The amount of people who have health issues due to cigarette smoke does not surprise me one bit. In the United States, a lot of people have experienced being second hand smokers but probably none have it more difficult than do the children who have parents that smoke. According to the surgeon general, between 50 and 67 percent of children under the age of five live in a home with at least one adult smoker (Office of the Surgeon General, 2005). The surgeon general also points out that between 7,500 and 15,000 infants are hospitalized each year due to the negative effects that second hand smoke has on their lungs (Office of the Surgeon General, 2005).
As a society we must make an effort to stop careless smoking that may harm the future of our children. According to an article from Occupational Health, smoking restrictions created to stop people from experiencing the effects of second hand smoke have actually helped reduce suffering (Patton, 2008). Before restrictions were made more than half of a group of people were affected by the smoke of others, however once the restrictions were put into action, only nine percent of that same group of people were still being affected by the smoke of others (Patton, 2008). I am not exactly sure how but we must try and make restrictions that prevent adults from harming children via second hand smoke.
I do not believe that children should have to suffer long term health problems due the lack of responsibility taken by their parents. Even though smoking is a personal decision, parents who smoke should still educate their children on the dangers of smoking to try and prevent their children from becoming smokers in the future.
Works Cited
Joe Patton (2008). All puffed out? Occupational Health, 60(3), 21-22. Retrieved August 28, 2008, from ABI/INFORM Global database. (Document ID: 1453081501).
Office of the Surgeon General (2005) U.S. Surgeon General Celebrates “World No Tobacco Day 2005” as Part of “The Year of The Healthy Child”. Retrieved August 28, 2008 from U.S
Department of Health and Human Services