of the secondhand smoking happens in homes because adults are less restricted in their private space. In public, government restrictions effectively protect children from secondhand smoking of tobacco (Hajizadeh & Nandi, 2016). Nevertheless, once in their homes, irresponsible adults smoke in close range with the underage, underpinning the persistence of secondary smoking among children.  Consequently, a campaign to change societal behavior towards the protection of children from secondary smoking within homes is needed to address the health issue at hand.

In conclusion, tobacco use and secondhand smoke among children is a big concern to public healthcare because of its far-reaching health implications. The smoke exposes children to similar chemicals as smokers, predisposing them to a myriad of health complications that include respiratory diseases, cancers, poisoning, and sudden death. Sensitizing the public about the harmful effect of tobacco smoke on children is required to instill a sense of responsibility among smokers and change society’s lifestyles from high risk to health. Mainstream media, social media, promotional events, and talks with children can be explored to achieve awareness.

References

Agaku, I., Tsafa, T., Nikitara, K., & Odani, S. (2021). Familial secondhand smoke: Tobacco use and adoption of smoke-free home and car rules among US parents. Population Medicine, 3(August), 1-11.

Hajizadeh, M., & Nandi, A. (2016). The socioeconomic gradient of secondhand smoke exposure in children: evidence from 26 low-income and middle-income countries. Tobacco Control, 25(e2), e146-e155. https://doi.org/10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2015-052828.

Kloepfer, K. (2019). Secondhand Smoke Exposure and Asthma Outcomes among African-American and Latino Children with Asthma. Pediatrics, 144(Supplement 1), S12.1-S12.

Ningsih, T. (2018). Public poll for support 100 % smoke-free area regulation to protect children from secondhand smoke exposure in big cities on 8 provinces in Indonesia. Tobacco Induced Diseases, 16(3). https://doi.org/10.18332/tid/95142.