We make sure that our children are safe. We put them in car seats. We have them wear helmets when riding bikes. We make sure they get plenty of vegetables and protein each day. We make sure they brush their teeth and say their prayers. We give them their vitamin each evening. We do everything that we can as parents to make sure that our children are able to lead happy healthy lives....that is unless we are talking second hand smoke. Children who have are exposed to second hand smoke on a regular basis (including having a smoking mother while in vitro) usually have several medical issues as children and up into adult life. Reactive airway disease is a common childhood illness from second hand smoke. This includes asthma, bronchitis, and chronic bronchitis. When one is continuously around second hand smoke, the following illnesses can result: emphysema, coronary heart disease, peripheral vascular disease, and cancer. I believe that it is child abuse to smoke around children. It is a terrible thing to submit children to something which they have no defense against. Parents sometimes will say that they only smoke outside. It is unfortunate that people believe that this makes everything ok. They bring in that horrible smell and poisons (yes poison) on their clothing.

It should be considered a crime to have parents smoke around their children. We need to love our children enough to stop smoking. We need to love our children enough to prevent second hand smoke issues. We need to take care of our children and not feed our addictions.

Learn more about this author, Renee Dawson.
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