ASH Australia information parents children tobacco smoking Australia cigarettes


	ASH Australia: information for parents
	*In Australia, a child under 14 dies from tobacco every 10 days.* 140,000 Australian schoolchildren smoke regularly - and many more are exposed to tobacco smoke in homes, cars and public places. On this page you'll find resources for parents concerned about children, smoking and secondhand smoke. See below for... LATEST NEWS - political developments and new research LATEST RESEARCH - how smoking, passive and pre-birth intake harms children; and what influences children to smoke and not to smoke TOBACCO COMPANIES TARGET CHILDREN - despite their claims to the contrary ILLEGAL SUPPLY TO CHILDREN - and how it can be stopped OTHER RESOURCES - powerful anti-smoking ads, useful sites and services See how ASH and many other health and child welfare groups are campaigning to Protect children from tobacco See our smokers' page for info on how to quit LATEST NEWS See also latest HEALTH RESEARCH on tobacco and children "What's worse?" campaign launched 20/12/09: The Cancer Institute NSW has launched a new campaign, encouraging smokers to quit by emphasising the real health consequences of smoking - affecting not only the smoker, but the family. It shows a mother communicating the realities of her smoking-caused disease to her young children and ends with the tagline ‘Your smoking is not just about you’. The campaign will run through to February 2010 across NSW. See the ads at Cancer Institute NSW website ACT dining and drinking areas to be smokefree 8/12/09: The ACT Assembly has passed new laws making all public eating and drinking areas 100% smokefree, however enclosed or otherwise, by the end of 2010. Children's events will also be smokefree. See ABC News report 8/12/09 Happy New Year: Tobacco going out of sight in NSW and ACT shops 27/11/09: Tobacco products must be out of sight by January 1, 2010 in all retail outlets except tobacconists in the ACT, and "larger" retailers (more than 50 employees) in NSW. "Smaller" shops will follow by July 1, 2010. See NSWhealth info including legislation and factsheets These reforms weathered an aggressive tobacco industry scare campaign: see earlier ASH release 21/7/08 and Philip Morris scares retailers - and the truth about their arguments The ACT government will put tobacco out of sight in most shops by the end of 2009 and in tobacconists by end-2010 - the fastest deadline of any Australian state or territory. The new laws will also ban tobacco vending machines, flavoured/scented cigarettes, and remove tobacco from shopper reward schemes. The ACT is also considering submissions on protecting children from secondhand smoke in cars - most submissions very supportive. See ACT Tobacco Act and Information on the changes from 28/2/09 See Canberra Times report 1/3/09 Minister's earlier release on cars 2/2/09 ASH submission Protecting Children from Tobacco coalition submission WA tobacco bill passes both houses See WA bill and explanation under T: "Tobacco...2008" 17/9/09: A major bill to reform Western Australia's smokefree and anti-tobacco promotion laws has passed both houses of parliament. The Private Members' Bill proposed by independent MP Dr Janet Woollard will protect children, employees and public health by: - ending tobacco display in shops; - making cars carrying children under 17 smokefree; - making children's playgrounds and patrolled beaches smokefree; - making unlicensed al fresco dining areas, and 50% of licensed al frescoes, smokefree; and - strengthening rights of employees to refuse to work in smoking areas. Victorian child protection law proclaimed 18/8/09: Legislation to end shop display of tobacco and make cars carrying children smokefree has been proclaimed after passage by the Victorian parliament. The Tobacco Amendment (Protection of Children) Act 2009 will put all tobacco products out of sight in shops from Jan 2011; make cars carrying children under 18 smokefree from Jan 2010; and end sales of cigarettes from temporary outlets - e.g. race days, music festivals; and ban tobacco products targeting young people. See the bill at introduction See Victorian government strategy Tobacco industry's tricky fashion ploy 15/12/08: Cigarettes have been sold in upmarket fashion and hair outlets to lure young people into smoking. Behind the tactic was Australia's third largest tobacco company, Imperial Tobacco. The promotion was withdrawn after protests. See Sunday Mail, SA 14/12/08 NSW law a big win for children and health over tobacco pushers 13/11/08: NSW parliament has passed a new law which will put tobacco out of sight in most shops by early 2010 and make cars carrying children smokefree. The bill also tightens controls of selling, including from vending machines. See ASH media release 13/11/08 LATEST RESEARCH (see more health research on ASH Latest Research page) TOBACCO SMOKE HARMS CHILDREN IT'S A FACT - SMOKING, SECONDHAND (PASSIVE) SMOKING AND INTAKE OF TOBACCO SMOKE IN THE WOMB HARMS CHILDREN. *Health effects of smoking* See brief summary (updated 2007) from The Cancer Council NSW - and note that the evidence is growing all the time! Here are just some of the most recent studies... Smoking while pregnant almost triples risk of low birthweight 2/12/09: Smoking while pregnant almost triples the risk of low