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Secondhand smoke affects all of us, there is no doubt about it. Our children though, are much more vulnerable and passive smoking is having a serious effect on their health. The latest report by the U.S. Surgeon General in 2006 on "The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke" shows that parents who smoke are putting their children at risk of having health problems, contributing to:

• Asthma
• Wheezing
• Bronchial Problems
• Respiratory Infections
• Middle Ear Infections

These are only some the immediate symptoms; exposing our children to passive smoke even for a short period of time has harmful effects. In the longer term, passive smoking endangers our children even more, with further evidence that secondhand smoke can cause, or contribute to, various types of cancer, as well as heart disease in later life.

The passive smoke effects on children do not stop there. Pregnant women who smoke are putting their newborn babies in danger of crib death, or SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). There is also evidence to suggest that babies who have been exposed to passive smoke during the pregnancy can be born early, and that their birth weight could be affected.

Mothers who smoke are risking their infant's or young children's health too, as passive smoke can exacerbate lower respiratory problems, leading to bronchitis or pneumonia. The current evidence also shows that the harmful effects of passive smoke may have a link to childhood leukemia.

For school-age children, we are continuing to put them at risk from passive smoke, whether at home, visiting friends or in any non smoke-free environment that they spend time in. Asthma symptoms are not only made worse for children who live in a smoking household, passive smoke can actually cause coughs, wheezing and childhood asthma.

Protecting our children from the deadly effects of passive smoke should be a top priority, for smoking and non-smoking parents. Those of us who do smoke need to realise that opening a window, or smoking in another area of the home is not enough. If you are a smoker, you need to seriously consider changing your habits; do not smoke in your car, or in any room in your home! Whether you or anyone else in your family is a smoker or not, ask your visitors not to expose your children to passive smoke. It also very important that your children are not subjected to passive smoke in their schools or childcare facilities, or any other place where children's activities are carried out.

Caring parents must take the passive smoke effects on children seriously, and protect our young people from the health risks, starting now!