For Immediate Release:                        For More Information Contact:

September  2005                        Margaret Leas, RN

                        Rolette County Public Health

                        701-477-5646

                         mleas@state.nd.us

Top 10 Tips To Prevent Tobacco Exposure in Children

Rolette County, N.D. – Earlier this year, Surgeon General Richard H. Carmona, M.D., M.P.H., declared 2005 “The Year of the Healthy Child.” As part of his campaign to promote healthy children, he offered 10 tips to prevent children from being exposed to secondhand smoke and from becoming tobacco users themselves. The Rolette County Public Health encourages parents to review these tips and do what they can to help their children grow up healthy and tobacco-free.

“As school gets back into full swing, youngsters will start getting information from their teachers about how to make healthy choices in their lives, including why they should not use tobacco,” said Margaret Leas, RN with the Rolette County Public Health District. “Parents should read and heed the Surgeon General’s tips. Following through on these suggestions will complement the information provided by schools and will ensure that your children live in a safe, tobacco-free environment.”

The Surgeon General’s 10 tips for preventing tobacco exposure in children are:

1.      Stop smoking! More than half of all adult smokers have quit smoking. You can too. Get help from the North Dakota Tobacco Quitline at 1.866.388.QUIT or the Rolette County Public Health District.

2.      Don’t smoke if you are pregnant. Smoking during pregnancy can lead to a low birth-weight baby and can reduce your baby’s lung function. Even exposure to secondhand smoke can have long-term effects on your baby’s respiratory health.

3.      Don’t allow smoking in your home. Children’s exposure to secondhand smoke in the home should be eliminated. Smoke lingers in the air and in fabrics and children can still be exposed even if no one is smoking while they are present.

4.      Don’t smoke while holding a child or when near a child. The closer a cigarette is to your child, the higher the concentration and quantity of disease-causing smoke he or she breathes in. Cigarettes also can cause burns and fires.

5.      Do not allow smoking in your motor vehicle. The high concentration of smoke in a small, closed compartment like a car can significantly increase the health risks associated with secondhand smoke.

6.      Be certain your children’s schools and child-care facilities are smoke-free. It is important that those who are responsible for your children also keep secondhand smoke and lit cigarettes away from them.

7.      Insist on being in nonsmoking restaurants or other public places. Good health begins at home, but does not end there. If you enter an establishment with your family and they are not following North Dakota’s smoke-free law, leave and report the violation to local law enforcement at 477-5623.

8.      Talk with your child about the dangers of tobacco. For example, when watching a movie, talk with your child about what the character who is smoking is doing to his or her health. Young people are constantly pressured by advertisements and pop-culture – and maybe even friends – to become smokers. You can help them choose wisely.

9.      Do not allow other people to smoke around your children. This includes babysitters, grandparents, neighbors and anyone else who cares for your children. It may be difficult to tell family and friends not to smoke around your children, but your children’s health must come first.

10.  Take an active interest in your child’s social life. Be aware of who your child hangs out with and if they smoke. If your child has friends who use tobacco products, teach your child to encourage his or her friends to seek help – from their parents or a health-care professional – to quit smoking.

“Kids need constant reinforcement of positive health messages. They need encouragement from teachers, friends and family to make the right choices,” Leas said. “If you smoke, the most positive message you can send to your children is making the choice to quit – for your health and for their health.”

For help with quitting smoking or for more information about keeping your children healthy, call the Rolette County Public Health District at 701-477-5646.