birthweight - on average, the smoker's baby will be more than 100gms lighter and half a centimetre shorter. The study, based on 1400 mother-baby pairs, has been published online in the European Journal of Pediatrics. Quitting early in pregnancy significantly lessens the reduction. See study abstract Secondhand exposure doubles children's lung cancer risk December 2009: Secondhand smoke exposure during childhood is associated with a more than doubled lung cancer risk among never smokers, says a study in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention. See study abstract Secondhand smoke doubles and worsens chronic rhinosinusitis Nov-Dec 2009: Childhood or current exposure to secondhand smoke more than doubles risk of chronic rhinosinusitis, suggests a Johns Hopkins University study in the American Journal of Rhinology and Allergy. Severity of the disease, which can causes nasal blockage, discharge and headaches, may also be worsened. See study abstract Study of smoke harm for children shows urgency of smokefree public places 24/11/09: A study showing secondhand smoke harm to blood vessels of toddlers and adolescents shows why we need public places - especially outdoor dining areas - 100% smokefree. Protecting Children from Tobacco has urged all Australian jurisdiction to follow Queensland's example. The study showed a combined impact of smoke exposure and obesity. See Protecting Children from Tobacco media release 24/11/09 Pregnant smoking boosts children's psychosis risk 30/9/09: Women who smoke when pregnant increase their babies' risk of developing psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations and delusions, according to a study in The British Journal of Psychiatry. The study of over 6000 12-year-olds by four UK universities showed maternal smoking led to an increase of 20% in these symptoms. See full study Secondhand smoke exposure increases preschoolers' behaviour problems 29/9/09: A survey of parents of over 5000 preschool-aged children in Bavaria, Germany, shows that exposure to secondhand smoke at home increases the reported incidence of hyperactivity/inattentiveness behaviour problems - more than doubling the incidence in children most exposed. The authors conclude that "Prevention of behavioural problems may be a further reason to target secondhand tobacco smoke exposure in children." Twardella et al (2009) in Acta Paediatrica - see study abstract Children's passive smoking may clog their arteries at an early age 24/7/09: It's not just older people's arteries that can be clogged by secondhand smoke exposure, suggests a new study in the European Heart Journal - children can suffer this harm at an early age. The Protecting Children from Tobacco coalition says the finding lends weight to its call for all child-accessible areas to be made smokefree by law. See Protecting Children from Tobacco media release 24/7/09 with link to the study abstract Secondhand exposure in pregnancy increases children's asthma symptoms 22/7/09: Pre-schoolers are 45% more likely to suffer asthma-related wheezing and rashes if their mother was exposed to secondhand smoke (SHS), says a study in Pediatric Allergy and Immunology. The authors conclude: "Public health policies should be oriented not only towards smoking cessation, but also reinforce elimination of [SHS] exposure of pregnant women." See abstract Under-3s' acute gastroenteritis risk doubled by passive smoking 20/5/09: Secondhand smoke exposure more than doubles young children's risk of acute gastroenteritis, says a 12-month study of 260 under-threes. See study abstract Secondhand smoke affects babies' brains to cause SIDS April 2009: Australian study shows not just prenatal smoke in utero but also secondhand smoke after birth changes babies' brains to make them more susceptible to Sudden Infant Death syndrome. See Brain journal abstract and link to full study See Sydney University report 23/4/09 *More studies on smoking and SIDS:* - Smoking when pregnant has double-whammy SIDS impact of lowering birthweight and damaging lungs. See 2008 US study abstract - Smoking now the main preventable factor in SIDS deaths. Research review shows more than 80% of mothers of SIDS victims are smokers. See 2007 review of studies See 2006 Lancet study Hear or read ASH comment on ABC radio's PM 16/10/07 Secondhand smoke implicated in teen footballer's sudden death December 2008: An autopsy in Italy has implicated secondhand smoke exposure in the sudden death of a 13-year-old boy while playing soccer. The University of Milan autopsy report published in the American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology pointed to the unusual coincidence of several heart conditions including atherosclerosis - well known as a factor in this condition in young people. It was noted that the boy lived in a house with four smokers, the authors calling for cardiovascular examination of young athletes to consider smoke exposure. See study abstract Passive smoking in cars may be hooking children July 2008: A survey of almost 1500 children aged 10-12 in Addictive Behaviors journal has found secondhand smoke exposure in cars may be linked with nicotine dependence symptoms. The authors suggest hat "If replicated, this finding provides support for interventions that promote non-smoking in motor vehicles." See study preview Secondhand smoke