Kids for Smoke-Free Air Challenge
Four participating Boys & Girls Clubs collected over 1300 signed pledges from adults 18 and over throughout their communities agreeing to keep their homes and cars smoke free. The clubs are located in diverse communities from Albuquerque to Sierra Blanca and Ohkay Owingeh to Las Cruces. In addition to gathering signatures, kids and adults learned more about the Kids for Smoke-Free Air Challenge campaign through a website, videos in English and Spanish, and an educational activity, “What Happens When You Breathe Secondhand Smoke”.
The “Kids for Smoke-Free Air Challenge” included a contest in which participating Boys and Girls Clubs earned cash prizes of up to $1000 for each club.
Secondhand smoke can cause serious health problems in children.
- Studies show that children whose parents smoke get sick more often. Their lungs develop less than children who do not breathe secondhand smoke, and they get more bronchitis and pneumonia.
- Wheezing and coughing are more common in children who breathe secondhand smoke.
- Secondhand smoke can trigger an asthma attack in a child. Children with asthma who are around secondhand smoke have more severe and frequent asthma attacks. A severe asthma attack can put a child’s life in danger.
- Children whose parents smoke around them get more ear infections.
For more information on secondhand smoke, visit the Are You Doing Enough? website. For more information on New Mexico's free tobacco cessation services, visit the Quit Smoking Now website.
Media Contact
We would be happy to provide additional information about this press release. Simply contact David Morgan at 575-528-5197 (Office) or 575-649-0754 (Mobile) with your questions.
Versión en Español
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