Smoking in cars threat to children’s health

Researchers from the Wellington School of Medicine observed 16,000 cars in Wellington over a two-week period and found that there was a smoker present in 4% of the cars, and of those 4% a quarter had other passengers in as well. Researches feel that their study doesn’t show the real picture of the prevalence of smoking in cars.

The main reason they carried the study was to show the presence and the amount of particulates in a car while the front seat passenger smoked a cigarette. Particles are tiny airborne particles that enter the body, and have a negative effect on the health.

The amount of the particles in a car with a smoker with their windows down was the same as in a typical smoky bar. However, when the windows were up, the amount of the particles doubled

Here are some statistics, so that we could make a comparison. For example, the levels of particulate on a smoggy day in Auckland were somewhere between 35-40 micrograms per cubic meter. With a window done, in a car with a smoker, the level of particulate was 199 micrograms per cubic meter. However, when the windows were up, these levels rose to 2926 micrograms per cubic meter.

Researchers feel that the government should consider a law regarding smoking in cars to protect children whose lungs and overall health may be in danger.