Apartment living may expose kids to 2nd hand smoke

I wonder if the 5.6 million Americans who live in apartments are aware of the fact that if anyone in any other apartment in the building in which they live is a smoker, so too are they smokers.  If anyone in the building smokes, every one in the building is automatically a second hand smoker at risk for the same diseases as those of a smoker.

How's that for some stunning news.  The reason is that smoke travels through the ventilation system, and is inhaled by anyone in the apartment building.

A new study conducted at the University of Rochester Medical Center, showed that a substance formed by the breakdown of nicotine called cotinine was found in the blood of over 5,000 youngsters 5-18 years old.  The study concluded that 73 percent of kids are exposed to cigarette smoke, yet the levels of cotinine was much higher in kids who lived in apartment complexes.

Another study done in 2001 showed that of the 5.6 million Americans who live in apartment complexes, said they do so as a matter of choice because they like to rent.  Yet they might want to reconsider, especially if they have children, because they may be inadvertently exposing their children to second hand smoke.

I have written many previous posts about the dangers of exposing kids to cigarette smoke:

• Smoking in front of kids is stupid!  Period!
• Smoking is hazardous to kids
• 20 reasons not to smoke if you have asthma

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