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Zoe Williams, a TV doctor and NHS GP, has urged parents to stop smoking, especially around babies and pregnant women.
This comes after new data suggests people are unaware that babies exposed to secondhand smoke are more likely to die from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
Research commissioned by consumer health company Kenvue found that less than half of respondents aged 18 to 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 presenter on ITV's This Morning, said: “You can reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome by making your home smoke-free.
“This includes everyone living in that home, as well as [people] to visit. No one should smoke in a house where there is a child, a baby or near a pregnant woman.”
In addition, “smoking during pregnancy can increase the risk of stillbirth, the risk of premature birth, the likelihood of the baby being born with low birth weight, and increases the risk of sudden infant death syndrome.”
SIDS is not yet fully understood, he said, but he defines it as the sudden, unexpected and unexplained death of an apparently healthy baby.
“While we don’t know what causes it or why it happens, we do know that not smoking during pregnancy or after the baby is born is one of the best ways to prevent it, as is always placing the baby on its back while sleeping,” she said.
Smoking tobacco around children as they grow can also lead to a number of health complications.
“Because children’s immune systems, lungs and airways are still developing, if they live in a home where someone smokes, they are more likely to develop asthma and infections like pneumonia and bronchitis,” Williams explained. “They are also at higher risk for ear infections, coughs and colds or even more serious illnesses like meningitis.”
Williams is working with Kenvue to launch its Smokefree Families initiative, which aims to help parents quit smoking and reduce the estimated 1.8 million households with children who smoke in the UK.
According to their research, 71% of parents who smoke have tried to quit or plan to do so, and 64% of parents are motivated to quit by improving their children's health.
Building a strong support network can increase your chances of successfully quitting, especially support from a partner, Williams added.
“If a partner continues to smoke when a pregnant woman quits, that woman is much more likely to fail in her attempt to quit or to start again. That is why it is very important to also involve and support the partners of pregnant women and empower them to make a change.”
She also urged people who think they might want to quit smoking to seek support from a health professional.
“You don't have to wait until you're ready to quit. Get support and start planning your plan now, as this will increase your chances of success,” Williams said.
The NHS offers a wealth of free support through local GP surgeries and pharmacies; pregnant women and mothers should speak to their midwives or health visitors. “Nicotine replacement therapy or cognitive behavioural therapy, which can be prescribed on the NHS, can be a big help,” she added.
“If you 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 – which makes it a criminal offence to sell tobacco products to those born on or after 1 January 2009 – was a good start, but he believes the government needs to do more to protect children.
She said: “We need to address the number of households with children who smoke because we need to protect all children from passive smoking.”
