babble » blogs » Strollerderby
Strollerderby
Smoking: don't do it!
Two interesting and somewhat related stories came out recently about smokers and their habits. In the first, a Pennsylvania hospital announced that it will no longer hire smokers and will begin to test its employees for nicotine use. The policy goes into effect February 1st at Geisinger Medical Center and its sister campuses in Danville. According to Geisinger, the “Scranton/Wilkes-Barre region (is) the second-worst smoking metropolitan area in the U.S., pointing to not only an increased risk for lung cancer but an elevated risk of heart disease, too.” (Danville is about 30 miles outside that region.) Scranton/Wilkes-Barre citizens consume an average of 17 cigarettes a day.
Pennsylvania is among 19 states that allow employers to screen job applicants for signs of smoking, CNN reports. Smoking has been banned on the Geisinger campus since 2007. Smoking bans in the workplace are increasingly popular, no matter the field, and employees are being encouraged by their employers to quit because it saves them in productivity and health insurance costs.
So, let’s say you’re a smoker. Are you being honest about it? Or do you hide your smoking habits from loved ones, even your doctor? A related story says that a new study shows “13 percent of smokers don’t tell their doctor that they smoke, likely because they fear the social stigma that comes with being a cigarette-smoker.” Here’s why that’s a horrible idea: Continue reading »
One more reason to give up cigarettes, mamas. A new study shows that secondhand smoke exposure may cause ADHD, depression, anxiety and other behavioral disorders in kids.
The study looked at over 3,000 children and found that those with the highest levels of secondhand smoke chemicals in their bloodstreams were more likely to exhibit behavioral and mental health issues. The link with ADHD was especially strong.
The study isn’t enough to definitively prove a link between mental health issues and second-hand smoke, but it provides strong-enough evidence that researchers said it would be “a surprise” if the link were not proven by follow-up research.
Do you smoke around your children?
Do you smoke around your children?
If you do, a new study suggests your little one could have high levels of tobacco carcinogens in their system.
While the size of this recent study done by the American Association for Cancer Research was small in size; only including 79 U.S. children, between the ages of one month, to ten years old – the findings are alarming for all parents. It shows a very serious and direct impacts second-hand smoke has on young children, as well as their future health. Continue reading »
There’s been a recent move to ban smoking in cars or homes when children are present.
Given what we know about the dangers of second-hand and even third-hand smoke, this seems like a no brainer to a lot of us. But some people are crying foul, claiming it’s a civil right to do what you like in your own home. Even if what you like to do is not only stupid and self-destructive, but injurious to your kids, too.
Parenting is running a poll on this question. So far, the overwhelming majority of respondents, upwards of 75%, support banning smoking in homes and cars with kids.
What are the other 25% thinking?
A bill under consideration by the New York State Assembly would ban adults from smoking in a car with kids.
The idea is to stop parents from imposing their second-hand smoke on kids. In theory, it’s a good idea. But is the ban enforceable? And does it violate civil rights?
If the legislation passes, it would be illegal for occupants of a car to smoke if there are children in the car younger than 14, according to The New York Times.
Most smoking bans apply to workplaces and spots like bars and restaurants. But what about private spaces? Continue reading »
Most teens who try cigarettes have no intention of becoming addicted. Smoking is just something they do for fun when they are hanging out with their friends. And if you asked, they would probably tell you that while they are aware the health hazards related to smoking, they personally have nothing to worry about. They are casual smokers who don’t light up enough to become addicted.
Or so they think. According to a new study, just how much it takes to turn that casual, just-for-fun smoker into a full-blown addict may be far less than previously thought. Continue reading »
Unless you’ve been living under a rock (or don’t have Internet access), you must have seen — or at least heard about — the latest viral sensation, the video circulating of Ardi Rizal, the 2-year-old Indonesian boy smoking cigarettes. Cable news networks, the nightly news programs, and parenting web sites (including this one) all played up the story which was guaranteed to attract attention.
Not surprisingly, people were outraged. Who wouldn’t be? I don’t think anyone would argue that giving cigarettes to a 2-year-old is a good or even acceptable idea. It was even more disturbing to learn that the boy’s father first gave him cigarettes when he was only 18 months old.
But I couldn’t help but feel icky about the whole thing. Obviously, I felt disgusted by the idea of a toddler with a nicotine habit. But my real problem with the video is that it made it too easy for us to feel superior to this kid and his family. Continue reading »
Joslyn Gray 
Amber Doty 
Julianna Miner 
Monica Bielanko 
Sierra Black 
Meredith Carroll 
Carolyn Castiglia 
Sunny Chanel 
Madeline Holler 
Wendy Michaels 
Rebecca Odes 
Danielle Smith 
Danielle Sullivan 
Katherine Stone 
The Walt Disney Company supports Babble as a platform dedicated to honest, engaged, informed, intelligent and open conversation about parenting. However, the opinions expressed on this site are those of individual parents/writers and do not reflect the views of Disney. In addition, content provided on this site is for entertainment or informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, or safety advice.
4