Should second-hand smoke be illegal in a home with children?

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What do you think?

Specializes in Med surg, LTC, Administration.
The majority who lived with parents who smoked??

I stopped replying to this thread many pages back, when I realized your issue is with your father, not kids and smoking. You have legitimate issues. Have you tried talking to him about it?

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Specializes in ortho, hospice volunteer, psych,.

originally posted by hiddencatrn viewpost.gif

if you're that sensitive to cigarette smoke, maybe you should wear a gas mask?

no, i should have the right to not...thank you!

why do you think you should have more rights than me?? what make you more important?

the right to breathe is implicit. smoking isn't an inherent right. it is a privilege. privileges may be revoked for valid reasons.

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I stopped replying to this thread many pages back, when I realized your issue is with your father, not kids and smoking. You have legitimate issues. Have you tried talking to him about it?

please don't speak for me. My father and I have a very close relationship and he quit smoking many years ago...I have forgiven him for the harm he caused.

I have been in 3 homes this past month where parents smoke around these toddlers and this last one just broke my heart. I felt like i was watching a baby suffer!

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"The right to privacy is an important tenet of the American way of life. But certainly, when others,

especially children that are wards of the State, are harmed by an activity, to the point where the their

health is compromised because of exposure to a class A carcinogen like secondhand smoke, then

require foster public health and safety take precedence over smoking.

Here is background information to support the requirement that homes, and cars transporting

foster/resource family children be smokefree, in order for a state to qualify to receive federal funds for

their foster care/resource family programs.

I. JURISDICTIONS REQUIRING SMOKEFREE FOSTER CARE HOMES/CARS TO TRANSPORT FOSTER

CHILDREN

U.S.A. - Fourteen states and three California counties require smokefree foster care homes/cars"

http://www.njgasp.org/d_Foster_Homes_and_Cars.pdf

__________________________________________________________________-

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Specializes in ER, Prehospital, Flight.

That sucks actually.......

Hey Mr.\Ms. Fosterchild, we have this loving family that would love to have you in their home and be a part of your life. Looks like they may be considering adopting you........OOOOhhhh wait a minute....nope. They smoke...so uh..not to worry, another family will be along any time because this process is VERY cheap and there is tons of families looking to take in foster kids.

I bet the kids, since thats what this is all about, would be greatful not to be exposed to the toxic atmosphere even if the family that would have taken them in is likely a much better place than where they are....

If I was a foster kid, I would not be happy about that.

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Specializes in Med surg, LTC, Administration.
"The right to privacy is an important tenet of the American way of life. But certainly, when others,

especially children that are wards of the State, are harmed by an activity, to the point where the their

health is compromised because of exposure to a class A carcinogen like secondhand smoke, then

require foster public health and safety take precedence over smoking.

Here is background information to support the requirement that homes, and cars transporting

foster/resource family children be smokefree, in order for a state to qualify to receive federal funds for

their foster care/resource family programs.

I. JURISDICTIONS REQUIRING SMOKEFREE FOSTER CARE HOMES/CARS TO TRANSPORT FOSTER

CHILDREN

U.S.A. - Fourteen states and three California counties require smokefree foster care homes/cars"

http://www.njgasp.org/d_Foster_Homes_and_Cars.pdf

__________________________________________________________________-

I think this is great and maybe an organization you can commit too. Of course, it is a far cry from your original question, which is, Should Second hand smoke be illegal in a home with children? Foster care is a job and those are not your children. The state, whom is responsible for said children, have an absolute right in where they place such children. The state has numerous rules and regulations to those who wish to provide this service. If persons do not wish to follow these state rules, then they are denied right to care for such. On this issue, I have neutral feelings and though I don't agree, I don't disagree either. I haven't thought this through, yet believe government has the right in this instance to impose their will. Just like a family has the right, to not participate. I feel this is a straw man however, as it does not negate the right of parents of children to smoke in their homes. In fact, all it shows is a tiny minority of states choosing to go this route. Meaning this is a non issue in most parts of the country. So if a state which has the right to make smoking illegal in the home ( in the case of foster care) but does not, how much more, a parent to make the same choice. I love your fire, but we will have to agree to disagree. Peace!

Let me clarify once again. My answers were strictly to your question. My feelings are that parents do what is in the best interest of their children. I tried to stay on point and quit replying when asthma and other straw men were raised. I will always err on the side of government staying out of my home. I am sorry for the few, but the majority should not be punished for their actions. Part of what makes this country great, is having free will and the power to think for ourselves. People have died for us to have that right, and I will not let it go that easily.

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There seems to be an intense disconnect between our two sides, between those of us sure that it should be illegal and those who don't think it is particularly harmful. The question of whether it should be illegal is moot if we can't even agree whether or not it is actively harmful.

Anyone have research to present on either side?

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Specializes in ER.

http://oig.hhs.gov/oei/reports/oei-07-00-00601.pdf

There is no one offering excess foster placements. In fact, there is a deficit. Please do a simple amount of research before suggesting that we remove children from their families.

If you really researched this...you would never suggest it as a solution to such a gray area issue.

To do unofficial research, simply Google "lack of foster care homes"

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Can you think of a more appropriate consequence? It's true that many parents who abuse or neglect their children are given multiple opportunities to improve living conditions. So claiming that all children would immediately be sent away to foster homes is not realistic either. Can you imagine a parent who, given the choice to keep his or her child or to stop smoking in the home, would ever choose smoking over the child?

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I think this is great and maybe an organization you can commit too. Of course, it is a far cry from your original question, which is, Should Second hand smoke be illegal in a home with children? Foster care is a job and those are not your children. The state, whom is responsible for said children, have an absolute right in where they place such children. The state has numerous rules and regulations to those who wish to provide this service. If persons do not wish to follow these state rules, then they are denied right to care for such. On this issue, I have neutral feelings and though I don't agree, I don't disagree either. I haven't thought this through, yet believe government has the right in this instance to impose their will. Just like a family has the right, to not participate. I feel this is a straw man however, as it does not negate the right of parents of children to smoke in their homes. In fact, all it shows is a tiny minority of states choosing to go this route. Meaning this is a non issue in most parts of the country. So if a state which has the right to make smoking illegal in the home ( in the case of foster care) but does not, how much more, a parent to make the same choice. I love your fire, but we will have to agree to disagree. Peace!

Let me clarify once again. My answers were strictly to your question. My feelings are that parents do what is in the best interest of their children. I tried to stay on point and quit replying when asthma and other straw men were raised. I will always err on the side of government staying out of my home. I am sorry for the few, but the majority should not be punished for their actions. Part of what makes this country great, is having free will and the power to think for ourselves. People have died for us to have that right, and I will not let it go that easily.

I appreciate our country too...but not clear on what you mean by "the majority should not be punished".

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Can you think of a more appropriate consequence? It's true that many parents who abuse or neglect their children are given multiple opportunities to improve living conditions. So claiming that all children would immediately be sent away to foster homes is not realistic either. Can you imagine a parent who, given the choice to keep his or her child or to stop smoking in the home, would ever choose smoking over the child?

I gave that link to show that it's not impossible to inforce a law for children and smoking.

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For the person who asked for proof that secondhand smoke is harmful. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Tobacco/ETS

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