LAJIS, RAZAK: Secondhand Smoke and Children’s Health
Razak Lajis 1 , Rahmat Awang 1, Foong Kin 1, Tan Yen Lian 1, Maizurah Omar 2
1Clearinghouse for Tobacco Control, National Poison Centre, University of Science Malaysia , Penang
2School of Arts, University of Science Malaysia , Penang

Health authorities around the world recognize that tobacco and secondhand smoke remain as the most appalling episode in the public health policy in many countries. As a measure to protect non-smokers, several countries have designated numerous public places and premises as non-smoking zones. Many new laws and regulations are enacted that restrict or ban smoking in public areas.

With almost 4000 chemicals being emitted from a burning cigarette which come out in the form of particles and gases, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has classified secondhand smoke as a class A carcinogen. Tobacco smoke is known to contain at least 60 carcinogens including benzene, formaldehyde, nitroamines and benzo(a)pyrenes. Continuous exposure to secondhand smoke will notably increase the levels of these compounds in the body.

Although the tobacco industries have to put up with the fact that smoking can lead to lung cancer, information gathered from tobacco industry documents show that they have yet to ardently admit the hazardous effects caused by the secondhand smoke.

Studies have shown that exposure to secondhand smoke has resulted in increasing the risk of asthma, bronchitis and pneumonia in children. Earlier studies have consistently shown that the children and infants exposed to secondhand smoke have experience significant increased in respiratory health problems. In short, it impairs the respiratory health of children besides other tobacco-related diseases such as lung cancer, low birth weight and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). The greater the exposure the higher the risk.

Recently, the National Poison Centre in collaboration with six other organizations from the United States of America , Canada , Australia and Thailand has carried out a survey acknowledged as the International Tobacco Policy Survey to study on the psychosocial and behaviour impact of tobacco control policies. Members of the group have designed a survey which incorporated a number of relevant questions related to the people knowledge and their perception on the health risk and health concerns of tobacco smoke.

This presentation will highlight the findings related to knowledge, awareness, attitude and practice of adult smoker, non-smokers and youth regarding SHS and its potential relationship with children exposure.