Smoker in the Home

• A child breathes ten to fifteen times per minute. Irritants such as cigarette smoke can cause serious health problems for a child.
• Exposing a child to secondhand smoke is a form of child abuse because children cannot control the amount or length of their exposure.
• Secondhand smoke can damage developing organs such as the brain and lungs.
• Children exposed to secondhand smoke have a high risk of developing multiple health problems: pneumonia, bronchitis, ear infections, and asthma.
• A child with asthma who is exposed to secondhand smoke has an increased risk of an asthma attack.

• University Hospitals of Cleveland Community Safety and Resource Center: Coordinator will assist and teach staff regarding education programs. Call (216) 844-6229.
  
• Akron Children’s Hospital - Smoking and Secondhand Smoke:
  www.akronchildrens.org/cms/tips/e08fffd84b4f2085/index.html
• CDC - Smoking & Tobacco Use:
  www.cdc.gov/tobacco
• Environmental Protection Agency:
  www.epa.gov/smokefree
• American Cancer Society - Great American Smokeout Challenge: www.cancer.org/docroot/subsite/greatamericans/Smokeout.asp
• American Lung Association:
  www.lungusa.org