January 27, 2006

posted by Dan Filler

First, I'm uncertain whether the health effects are serious enough to constitute abuse.

Not that I think this should be the basis for policy-making, but there is also the question of whether a child of a smoker is more likely to become a smoker. I think the statistics point to a probabilistic "yes."

I agree with Kip wholeheartedly. Seeing a parent smoke through their whole life is sure to make a child view smoking as a regular thing to do, and therefore more likely to do it. Plenty of harm is done by second hand smoke in my eyes; even making the child cough more often than other children is abuse to me.

I have moderate asthma because my mom smoked in the house, often in the same room as me, during my whole childhood (and likely while she was pregnant with me). I've often wished over my lifetime there was a law against it.

If smoking is child abuse because it exposes the child the unhealthy conditions, then any parent with a home that is not perfectly up to sanitation standards (and is thereby exposing the child to disease or other harm) is guilty of child abuse.

Did you just post something arguing that schools should not randomly drug test students because of the bad things the policy teaches students? Seems like parents smoking in front of their kids - putting aside the obvious health risks - also teaches children bad habits.

Check out http://fullmetalattorney.blogspot.com/2006/01/second-hand-smoke.html for another impartial view on the second-hand smoke and smoking ban issue.

Children in pro smoking homes suffer more colds, flus, respiratory tract infections, miss alot more days of school, necessary learning and education, are exposed to the addictive drugs of nicotine and tar and anything else tobacco plants put in there cigarettes without the filter and are alot more susceptible to picking up the addiction,habit whatever you call it thus killing themselves. Death by cigarette, not child abuse, give me a break, thankyou

Yes it is.

I agree that smoking when children are present in the same room is very wrong. However the goverment and ASI should spend more time caring for the children who are victims of REAL abuse such as sexual, physical & menal abuse. I grew up in a household with three smoking adults and five siblings and not one of the children smoke. Although my parents smoked in front of us we still had love, hugs, kisses, a great baseball coach and PTA Mother. We all attended top Prep schools and were exposed to all the wonderful culture NYC had to offer. We traveled the world starting at very young ages and had the best of everything. We all became very educated and acheived our goals. So did my parents abused their children???? No way. I only pray that kids get the same love and support that we did. Gov't... stick to finding and incarcerating the real criminals!

The fact that parents smoke in front of their children in the absence of any other form of abuse speaks volumes in itself. It just shows how self-absorbed some people can be even with the knowledge that they may be doing permanent harm to their children. How hard is it to step outside to have a cigarette? The real crime here is a genuine disrespect for children who cannot make and/or enforce decisions for themselves. Smoking in the presence of a child (or any other person for that matter) dishonors their rights as a person especially in this day and age where information about the effects of smoking permeate our everyday lives.

My only wish for the parent who supposes they are giving everything to their children is that they be exposed to that same smoke the day that they become ill and can't handle the smoke anymore.

I come home everyday from school wishing that my parents didn't smoke. Not only that, but if I walk into a room and open the window I get yelled at and they claim "I'm letting the cold air in" maybe if there wasn't a cloud of smoke in the living room I wouldn't do that. And also every morning while I am getting ready, my dad wakes up, sits in the living room and smokes a cigarette, while I'm traveling through the house getting ready and having to smell like smoke all day. It's horrible and there should deffidently be a law against it.

My 5 year old son has just started his array of testing to get to the root of his chronic coughing problem. His father, whom he visits every other weekend smokes in his house and his vehicle with our son. In my opinion, his smoking is definately child abuse in this situation. What are we going to do? Wait until these children grow up and all have some form of cancer before we step-up and say "Hmm...maybe we should have given that issue another thought!" Come on people, wake up and read the facts. Our children are being victimized and can't speak for themselves. Just because we can't physically see the damage doesn't mean it's not abuse!

smoking around children is avery sirious abuse,reason being ,if a perrent smoke near a child,that particular child will take in close proximity to what his/her parent is doing practice doing that,i think the parrent in that way disrespect the rights the rights of the children

smoking around children is avery sirious abuse,reason being ,if a perrent smoke near a child,that particular child will take in close proximity to what his/her parent is doing practice doing that,i think the parrent in that way disrespect the rights the rights of the children

smoking arrond children and in public should be banned ,due to the problem that is caused by smoking habbit

JUST LAST WEEK I WITNESSED A FAMILY WITH AN INFANT IN THE CAR SEAT. THE FATHER DRIVING WAS SMOKING AND THE GRANDMOTHER SITTING BESIDE THE INFANT WAS SMOKING. THIS WAS VERY DISTURBING TO ME. HOW CAN THESE PEOPLE BE SO STUPID!!! SURELY THIS SHOULD BE SEEN AS CHILD ABUSE. LAWS SHOULD BE PASSED TO PROTECT THESE CHILDREN!!!

As a nurse working in Hospice/Long-Term care I've seen first hand how 2nd hand smoke kills people. A lung cancer/COPD death is agonizing, imagine very slowly drowning on dry land because SOMEONE ELSE smoked and was too lazy to step outside. Any parent who exposes their child to toxic/life threatening subtances knowingly should be beaten in public.