The U.S. Surgeon General says there is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke.

Did you know that after just half a cigarette has been smoked in a car, the quality of the air can reach levels 10 times over what the United States Environmental Protection Agency considers hazardous?

Children, pregnant women, the elderly and those with chronic illnesses are especially vulnerable to the harmful effects of secondhand smoke. In fact, secondhand smoke exposure can cause asthma in children who have previously not had any symptoms. Other health effects on children from secondhand smoke exposure include:

• Low birth weight and lung problems in infants
• Acute lower respiratory tract infections (bronchitis and pneumonia)
• Middle-ear infections
• Chronic respiratory symptoms or problems
• Secondhand smoke is also a serious health threat for nonsmoking adults. It causes lung cancer in those who haven't previously smoked and increases the risk for heart disease, stroke and chronic lung problems.

The level of air pollution in a car caused by smoke from a cigarette is so severe that breathing it is dangerous for anyone, but especially for children. There is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke - it has more than 7,000 chemicals, at least 70 of which are known to cause cancer.

In general, children breathe in more air than adults because their lungs are still developing. They also have little or no control over their environments and cannot leave if secondhand smoke is bothering them. As a result, children exposed to secondhand smoke run a greater risk of damaging health effects.

• Children who breathe secondhand smoke on a regular basis are at a higher risk for middle-ear infections. 
• Exposure to secondhand smoke can not only bring on asthma attacks, but can also cause asthma in children. 
• Babies and children younger than age 6 who are exposed to secondhand smoke regularly are more likely to get respiratory tract infections, such as pneumonia and bronchitis. 

Watch this link for a short video on the effects of smoking in a car:
How dangerous is smoking in cars?

Smoking in a car with a minor should be as illegal as any other abuse. It directly causes harm and could easily be avoided. Please help our children start off healthy and free from toxic substances. Sign this petition!