Smoking

I am concerned about people smoking in public areas and inside buildings. Do you know the different ways to get cancer? One way to get cancer is by breathing in second-hand smoke.

Second-hand smoke is the smoke from the lighted end of a cigarette, pipe or cigar. Second-hand smoke can cause kids to have cancer when they get older. People exposed to second-hand smoke are at risk of sudden infant death syndrome, ear infections, pneumonia, bronchitis, colds and more severe asthma if they had asthma already.

Being exposed to second-hand smoke slows the growth of children’s lungs and can make them cough, wheeze and feel breathless. Second-hand smoke is one of the leading cancer-causing products.

I, my mom, dad and sister were looking at cars and 5 out of 12 cars were smoked in. Parents are responsible for 90 percent of their children’s exposure to second-hand smoke. EPA estimates that between 150,000 and 300,000 of these cases annually in infants and young children up to 18 months of age attributable to exposure of second-hand smoke.

This is my business because when you exhale I breathe in your second-hand smoke. Please don’t let us pay for your mistakes.

Madelyn Stoddard

Columbia Falls Junior High School