YOUNG CHILDREN with parents who smoke are being exposed to nicotine levels so high, they may as well be smoking themselves.
That's according to new research from the University of Otago in Christchurch, New Zealand, which highlights the hidden dangers of passive smoking.
Researchers analysed hair samples from hundreds of young children to reach the conclusion.
A total of 500, 15-month children contributed to the study, with the results highlighting, beyond doubt, the impact of passive smoking.
Dr Philip Pattemore, lead researcher on the study, said: "The families who smoked, the nicotine levels in the children's hair it was significantly higher, some of them up as high as adults who smoked".
As part of the research, the mothers that took part in the study were quizzed on their smoking habits.
Alarmingly, twenty per cent smoked during pregnancy, with half smoking throughout the entire pregnancy, while a third of the children involved were exposed to cigarette smoke in their own homes.
"I think a lot of parents if they understood what was happening to their children as a result of the smoke wouldn't want a bar of it. I certainly hope that would be the case," Dr Pattemore said.
The study, funded by the Canterbury Medical Research Foundation, also highlighted that children with high nicotine readings are also twice as likely to have wheezing or asthma.
