Does Cigarette Smoke Poison Babies and Its Effects

Environmental Tobacco Smoke is Formed in Two Different Ways.

Did you know that in addition to the harm we inflict upon ourselves by smoking, the environment we leave as passive smokers is also affected by these harms at least as much as smokers? Recent research, particularly on babies, has shown that at least half of the respiratory diseases seen in babies are caused by exposure to passive smoking. The first is the smoke that a person inhales and exhales, and the other is the smoke that comes from the burning tip of the cigarette. Cigarette smoke is formed by the combination of these two types of smoke. The smoke coming from the burning tip of the cigarette is at least 5 times more poisonous than the other smoke because it burns directly and spreads into the environment without any filtration. The cigarette filter filters the smoke we inhale, preventing some of the toxins in it from mixing with the environment. However, since the smoke coming directly from the burning tip has no filtration system, all poisonous chemicals mix with the air. Babies and children are most affected by this cigarette smoke.

Problems Seen in Babies

The most significant cause of diseases such as wheezing, asthma, and respiratory tract infections is the cigarette smoke they are exposed to. In our country, almost half of the babies are exposed to cigarette smoke in their homes. Since the lungs and brain are organs that continue to develop after birth, these organs are the most harmed by cigarette smoke. Even smoking in the presence of pregnant women is harmful to the baby in the womb. It is important that expectant mothers not only avoid smoking themselves from the day they become pregnant but also do not expose themselves to cigarette smoke in any way. Generally, in homes with babies, people smoke in another room or in areas like the kitchen. This behavior is also a mistake. The chemicals in cigarette smoke mix with the air and spread rapidly. It doesn't matter if the smell of the cigarette is noticeable or not. The air we breathe contains harmful substances. These substances directly harm babies. They also negatively affect their brain development.