ASH Daily News for 08 August 2008

Smoking parents 'harm their kids'

Smokers in South Tyneside are being reminded of the danger secondhand smoke poses to children.

Experts have confirmed that childhood exposure to secondhand smoke is linked to longterm and lifelong damage to health.

Four in 10 children in North East England are exposed to secondhand smoke in their own homes.

Delegates at the Fresh Smoke Free North East conference heard the evidence from national researchers, including Dr Tanith Muller, researcher and author of British Medical Association report Breaking the Cycle of Children's Exposure.

She said: "Some parents try not to smoke in front of their children, however, the poisons in tobacco smoke don't respect people's good intentions, and evidence shows children in these homes are still at high risk."

Secondhand smoke exposure in childhood has been linked to cot death, low birth weight and premature births, as well as higher levels of childhood cancer and early onset of heart disease in adulthood.

Through discussion, delegates at the Darlington conference concluded that many health professionals are failing to provide parents and carers with the facts on the damaging effects of secondhand smoke.

They identified a need to focus on this area, to provide health professionals with the tools and information they needed to inform their patients.

Ailsa Rutter, Director of Fresh, said: "It has never been more important for us to protect our children's lives by taking a stance against tobacco and secondhand smoke."

"So many children are living with uncomfortable, avoidable illnesses due to secondhand smoke, such as glue ear and asthma."

"It is up to us to ensure we respond to the Government's National Tobacco Strategy consultation, and provide our children with the future they deserve. Let's make smoking history for our children."

Source: Shields Gazette, 07 August 2008
Link: http://tinyurl.com/5fhjht

TV chef is accused of glamorising cigarettes.

Marco Pierre White has been accused of promoting cigarettes during his recent television series, Marco's Great British Feast, after appearing on screen smoking.

Ofcom is investigating whether the programme broke the rules after complaints from nine people. Its code states that programmes should not seek to glamorise cigarettes to under-18s.

In the first episode of the ITV series on 2 July, White, 46, was pictured holding or smoking a cigarette on at least eight occasions. In the second show he had three cigarettes in the first six minutes.

If ITV is found to have breached the code Ofcom could impose a fine, but the broadcaster is confident as the show was screened after the 9pm watershed.

"The sequences showing him smoking were editorially justified as reflecting his day-to-day activity," said a spokesman. White was not shown smoking during the preparation of food. His spokeswoman made no comment.

Source: The Independent, 08 August 2008
Link: http://tinyurl.com/6oce2c

Family tell of escape from blaze caused by a cigarette

A Dorset mother passed her three children out of a first floor window into the arms of their father to escape flames engulfing their home.

Paul Hicks, 28, Cyndi Rostigino, 26, and their three daughters were woken by a smoke alarm at the house in Burton, near Christchurch, in the early hours.

Downstairs was filled with smoke and flames after a cigarette is believed to have set fire to a sofa in the lounge.

Mr Hicks, jumped 15ft from the window before his partner passed down the three girls to him and then jumped herself.

They were unhurt but in shock and spent the night with Mr Hicks' brother-in-law.

Mr Hicks said: "We were awoken to thick, black smoke with the fire alarms going off. I came running out of the bedroom, saw all the smoke, just forgot everything and got the kids.

"I tried to get out of the front windows but they have child safety catches on so in the end I threw the mattress out of the back window, jumped on top of the gazebo.

"My partner passed the kids down to me and after all three came down, she came out herself."

 Mr Hicks credited their smoke alarm with saving the family's life, "Thank God for the fire alarm. That's all I can say."
 

Source: Derbyshire Times,  08 August 2008
Link: http://tinyurl.com/6rpmtp

USA: Councilman pushes for a smokefree Los Angeles

With smoking already banned in almost all public areas of the city, a Los Angeles official has called for smoking restrictions to be broadened in an attempt to make the city virtually smokefree.  

Councilman Bernard Parks, also running for the county Board of Supervisors, is calling for a measure that would prohibit smoking in any areas where nonsmokers might be affected.

While Parks did not offer specific examples, he said it could apply to a situation in which a person walking on the street is smoking and a non-smoker takes offense.

Parks said, "Smoke has no boundaries. You should smoke only where you are hurting only yourself."

Los Angeles has been among the most aggressive cities in banning smoking, starting in elevators, supermarkets and extending it to offices, restaurants, bars and all public buildings. It also has limits on smoking at beaches and parks.

"We're not trying to get into people's bedrooms and homes," Parks said.

His motion also asks the county Board of Supervisors to adopt a similar plan and urge it be enacted by each of the other 87 cities in the county.

Source: Daily News Los Angeles, 07 August 2008
Link: http://tinyurl.com/6magc4