Is Smoke Harming Your Children?

Many parents worry about their children smoking. But what they don’t often know is that secondhand smoke is a serious danger too. About one out of five people smoke. So this means that the children in their life will likely breathe in smoke’s toxic chemicals.

A child's body is not as strong as an adult’s body, so smoke can do more damage to a child. Children can also get lung diseases, ear infections, and end up in the hospital, all because of secondhand smoke.

If you smoke, the best way to protect your children is to quit. Help family members quit, too.

Set strict rules to keep cigarette smoke away from your children. Don’t allow smoking in your home. Smoking in a different room or when children aren’t in the house is still not safe. The chemicals can stay in the house.

Need Help Quitting?

• Keystone Mercy has a Tobacco Cessation Program (how to quit smoking) to help.  For more information, please call Member Services at 1-800-521-6860.
• For more information about programs to help you stop smoking, go to  www.determinedtoquit.com. 
• You can also call the Pennsylvania Free Quitline, 1-800 QUIT NOW (1-800-784-8669).  This program is offered as a partnership between the Pennsylvania Department of Health and the American Cancer Society.