How to Ask Someone to Quit Smoking Around Children

Cigarette smoke is dangerous to everyone who is exposed to it, not only the smoker. Secondhand smoke from cigarettes contains over 7,000 chemicals; hundreds of them are toxic and around 70 are implicated in causing cancer, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Young children and infants are particularly at risk because their lungs are still developing, and exposure to secondhand smoke leads to decreased lung function, according to the American Lung Association. It might be difficult to ask a friend or relative to quit smoking around your kids, but it's vital to enforce such boundaries to protect their health.

Instructions

    • 1

      Avoid nagging, lecturing, scolding or showing anger at the smoker. Instead, you might initiate the conversation by saying, "Could I ask a favor? I'm concerned about the adverse health effects secondhand cigarette smoke is having on my children. Would you consider not smoking around them?" You might add, "I know how much you care about my children and would never do anything to intentionally harm their health." Be compassionate in your approach; remember that smoking is an addiction and the smoker might not have much control over how often he needs to smoke.

    • 2

      Explain to the smoker the potential dangers to your children from being exposed to secondhand smoke. Many people are unaware of how dangerous secondhand smoke can be. Let him know that it can cause a wide variety of health problems in children, including lower respiratory tract infections, ear infections, coughing, wheezing, chest colds and asthma, according to the American Lung Association. If the smoker becomes defensive and claims he rarely smokes in front of your children, tell him that even brief exposure to secondhand smoke can be harmful, according to the U.S. Surgeon General. The CDC concurs: limited exposure to secondhand smoke can create damage to the lining of blood vessels and cause the blood platelets to become stickier.

    • 3

      Listen to the smoker's response without arguing, even if he becomes defensive. Be compassionate without judging him. You might say, "I know how addictive smoking is and how difficult it might be to not smoke in front of my kids, but I'd appreciate it if you could try." If he's hesitant to stop smoking in front of your children or doesn't believe he can do it, you might say, "Please think it over. I know you care about my kids and want what's best for them. Thanks for listening to my concerns." Reassure him that you're not singling him out; you're forbidding all smokers from lighting up in front of your kids.

    • 4

      Forbid the smoker to spend time with your children until he stops, if you learn that he is still smoking around them when you're not around. You might say, "I know how difficult it is to quit smoking, but my kids informed me you're still smoking around them. I know how much you care about them, but I can no longer allow you to spend time with them. You're welcome to spend time with them in the future when you agree to stop smoking around them."

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