Study: Children Not Affected By Public Smoking Bans

November 24, 2009 6:46 a.m. EST

Miami, FL (AHN) - Smoking bans in public places do not increase children's exposure to secondhand smoke at home, according to a new study.

Researchers with the Cardiff University's School of Social Sciences said in a statement that children in Wales were exposed to similar amounts of secondhand smoke before and after legislation was passed there banning smoking in public places like restaurants and bars.

Still, some of the children studied had higher concentrations of chemicals found in tobacco smoke higher than workers at Scottish bars before a similar ban was enacted there.

But the researchers said their findings should put to rest theories that children are more at risk of secondhand cigarette smoke because adults in their homes can't smoke anywhere else.

The study is published in the journal BMC Public Health.