SECOND-HAND SMOKE RISKIER FOR BLACK CHILDREN: STUDY
Black children may be far more susceptible to the ill effects of
second-hand tobacco smoke than their white counterparts, U.S.
researchers said on Monday.
In a study of 220 children with asthma, black children who were
exposed to at least five cigarettes a day had significantly
higher toxin levels in their hair and blood than white children
who were exposed to the same amount of smoke.
The study, published in the March issue of the journal Chest,
may shed light on why black children are more susceptible to
tobacco-related disorders, like asthma, sudden-infant death
syndrome and low birth weight, said Dr. Stephen Wilson of the
University of Cincinnati, who led the research.
"For some reason, African-American children may metabolize or
break down nicotine ... more slowly than white children," Wilson
said in a telephone interview.
