Secondhand smoke damages the brains of children. A recent study that followed 91,000 children under the age of 12 demonstrated that secondhand smoke exposure increased learning disabilities, attention deficit disorder, and psychiatric problems by 50% or more.

It turns out that secondhand smoke has a dramatic impact on the developing brain. Young people who are still developing their mental and emotional capacity seem to be at high risk of damage. Since smokers tend to be people with less education, and less earning power, the children of the poor are impacted by this more than any other group.

Unfortunately, these are also the parents that are least likely to recognize that their smoking is damaging their children’s brain and limiting what they can achieve for the rest of their lives. I have one good suggestion to solve this problem: if you smoke, stop.