Second Hand Smoke Linked to Aggressive Behaviour

Children who are exposed to second-hand smoke in early childhood are more likely to grow up to be physically aggressive and antisocial, regardless of whether they were exposed during pregnancy or their parents have a history of being antisocial, according to Linda Pagani and Caroline Fitzpatrick of the University of Montreal and its affiliated CHU Sainte-Justine hospital.

“Second-hand smoke is in fact more dangerous than inhaled smoke, and 40 % of children worldwide are exposed to it. Moreover, exposure to this smoke at early childhood is particularly dangerous as the child’s brain is still developing,” said Pagani.  

 

Pagani looked at data that was collected about 2, 055 kids from their birth until ten years of age, including parent reports about second-hand smoke exposure and from teachers and children themselves about classroom behaviour. She then found out that those having been exposed to second-hand smoke, even temporarily, were much more likely to report themselves as being more aggressive by the time they finished fourth grade.

It is unethical to expose children to second-hand smoke and no child deserves such treatment from anybody. If you are an adult smoker, please make sure you do that away from the presence of our children. If you can quit smoking, much better.