Smoke alarm (From Warrington Guardian)

Smoke alarm

A NEW campaign is about to hit St Helens highlighting the health risk to children when adults smoke near them.

It will be driving home the message: 'If you smoke, I smoke.'

About 42 per cent of children in St Helens live in a house where at least one person smokes and approximately one-third of all smokers say they continue to smoke near children.

Studies show that children breathing in 'second-hand smoke' increase their risk of going to hospital with serious illnesses such as bronchitis and pneumonia.

It also is linked to an increased likelihood of cot death, asthma and ear disease.

Brenda Fullard, Regional Tobacco Policy Manager said: "People in the North West need to wake up to the dangers of second-hand smoke to our children."

"This is a serious health issue and all of us need to ensure that children in the North West are not exposed to the poisons in second hand smoke."

"This campaign is not just about parents, it's for relatives, friends, carers too - any smokers who spend time with children."

Second-hand smoke contains 4,000 different chemicals, many of which are highly toxic.