Lessons to be held in Harborough schools highlighting dangers of second-hand smoke

A project has been launched to highlight the danger of second-hand smoke to primary school children.

Across Leicestershire some 11 per cent of children say someone smokes indoors in the same room, and 13 per cent say someone smokes in the car with them – despite smoking with someone under 18 in the car being illegal since 2015.

Now lessons will be held for children in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, highlighting the danger of second-hand smoke.

Leicestershire County Council says they hope the interactive will encourage discussion between children and parents about the dangers.

Council health and wellbeing spokeswoman Cllr Louise Richardson said: “This is a really inventive and creative way to educate about an important topic to try and reduce how much children are exposed to second hand smoke. This is about preventing health problems from an early age.

“They can take this discussion point home from school with them and we hope parents and carers can understand just how harmful second-hand smoking can be in the long term.”

The sessions were created by the NHS in Greater Glasgow and Clyde and has been used by different local authorities across the country, including Leicestershire County Council’s ‘Quit Ready and Healthy Schools teams’ which decided to roll the initiative out across the county.

They centre around the story of ‘Jenny’ and a soft toy bear – who navigate different situations involving second-hand smoke from cigarettes in homes and cars, alongside the harmful effects it can have.