Smoking parents risk their children's health

Did you know that one in every five Kenyan adults is exposed to second hand smoke at home more than at work?

Also known as involuntary or passive smoking, public health experts warn that non-smoking persons inhale nicotine and toxic chemicals in cigarettes the same way smokers do. According to the 2015 Kenya Non-Communicable diseases risk factors report, within closed spaces in offices, men and women are exposed to secondhand smoke found to affect the heart and blood vessels, increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Within the home setting where smokers have been found to puff more, concern has been raised on the exposure of children to asthma, lung infections like pneumonia and bronchitis. The children are more likely to cough, wheeze, and have shortness of breath.

Ear infections are also common and sudden infant death syndrome of babies below two years.

The study further showed that daily tobacco users was at 11 per cent with men rated as six times more likely to be daily smokers than women.

The average number of cigarettes smoked per day was seven with first time smokers aged 21.