Passive smoking affects all children, even non-smokers

While children of smokers are more exposed than others to second-hand smoke regardless of the precautions taken by parents, children of non-smokers are also significantly exposed, an Israeli study indicates. The diversity of sources of exposure draws particular attention to tobacco smoke emissions around homes.

Children are particularly vulnerable to second-hand smoke and pay a heavy price in terms of morbidity and mortality. Many studies have already shown that children of smokers are particularly exposed to second-hand smoke and tertiary, despite the precautions that smoking parents can take within their home.

An Israeli study confirms this work and highlights that children from non-smoking homes are also affected by this phenomenon, to a lesser extent.[1]Several hypotheses are put forward to explain these results and some recommendations are formulated to remedy them.

Children of smokers more exposed

The Israeli research is based on two studies that used an analysis of traces of nicotine in children's hair. One of the studies involved children of smokers, distinguishing between indoor and outdoor locations in their homes where at least one parent smoked. The other study involved children living in homes where both parents were nonsmokers.

The results show traces of nicotine present in 69 % of children from smoking homes, compared to 35 % of those from non-smoking homes. Among children from homes where at least one of the two parents smokes, variations in the place of tobacco consumption have little influence: while 75 % of children show traces of nicotine when the parents smoke in the home (whether in a dedicated room or in the entire home), 71 % do so when the parent smokes in the yard or garden, and 62 % when the parent smokes in front of a porch or on a balcony.

The high exposure of children of smokers to second-hand and third-hand smoke is comparable to that observed in other studies. It is highest when smoking occurs inside the home, but remains very high when the parent smokes outside. On this last point, the authors put forward the idea of a reflux of tobacco smoke towards the interior of homes, but also emphasize that smoking parents carry third-hand smoke particles on their fingers and clothing, which they deposit in their homes or directly on their children. The level of education of parents, erroneous beliefs about the diffusion of tobacco smoke and the number of cigarettes smoked can clearly influence the extent of children's exposure to nicotine. Smoking in a covered outdoor space, such as a restaurant terrace, for example, increases exposure to tobacco smoke by half compared to an uncovered outdoor space.[2].

Exposure of children of non-smokers raises questions

The presence of traces of nicotine in the hair of a third of children from non-smoking homes still leaves many questions as to their origin. They could come from smoke from other neighboring homes in collective housing, from smokers passing through the home, from third-party smoke deposits left by previous occupants of the home, or from contamination outside the home, by staying in other homes, in smokers' vehicles or in public spaces. However, the very small number of people in this research, particularly for the part concerning children of non-smokers, does not allow us to better identify the sources from which children's exposure to nicotine could come.

Among the recommendations issued by the researchers, the priority is to ban smoking within a perimeter of at least 9 meters from a home, a child or a vehicle transporting a child. They also suggest an intensive campaign to raise awareness among parents to better protect their children and their homes from smoke. Encouraging parents to quit smoking is obvious, but it is not enough to completely prevent children from being exposed. Increasing the denormalization of tobacco in society and relaunching the Plan for the Reduction of Tobacco Use and its Harms in Israel are other logical steps to limit children's exposure.

Keywords: Israel, children, passive smoking, second-hand smoke, third-hand smoke.

©Generation Without Tobacco

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[1] Rosen LJ, Zucker DM, Gravely S, Bitan M, Rule AM, Myers V. Tobacco Smoke Exposure According to Location of Home Smoking in Israel: Findings from the Project Zero Exposure Study. Int. J. Approx. Res. Public Health. 2023; 20(4):3523.

[2] CameronM, Brennan E, Durkin S, Borland R, Travers M, Hyland A, Spitta M, Wakefield M. Secondhand smoke exposure (PM 2.5) in outdoor dining areas and its correlates. Tom. Control 2010, 19, 19–23.

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