No Amount of Secondhand Smoke is Safe

Even when you can’t smell it, cigarette smoke can still harm your child.

• Opening a window or using a fan does not protect children.

• Air purifiers and air fresheners do not remove smoke’s poisons (or smell).

• Smoke from one cigarette can stay in a room for hours. Don’t smoke at home, even when children aren’t there.

We must protect children from secondhand smoke everywhere.

-          Secondhand smoke contains more than 4,000 chemical compounds, many of which increase the risk of cancer and heart disease.

-          Breathing in secondhand smoke can irritate our airways, allergies, increase ear infections and even trigger asthma attacks.

-          The only place to completely avoid the effects of secondhand smoke is in a totally SMOKE- FREE environment!

Take simple steps to protect your children from secondhand smoke.

• Ask people not to smoke around your children.

• Support family and friends who also want to stop smoking.

• Decide to have a smoke-free home and car, and ask family and friends to respect your decision.

Children respect and learn from your actions and words. As caregivers, we teach our children by the choices we make.

BREATHE HEALTHY!!

For more information on protecting children from secondhand smoke, please visit

www.cdc.gov/tobacco or call: 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669).