Second-Hand Smoking Affects 2.5 Million Kids in California

A team of scientists at the University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA) Center for Health Policy Research has recently determined that about 2.5 million children in California are exposed to second-hand smoking regularly.

This happens despite the fact that the state has the second-lowest smoking rate in the United States. The investigation was focused only on children below the age of 12, which means that the actual number of minors exposed to cigarette smoke may be a lot higher.

“The next frontier in the campaign against smoking is to reduce smoking at home,” explains the lead author of the new investigation, UCLA senior researcher Sue Holtby.

“California's fight against tobacco has been a major public health success story, but we still need to spread awareness and ensure that every family knows the dire consequences of addiction,” she adds.