raises child ear infection risk 19/5/08: An Australian report has found ear infections could be cut by 16% in non-Aboriginal and 27% in Aboriginal children by removing secondhand smoke exposure. The report, by the Perth-based Telethon Institute for Child Health Research, appears in the latest edition of the Medical Journal of Australia. See Telethon Institute media release 19/5/08 Smoking stunts boys, doesn't make girls thinner 26/3/08: Smoking doesn't help girls lose weight - but it does make boys shorter by around 2.5cm, says a new study published in the Annals of Epidemiology. The study of over 400 boys and 400 girls aged 12-13 confirms earlier research about tobacco use and weight. See study abstract and Sydney Morning Herald report 26/3/08 Youths can be hooked in two days July '07: Study on youth dependence in Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine says some youths lose autonomyover tobacco within two days of first inhaling; dependence, withdrawal symptoms and failed cessation attempts can precede daily smoking. See abstract and link to full study Even low passive exposure causes child vascular harm June 07: Exposing children even to low levels of secondhand smoke increases their risk of developing cardiovascular disease in later life, says this study from Finland. See the study Smoking dads can pass damaged genes to children 1/6/07: Children can inherit genetic damage from smoking fathers, says this study in Cancer Research. The Canadian study used mice to show changes in the DNA sequence of sperm cells - changes that can be passed to offspring. See the study Other studies on genetic harm: - Smoking can also increase risk of passing obesity genes from father to son - See Genomics report 12/05 - Smoking while pregnant may cause permanent damage to foetal genes - increasing cancer risk in later life. See 2005 study Smoking is a heartbreaker - even for the young at heart 17/4/07: Though young adult smokers may seem healthy, smoking causes significant harm to their hearts, says a study in Chest journal. Regular smoking harms the heart's ability to relax between beats, reducing pumping capacity. Health groups want stronger government action to protect children from tobacco. See ASH/National Heart Foundation media release 17/4/07 See study abstract Pregnant women 'program' kids to smoke 28/11/06: Children whose mother smoked during pregnancy are almost three times more likely to take it up as teens, says Australian study in Tobacco Control. Addiction may be "programmed" into babies by nicotine through the umbilical cord. The study tracked more than 3000 mothers and 4500 children over more than 20 years. See Melbourne Age report 28/11/06 See full study Pregnant smokers' future offspring more likely to be obese in adolescence 14/6/06: Children of mothers who smoked during pregnancy are about 40% more likely to be obese in adolescence, says an Australian study of over 3,000 children study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology. See the study Babies may absorb smoke residue in the home 7/8/06: Crawling babies explore the world by touching - and tasting - anything they can get their wet little hands on. Including smoking residue. See research in USA Today 7/8/06 Parental smoking may boost child leukaemia risk 28/6/06: A study of smoking fathers has shown children suffer increased risk of leukaemia from their parents' secondhand smoke. The study has been published in the American Journal of Epidemiology (June 2006), 163:1091-1100. See study Smoking parents expose children to cancer-causing chemicals 12/5/06: New parents who smoke put their infants in danger because secondhand smoke contains cancer-causing chemicals, says a study in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. See HealthDay News report 12/5/06 See media report and study Pre-2006 research Smoking while pregnant linked to child hyperactivity and unruly behaviour (2005) Report in The Australian (2/8/05) on new UK study linking smoking while pregnant with antisocial behaviour and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). See also study abstract, British Journal of Psychiatry Parents' smoking may discolor kids' gums (2005) Secondhand smoke, say Japanese researchers, may discolour children's gums. Abstract in Pediatrics, August 2005. Cognitive harm to kids from secondhand smoke exposure Research shows passive smoke - even a little - shaves points off kids' IQ, harms reading, maths and reasoning skills. Just going outside isn't good enough (2004) SIDS & Kids says your smoking outdoors helps your kids - but not as much as giving up altogether. Passive smoke may damage children's hearts Research shows even moderate passive exposure can cause children to develop serious heart problems. Passive smoking link with kids' asthma German study finds maternal smoking has a significant impact in development of child asthma. And more on asthma... Kids from smoky homes more likely to miss school Study shows the impact of smoky homes on school absences due to respiratory illness. *WHAT INFLUENCES CHILDREN TO SMOKE (AND NOT TO SMOKE)?