Passive Smoking Ads Show Smoking Babies

By Claire Cozens

The hard-hitting ad is part of a £1m government campaign to highlight the risks of passive smoking Disturbing images of a baby inhaling smoke are to be used in a hard-hitting TV advertising campaign aimed at stubbing out passive smoking. The harrowing images of young children appearing to breathe smoke are part of a £1m government campaign that will hit TV screens on Monday.

One advert shows a baby sitting in a car seat and exhaling smoke, while another features a toddler playing with her toys, her face surrounded by smoke.

Adverts will also appear on poster sites and in newspapers in an effort to raise awareness of the dangers of passive smoking.

The launch of the campaign coincides with a call from the government's chief medical officer for a controversial US-style ban on smoking in public places such as pubs, restaurants and shopping centres.

Sir Liam Donaldson argued radical action was needed to combat the health risks associated with passive smoking as he launched his annual report on the state of public health.

Three million people are subjected to second-hand smoking at work and it is estimated passive smoking kills at least 120,000 people a year in the UK.

"Moves to make public places and workplaces smoke-free would create a climate in which 'no smoking' is the social norm, it would help smokers to give up, it would remove the risk of passive smoking for millions of people including children and babies," said Sir Liam.

"Next Monday will see the start of the UK's first ever television campaign to raise awareness of the health risks from second-hand smoke.

"We shall be running an advert that focuses on the risk to children and reminds people to protect children by not making them breathe cigarette smoke."

The Department of Health said it was giving "very serious consideration" to Sir Liam's proposals.

But it added that a big increase in the number of smoke-free public places would only come about if the public wanted it.

A survey by the office for national statistics found that 88% of people want restrictions on smoking in restaurants, 54% want restrictions in pubs and 86% want smoking curbed at work.

Sir Liam admitted it would be "more difficult" to impose a law against smoking in the street and open spaces, adding: "We have to give smokers some opportunity."