TV doctor and NHS GP Zoe Williams has urged parents to quit smoking – especially around babies and pregnant woman.
It comes after new data suggests that people aren’t aware that babies exposed to second-hand smoke are more likely to die from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
The research commissioned by consumer health company Kenvue found that less than half of those surveyed aged 18-24 knew that babies exposed to secondhand smoke are 45% more likely to die from SIDS, according to Action on Smoking and Health (ASH).
Williams, a regular on ITV’s This Morning, said: “You can reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome if you are able to achieve a smoke-free household.
“This includes everybody who lives in that household as well as [people] who visit. Nobody should be smoking in a household where there is a child, a baby or around a pregnant mother.”
In addition, “Smoking during pregnancy can increase the risk of a still birth, the risk of premature birth, the likelihood that a baby is born with a low birth weight and increases the risk of sudden infant death syndrome.”
SIDS is still not something that is perfectly understood, she noted, but defines it as the sudden unexpected and unexplained death of a baby who appears to be healthy.
“Whilst we don’t know what causes it or why it happens, we do know that not smoking while pregnant or after the baby is born is one of the best ways of preventing it as well as always placing a baby on their back while they are asleep,” she said.
Smoking tobacco near children as they grow up can also led to an array of health complications.
“Because children’s immune systems, lungs and airwaves are still developing, if they live in a household where somebody smokes they are more likely to develop asthma and infections like pneumonia and bronchitis,” explained Williams. “They are also at an increased risk of ear infections, coughs and colds or even more serious things like meningitis.”
Williams is working with Kenvue to launch its Smokefree Families initiative which aims to help parents go smoke-free and to reduce the estimated 1.8 million smoking households with children in the UK.
According to their research, 71% of parents who smoke have tried to quit or plan to, and 64% of parents are motivated to quit by improving their children’s health.
Building a strong network of support can increases the chances of giving up smoking successfully, especially the support from a partner, Williams added.
“If a partner continues to smoke when a pregnant person quits that woman is much more likely to fail her attempt to quit or more likely to take it up again. So it is really important to be engaging and supporting partners of pregnant people as well and empower them to make a change.”
She also urged people who think they might want to quit to seek support from a healthcare professional.
“You don’t have to wait until you ready to actually quit. Get the support and start planning to quit now as this will increase your chance of success,” said Williams.
The NHS offers a lot of free support through GP practices and local pharmacies, pregnant women and mothers should speak to their midwives or health visitors. “Nicotine replacement therapy or cognitive behaviour therapy, which can be prescribed in the NHS, can really help,” she added.
“If you do fail to quit again that person isn’t going to berate you or judge you. That person is there to say well done for trying, what shall we try next?”
Williams said the reintroduction of The Tobacco and Vapes Bill – making it an offence to sell tobacco products to those born on or after 1 January 2009 – is a good start but believes the government needs to do more to protect children.
She said: “The number households with children where there are smokers needs to be addressed because we need to protect all children from passive smoking.”
