Make Your Child a Smoke and Vape Free Zone

Posted on: June 7th, 2025 by Tracey Maruyama

Make Your Child a Smoke and Vape Free Zone!

Secondhand smoke and vaping aerosols are harmful and to everyone. Protect children by not smoking or vaping around them and help them to avoid others’ tobacco smoke as well

Children are particularly susceptible to health risks from secondhand smoke. Adverse effects from exposure to secondhand smoke include but are not limited to slowed lung development resulting in decreased lung function. Other examples include:​

• Respiratory distress​
• Increased incidence of ear infection​
• Shortness of breath​
• Children with asthma are especially sensitive to secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke can cause kids who already have asthma to have more frequent and severe attacks. More than 40 percent of children who go to the emergency room for asthma live with smokers. ​
• Increased risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)​
• Exposure to secondhand smoke puts young children at a greater risk for developing lower respiratory tract infections such as pneumonia and bronchitis. ​

​Whether in the home or in a car, stepping outside and away from children ​
when smoking or vaping is the one step every adult can take to protect ​
children from secondhand smoke and aerosol exposure.