SEPTEMBER 30 • 2021 | 31

S

ome 70% of children 
with parents who 
smoke were found to 
have nicotine residue in hair 
samples, according to research 
done by the Sackler Medical 
School of Tel Aviv University. 
 The study was peer-reviewed 
and published in Nicotine & 
Tobacco Research.
The researchers wanted 
to examine whether raising 
awareness of children’s exposure 
might change parents’ behavior. 
About 140 Israeli families, with 
children up to age 8 where at 
least one parent smokes, partici-
pated in the study.

The smoking average per 
household was 15 cigarettes per 
day. A third of the participants 
reported that they smoke inside 
the home, and a third said that 
they only smoke on the porch. 
Researchers tested children’s 
exposure via a biomarker: nic-
otine in hair, testing whether 
nicotine became an integral 
part of the strand of hair having 
originated in the body and not 
just external precipitate.
The nicotine in the inner 
shaft of the hair represents that 
which has been absorbed by the 
child and reached the blood-
stream. The external residue 

was washed off before analysis.
Nicotine residue was found in 
70% of the hair tested. 
“To our great dismay, accord-
ing to Health Ministry data, 
approximately 60% of small 
children in Israel are exposed 
to secondhand smoke and its 
harmful effects,
” said Prof. Leah 
Rosen, who ran the study.
“Based on the study’s find-
ings, we believe that conducting 
nicotine testing for every young 
child in Israel — in the hair, 
urine, or using other testing 
methods — may change par-
ents’ perceptions about expos-
ing their children to tobacco 
smoke,
” she said. “Changing 
this perception can also result 
in changing behavior, exposure 
levels and even social norms 
regarding passive exposure to 

smoking — both exposure of 
children as well as adults.
”
Prof. Rosen explained to the 
Post that exposure to tobacco 
smoke is dangerous, especially 
for children who suffer both 
short-term harm (such as the 
increased risk of sudden infant 
death syndrome, bronchitis, ear 
infections) and long-term harm 
(delayed lung development, 
long-term damage to the car-
diovascular system). 
She also said that most 
Israelis don’t fully understand 
the damage from active smok-
ing or from secondhand smoke. 
And they are often unaware that 
the exposure is occurring. 
“It is critical that they protect 
their children from tobacco 
smoke.
” Rosen told the Post. 
“There should never be smok-
ing inside the house, including 
at windows or on porches. 
Besides the immediate expo-
sure, the toxins from the tobac-
co smoke are absorbed into the 
walls, carpets and upholstery 
and are slowly released over 
time. This is known as third-
hand smoke.
“Non-smokers must under-
stand that there is genuine risk 
in exposure to tobacco smoke, 
and they must insist upon their 
right and the right of their chil-
dren and family members to 
breathe air that is smoke-free 
everywhere. 

HEALTH

Secondhand smoke absorbed into body.
Smoking and Kids

SIMCHA PASKO JERUSALEM POST

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