Smoking and children

Children have less developed airways and breathe faster than adults which means they breathe in more harmful chemicals.

If children breathe in second-hand smoke, they are at risk of all of the following:

• sudden infant death syndrome
• childhood asthma and other chronic respiratory symptoms
• acute lower respiratory tract infections in infancy and early childhood
• childhood cancers
• complications if they need a general anaesthetic
• decreased lung function
• Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS)
• reduced sense of smell
• long-term developmental effects
• dental problems.

Children and smoking in cars

Under the law, you must not smoke in a car with children under 16 years old.

You can receive a penalty or on-the-spot-fine from the Northern Territory (NT) Police if you break this law.

Smoking in a small space like a car increases the harmful effects of second-hand smoke, even with the window wound down.