Tobacco smoke seriously damages children's health, a new World Health Organization (WHO) report, entitled International Consultation on Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS) and Child Health, released today in London, concludes.

The research results, announced today by WHO Director-General Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland at the Third Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health, show that environmental tobacco smoke causes a wide variety of adverse health effects in children, including pneumonia, bronchitis, coughing, wheezing, worsening of asthma and middle-ear infections. Children's exposure to environmental tobacco smoke may also contribute to cardiovascular disease in adulthood.

The report notes that:

700 million children - almost half of all children worldwide - live in a home of a smoker. The large number of exposed children, coupled with the evidence that ETS causes illness in children, constitutes a substantial public health threat.

Children whose mothers smoke have an estimated 70% more respiratory problems, including croup, bronchitis and pneumonia as well as middle-ear infections; the prevalence is 30% higher if the father smokes.

Infants of mothers who smoke have almost five times the risk of sudden infant death syndrome. There are also other well documented effects, including reduced birth weight and reduced lung functioning.

Annual health costs attributed to environmental tobacco smoke in the United States alone amount to US $1 billion. If the problems related to reduced birth weight caused by maternal smoking are added to this, the figure doubles.

"Swift action to highlight the need for strong public policies to protect children from exposure to tobacco smoke is essential," the report concludes. "These policies should aim to ensure the right of every child to grow up in an environment free of tobacco smoke. This can be achieved by two complementary strategies: eliminating children's contact with tobacco smoke in utero and in childhood, and reducing overall consumption of tobacco products."

For further information, journalists can contact Gregory Hartl, Office of Press and Public Relations, WHO, Geneva. Telephone (41 22) 791 44 58. Fax (41 22) 791 48 58. E-Mail: hartlg@who.int