Children told to stop parents smoking

A health advisor from the Colchester and Tendring NHS Stop Smoking Service has visited two nurseries so far, giving talks to three- and four-year-olds about several health issues, including smoking. The children were shown dolls to demonstrate how the lungs of a smoker look compared with those of a non-smoker and were given a sticker, a picture to colour in and an NHS leaflet and questionnaire to give to their parents.

Jill Smith, nursery manager at Little Pals Neighbourhood Nursery in Clacton-on-sea, Essex, which took part in one of the sessions last Friday, said, 'The message that smoking is harmful was put across very delicately and tactfully among a range of other health issues, such as head lice and hand washing.'

Emma Ferdinand, a specialist stop-smoking adviser who delivered the sessions, said, 'We aim to target parents by providing leaflets via the children on the effects of passive smoking and, as importantly, to provide information on how to access Colchester and Tendring NHS Stop Smoking Service if any parents decide they want to quit. I don't talk to young children about illness or death, I just try to make them aware that smoking is unhealthy.'

However, Douglas Carswell, Conservative MP for Harwich and Clacton, said, 'This is a sinister attempt by state officials to frighten small children into getting their parents to quit smoking. The health service should spend our money providing folk with the treatment they need - not intruding into the private relations between mum and dad and their nursery-class kids.'

Jennie Lindon, a child psychologist, said, 'It is inappropriate to use three- and four-year-olds as the means to try to stop their parents from smoking. If the PCT wants to reach parents via nurseries, then the initiative should be through parent meetings or other adult-to-adult communication channels.'