Smoking and Children

[Olive 10]

[quote

Whenever someone smokes, toxic particulate matter gets into that person's hair and clothes. In addition, a smoker exhales toxins for several minutes after extinguishing the cigarette.

 

When a smoker comes into contact with your baby, even if she's not smoking at the time, your baby is exposed to those toxins. And if you're a smoker and you breastfeed, the toxins are transferred to your baby through your breast milk. (Even if you're a smoker, though, nursing your baby is better than bottle-feeding her.)

 

Also, smoking inside your home isn't safe even when your baby's not there. The toxic particulates from the smoke settle on surfaces throughout the house and stay there long after the visible smoke dissipates. Pediatrician Jonathan Winickoff at the American Academy of Pediatrics' Richmond Center and Harvard Medical School coined the term "thirdhand" smoke to describe this kind of tobacco-smoke contamination.

 

It's all about risk and perspective. Toxins linger. But what risk does this pose? Is it say, as dangerous as walking down the street breathing in car fumes? How often do the grandparents visit? Is it a case of lingering toxins for a few minutes once a week?

 

If the exposure and the risk is not big, then maybe better to put up with it for the sake of bringing up the baby in a happy family circle. If the grandparents were blowing smoke rings into the pram, then definitely something to put a stop to. Some battles are worth fighting, others aren't.

[Dingus 10]

I agree that smoking in front of a baby is a no no but don't cars and buses also pump out carbo monoxide and other harmful chemicals. Especially if you think that a baby in a pram is at the same level as bus and car exhausts.

 

I probably wouldn't have a car running in the same room as a baby either.

[SnailyBoy 10]

That's a shame, I thought you were going to show more of your 'numbers up' research.

 

Perhaps you'd like to expand on that snide comment as my comments were actually factual, where yours are just malicious digs. The following sentence in bold is 100% true.

 

I was talking to a friend the other day and she has a friend who'd died of cancer at 40, never smoked, never drank, exercised, fit as a flea and she said if I can get cancer anyone can. You don't need to smoke or drink to get these diseases, and as soon as you see this you'll perhaps understand.

 

It's life it doesn't matter if you're tall, small, fat, thin, healthy or unhealthy when your numbers up its up. Look how many supposedly fit people drop dead at the end of a marathon or half marathon, there's never a call to ban those.

 

You need to understand the difference between a 'fact' and an 'opinion'

[francypants 441]

[[/quote How often do the grandparents visit? Is it a case of lingering toxins for a few minutes once a week?

 

If the exposure and the risk is not big, then maybe better to put up with it for the sake of bringing up the baby in a happy family circle. If the grandparents were blowing smoke rings into the pram, then definitely something to put a stop to. Some battles are worth fighting, others aren't.

 

 

I have a feeling that the OP is using the smoking thing as an excuse for some other problem she has with the baby's grandparents. This doesn't sound like a happy family circle at all.

[Gazza58 10]

I have a feeling that the OP is using the smoking thing as an excuse for some other problem she has with the baby's grandparents. This doesn't sound like a happy family circle at all.

 

I think you might have a point.

[Clik32 10]

Well well well, this forum gets more unfriendly by the second. There's nothing wrong with our family but I don't think I'm been unreasonable saying I don't want my child to smell of smoke! Picture the scene, less than 12 hours old, held for 5 minutes by a smoker and stinking of their fags?! Not normal! And neeeek don't tell me to get a grip. This place was full of friendly people at the beginning and now is been overtaken by keyboard warriors! I asked for opinions not insults!!

[nikita 10]

Well well well, this forum gets more unfriendly by the second. There's nothing wrong with our family but I don't think I'm been unreasonable saying I don't want my child to smell of smoke! Picture the scene, less than 12 hours old, held for 5 minutes by a smoker and stinking of their fags?! Not normal! And neeeek don't tell me to get a grip. This place was full of friendly people at the beginning and now is been overtaken by keyboard warriors! I asked for opinions not insults!!

 

I agree and i would think most new mums would as well..Take no notice i wonder how many of the negative ones have ever given birth.

Who wants a new born having to smell second hand ciggy smell.tell them where to go.

[pottedplant 10]

My parents and grandparents used to think nothing of taking us out in the car and smoking with the windows closed...even when we were babies. But then we never had car seats either! Guess H&S wasn't such a big deal back then, which is why the older generation don't see the harm in holding a baby in a top that may smell of smoke.

You need to find a common ground here....maybe suggest meeting somewhere neutral like a restaurant or cafe instead.

 

but presumably the grandparents would still be wearing smelly clothes even in a cafe?

 

---------- Post added 20-05-2013 at 22:28 ----------

 

Such rot SOME people are talking on here.

 

The way some of these overprotective parents are going on these kids will be dead at 30. No exposure to germs / toxins / pollution / radiation / dirt / animals / non organic pure foods / anything other than water etc...etc...

 

All this wrapping up the little darling in cotton wool is just rediculous.

