Parents face call not to smoke in the home

PARENTS are being urged to take their smoking outside after it emerged that more than one in ten children in Scotland are still exposed to second-hand smoke in the home.

Picture: PA

The Take it Right Outside campaign is warning smokers that opening a window or only smoking in one room is not enough to protect children from harmful chemicals.

The Scottish Health Survey 2014 found that 11 per cent of children were reported to be exposed to second-hand smoke at home, the same level as in 2013.

The Scottish Government wants to cut that proportion to 6 per cent by 2020, with the potential to protect up to 50,000 children.

Public health minister Maureen Watt said: “Children breathe faster than adults and therefore breathe in more of the harmful chemicals contained in second-hand smoke.”