Smoking in your home or car

Let's clear the air!

If you smoke, everyone around you breathes in your second-hand smoke.

Babies and children are at greater risk than adults - they breathe faster and deeper. That can mean they are ‘smoking' the equivalent of 150 cigarettes a year!

Smoke from just one cigarette contains 4,000 chemicals. It's a toxic cocktail of gases and particles. That's why smoking at home is not just bad for you, it's also bad for the whole family, even your pets!

Smoking in the car is even riskier. Smoke is more concentrated in a confined space, even with the windows open. And the chemicals linger, even in a child's car seat.

Stopping second-hand smoke will have an immediate and lasting effect on your family's health. Here are some extra incentives to make your home and car smoke-free:

Children have less risk of coughing, wheezing and chest infections, asthma, middle ear infection (glue ear), missing school, behavioural problems and learning difficulties, sudden infant death (cot death), heart disease and lung cancer in later life.
If you are pregnant, your unborn baby will be protected.
If you still smoke, you will find it easier to give up.
If you are an ex-smoker, you will be less likely to start again.
Everyone will breathe more easily and have fewer breathing problems.
Your pets will be healthier and live longer.
Your skin, hair, clothes and furniture will no longer smell of stale smoke.
Your home will be cleaner and need less redecoration. If you're selling your home, it will be more attractive to potential buyers.
You will be less likely to have a fire.

Make your ‘Smoke-Free Promise'

You can protect the health of your family and friends by not exposing them to second-hand smoke in your home.

Make a promise that's right for you and your household:

Bronze: never smoke in the presence of children and other non-smokers.
Silver: never smoke in the presence of children and other non-smokers, and smoke only in one well-ventilated room.
Gold: keep your home totally smoke-free at all times.
Platinum: keep your car smoke-free at all times.

For more information about second hand smoking and keeping your home and car smoke-free, call Unlimited Potential on 0161 743 4505.

This page was last updated on 17 January 2012