Smoking Affects Your Kids

Researches at Dartmouth College have found that children with smoker parents were 4 times more likely to purchase cigarettes, when compared to children with non-smoker parents.

Your kids will be affected by your smoking habits. Click on the photo to find out how to quit.

The findings, acquired through a role play scenario involving a miniature grocery store, suggest that children are highly attentive to their parents’ smoking habits, and are more likely to regard smoking as appropriate and normal behaviour in social settings, thus resulting in a higher likelihood of them picking up the habit later on in life.

The results of the study appear to be congruent with the findings of the Student Health Survey 2006 conducted by the Health Promotion Board (HPB), which showed that a significantly higher percentage of youth smokers (59%) had at least one parent who smoked, as compared to the non-smokers (34%).

To highlight the strong influence of parental smoking behaviour on smoking behaviours in children, HPB is launching an awareness campaign from 23 July 2009, in conjunction with the National Smoking Control Campaign (NSCC) 2009. This is the first time HPB is reaching out to parents via a targeted campaign that emphasises how parental smoking can impact the future smoking status of young people.

“Parents who smoke may know that their habit can affect the health and development of their child. However, they may not be aware that it can also influence their child’s future behaviour. We hope to encourage parents who smoke to quit the habit early in a bid to reduce the possibility of their children picking it up in future.’ said V Prema, Deputy Director, Youth Health Programme Development 2, Youth Health Division, HPB.

HPB’s multi-pronged campaign also includes avenues that parents can turn to, for assistance to quit smoking. These include:

• a toll-free confidential QuitLine telephone service (1800 438 2000) that provides smokers and their loved ones with advice on how to quit smoking and how to help someone quit.

• Specialist and Pharmacist-On-Call Sessions via Health Line, HPB’s confidential toll-free telephone service (1800 223 1313). The two sessions will give smokers the opportunity to speak with medical experts about how they can quit smoking.

• smoking cessation information and support provided online at www.hpb.gov.sg/kidslearn

• smoking cessation services at National Healthcare Group (NHG) and SingHealth polyclinics and restructured hospitals, and at retail pharmacies where healthcare professionals will support smokers with quit smoking advice and provide those who are ready to quit smoking with Nicotine Replacement Treatment (NRT).

• a workplace-based “Quit Butts” Programme where smokers will be equipped with life skills to handle the challenges of quitting.

• smoking cessation services provided by Voluntary Welfare Organisations, such as Singapore Heart Foundation and Singapore Cancer Society where smokers who are keen to quit can receive consultation from certified smoking cessation advisors.

For related articles on your and your child’s health, see:

Passive smoking and its effect on children

Doctor’s tips to quit smoking

No butts about smoking once you know you’re pregnant

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