* Very good *Quit factsheet* outlines the best research evidence Exposure to shop display increases youth smoking 9/10/09: A study in Tobacco Control shows greater exposure to tobacco displays at point of sale is linked with increased youth smoking. The NZ study of 28,000 students aged 14-15 found youth exposure to shop displays " strongly associated" with starting and continuing smoking. Its authors recommend that "point of sale displays should be included as a part of a comprehensive ban on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship." Paynter et al, doi:10.1136/tc.2008.027482 Tobacco Control 2009;18;268-274 See full study pdf Watching smoky movies can double teen uptake 30/3/09: Exposure to high levels of smoking scenes in movies can double smoking uptake between early teens and young adulthood, says a US study in Pediatrics journal. See study ASH and our allies want "counter-ads" shown in front of any film with smoking - an effective way to dull the impact of smoking images. Please go to this Cancer Council NSW webpage for more information. Family has big influence on quitting 19/9/05: Family plays a bit part in helping people quit smoking, says this release from the Cancer Institute NSW. Kids learn early to choose tobacco, study finds 10/09/05: Children as young as two are influenced by whether their parents smoke. In a study of 2 to 6-year-olds, children who were told to "shop" for groceries for a doll were four times more likely to choose cigarettes if their parents smoked. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. TOBACCO COMPANIES TARGET CHILDREN See US court judgment on tobacco industry's history of targeting children How big tobacco promotes smoking to young people Despite advertising bans, the tobacco industry is still using a range of channels - film, fashion, music and publications - to hook their mostly young target markets. See 2004 article Promoting tobacco to the young in the age of advertising bans - by Greg Soulos (The Cancer Council NSW) and Stafford Sanders (ASH Australia). An edited version was also published in the NSW Public Health Bulletin 15(5-6) May-June 2004. Exposure to shop display increases youth smoking 9/10/09: A study in Tobacco Control shows greater exposure to tobacco displays at point of sale is linked with increased youth smoking. The NZ study of 28,000 students aged 14-15 found youth exposure to shop displays " strongly associated" with starting and continuing smoking. Its authors recommend that "point of sale displays should be included as a part of a comprehensive ban on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship." doi:10.1136/tc.2008.027482 Tob. Control 2009;18;268-274 See full study pdf Film smoking encourages kids to light up 2003 study (in The Lancet) shows on-screen smoking encourages kids to smoke. See our slideshow Behind the SmokeScreen on youth impact of on-screen smoking and possible actions to counter it. See The Cancer Council NSW Smoking in movies webpages with links to taking action - including current campaign: ILLEGAL SUPPLY TO CHILDREN Even though it's illegal to supply cigarettes to children, over 140,000 Australian school children are weekly smokers - and up to a quarter obtain their cigarettes from retailers (ASSAD survey 2007). For best practice on compliance monitoring and enforcement see National Drug Strategy report - including statement that legal advice confirms it is not entrapment to involve young people in test operations. See what Australian and overseas governments are doing about Protecting children from tobacco Tobacco sales to children (2007 factsheet) Access to cigarettes by minors is still a major problem despite laws that fine retailers for the illegal supply of cigarettes to young people under 18. Selling death to kids Do you have information about tobacco smuggling, illegal sales to kids or trading in illicit tobacco, known as "chop chop"? If so, report law breakers to the Australian Tax Office's hot line at 1800 060 062 or email illegaltobacco@ato.gov.au with details. OTHER RESOURCES See our smokers' page for info on how to quit Protecting children from tobacco ASH and partners' coalition - with news, research and resources on smoke exposure and tobacco promotion to children - and how to prevent it. Retail display of tobacco - how it encourages children to smoke, and why health groups want it out of sight. Smoke exposure of children in cars, dining areas and other public places. And more. Smarter than Smoking Good WA-based site for people working in schools, communities and other youth settings. Info and resources to help prevent young people from starting to smoke. Powerful anti-smoking ads on YouTube Have a look at some of these moving and sad videos from around the world about tobacco and its impact on smokers and their families. See also very moving ads from WA featuring Zita Roberts who died at 38, and her family. OxyGen A very useful website created and funded by the South Australian Smoking and Health Project, Smarter than Smoking Project (WA) and Quit Victoria to promote and encourage healthy lifestyle choices and provide information on the impact of tobacco. Car and Home: Smoke Free Zone Website of the ETS & Children Project - dangers of passive smoke to children and what can be done. From ETS & Children Taskforce (NSW Health, SIDS, Asthma, Heart, Cancer). Smoking, smoke exposure and SIDS 2009 position paper from SIDSandKids on tobacco smoke exposure - a major cause of infant death.
	Page last updated on 21/12/09

ASH Australia: information for parents

ASH Australia:
information for parents