Trends Secondhand Smoke (NAPSA)—The toxins in sec- ondhand smoke lead to a number of health problems, particularly in children. As a result, many parents are trying to rid restaurants of secondhand smoke. To help make restaurants smoke-free, visit www.kiiss.org for more information. Kids Involuntarily Inhaling Secondhand Smoke (KIISS) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating kids’ exposure to secondhand smoke. Using the success of smoking bans in California, a culturally and economically diverse state, KTISS worksto educate the restaurant industry nationwide about the benefits and feasibility of becoming smoke-free. California’s restaurant business has increased at a rate of four to eight percent each year since the ban becamelaw in 1995. For children, being exposed to secondhand smoke on a regular basis results in four times greater risk for contracting illnesses such as bronchitis, pneumonia, and ear and lower respiratory tract infections. Secondhand smokeis also a major contributor to asthma, the leading cause of school absenteeism dueto chronic disease. Adults, too, are at risk when exposed to secondhand smoke. According to the World Health Organization, secondhand smoke in America results in 3,000 lung cancer deaths and 35,000 to 62,000 cardiovascular deaths in nonsmokerseachyear.