 

YES smoking round a child is bad. But dont tell me that clothing is now harmful. Jesus tonight, if we are talking about toxins lingering in the fabric - ever looked at the contents of most washing detergents, cosmetics, perfumes and deoderants. Any idea of what airborne crap will become in contact with such clothing just between walking from the car into a house. Ever thought of what might happen if you keep a child in an entirely sterile environment 24/7. What about germs and toxins all over the childs own clothes. Just what is in those cleaning products and baby wipes. How about (god forbid) the air they breathe all day. Ever looked into how much dead skin, microbes of faeces, dust mite droppings and other substances gather in blankets, bedding, carpets...

 

SHOCK HORROR. Lets grow up a bit here - its pathetic!!. An occasional faint wiff of bensons on my t-shirt is hardly going to be harmful to the child. If it really is that much of a problem then I can guarantee the first time the little brat steps outdoors they are a goner

 

Agree with every word you say. Surely the pollutants from cars, areosols, detergents are just as harmful. And what about pet dander?

[Dingus 10]

Well well well, this forum gets more unfriendly by the second. There's nothing wrong with our family but I don't think I'm been unreasonable saying I don't want my child to smell of smoke! Picture the scene, less than 12 hours old, held for 5 minutes by a smoker and stinking of their fags?! Not normal! And neeeek don't tell me to get a grip. This place was full of friendly people at the beginning and now is been overtaken by keyboard warriors! I asked for opinions not insults!!

 

I wouldn't worry. There are folk on here who don't get out. They have nothing better to do than sit on the forum all evening trying find fault with folk . The reason many are stuck on here with nothing better to do is because they smoke. They stink of smoke and no one wants them around. They'll be back from work same time tomorrow for another shift.

[RJRB 684]

It's your baby,you do what you see fit.

I can't see you being any the wiser for asking for opinions on here.

Anything to do with smoking follows the predictable Forum route and gives the opportunity for the holier than thou mob to unite in a common cause.

Hope your baby grows up as a tolerant,intelligent and healthy person.

[Rupert_Baehr 10]

The problem is, Clik, some of us are picturing the scene - and the picture we are seeing is not the one you see.

 

I was born in (and survived) the 1950s. People smoked - and they smoked around me, too. Nobody thought there was anything wrong with tobacco smoke then.

 

we now know better ... but are the reactions to tobacco smoke today over-reactions? It could be argued that if young people are 'really worried' (I won't use the word 'scared' - it'ss a bit extreme ... but in many cases, it's true) about tobacco smoke, then they won't start and that's a good thing.

 

In Feb 2011 I was at Patrick AFB (near where I now live) and a young female Air Force Lieutenant came out of a building about 50metres north of where I was. She looked (North) down the road and saw a man - about 100 metres away - smoking.

 

She was concerned. Smoking is bad for your health and she didn't want to breathe smoke. (I don't know what sort of lungs she'd got, but at 100 metres you'd need pretty impressive lung power to inhale smoke from 100 metres away)

 

She panicked, didn't look where she was going and stepped straight out into the road. She was hit by a passing car.

 

Not the car driver's fault - she stepped out straight in front of him.

 

Not the smoker's fault - he was going about his 'lawful occasion' 100 metres away - nothing to do with her.

 

I did the police report (only independent witness.) Fortunately, she wasn't badly hurt (minor bruising.)

 

She was stupid. She could've lost her life by not thinking. You can't blame that on smoking (though at first, she tried to!)

 

You don't want your kid around cigarettes - good for you.

 

BUT:

 

The mere SMELL of tobacco (on clothing ) is not, a health hazard - even to a tiny babe. Tobacco smoke is extremely pungent, but the levels of toxins in the smoke are not positively correlated with the smell.

 

By all means keep your child away from tobacco smoke - and try even harder to keep him/her away from Carbon Monoxide (a known lethal toxin found in large quantities in car exhausts )- and a car kicks out many hundreds of times as much poison per minute as does a smoker.)

 

CO is unfortunately, 'Smell-free'. You won't know when your child has been exposed to it... unless, of course, you keep him/her away from all possible sources.

 

Unfortunately (though it doesn't really matter too much - because even kids are tough) you can't protect your child from everything. Just do your best and chill out.

 

Even if your kid does come near a stinky grandparent from time to time, (s)he is not going to be at 'significant risk' and I think you might find that the advantages to your child of the love (s)he is likely to receive from the grandparent are far greater than the risks.

 

MY great-Aunt (my Great-grandmother's younger sister) put an (untipped) cigarette in my bubble pipe and lit it when I was 3.

 

Nowadays, that would constitute a criminal offence.

 

I didn't die (obviously) but I thought I was going to!

[Clik32 10]

I don't want her near smoke and I don't want her smelling of it either! Why would I want my baby smelling of that, harmful or not?! Smoking is a lifestyle choice and my choice is not to smoke simple as so why should I let someone else do it near my baby