Smoke-free Legislation and Hospitalizations for Childhood Asthma

A recent report from the New England Journal of Medicine identified a link between childhood asthma and smoke free air laws: Smoke-free Legislation and Hospitalizations for Childhood Asthma. This report concludes that the passage of Scotland's smoke free air law in 2006 was associated with a reduction of asthma admissions by 18.2%.

This study supports the need for smoke free air laws, because:
* Studies in the U.S. have show similar effects, which are not surprising given the impact of secondhand smoke on asthma and the success of smoke-free laws in reducing exposure to secondhand smoke.
* Aside from reducing kids' exposure to secondhand smoke in public places, smoke-free laws appear to prompt more people, including smokers, to make their homes smoke-free - thereby even further reducing kids' exposure to secondhand smoke.
* Strong smoke-free laws protect everybody's right to breathe clean air and protect workers and patrons from the 4000 chemicals, including more than 60 carcinogens, in secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke is a proven cause of cancer, heart disease, and other illnesses, including the exacerbation of childhood asthma.