Infants and children are more severely affected by exposure to second hand smoke than adults because they are smaller, have higher respiration rates, have less mature immune systems and their respiratory tracts are still developing. Evidence implicates second hand smoke in SIDS, childhood cancers, asthma and respiratory disease in children. While levels of second hand smoke in vehicles can be far higher than those found in smoke filled bars, children continue to be exposed to smoke in vehicles. There is a lack of legislation protecting children from second hand smoke in private vehicles.
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- Riding in cars with smokers: Stanford researchers measure secondhand smoke concentrations in automobiles. (PDF)
- Ontario Tobacco Research Unit – 2006 Update: The Smoke-Free Ontario Act: Extend Protection to Children in Vehicles (PDF)
- Secondhand Smoke in Cars May Lead to Dangerous Levels of Contaminants For Children (Harvard School of Public Health)
- Measuring Air Quality to Protect Children from Secondhand Smoke in Cars (American Journal of Preventive Medicine) (PDF)
- 1 in 5 Children Exposed to Second-Hand Smoke in Cars: Stats Canada
- Exposure to second-hand smoke: Are we protecting our kids? (Ontario Medical Association) (PDF)
