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A new study revealed that babies in homes where one or both parents smoke have up to five-and-a-half times higher urine levels of cotinine, a nicotine toxin, compared to babies living in non-smoking homes. The findings were released today online before publication in the journal Archives of Disease in Childhood. One hundred and four infants (12 weeks old) were studied — 71 babies with one or both parents who smoked, and 33 with nonsmoking parents.

Nicotine By-Product

Cotinine is used by health experts as a measure of exposure to passive smoking. It is a metabolic byproduct formed by the body as it breaks down nicotine from inhaled smoke in an attempt to rid itself of the nicotine. In the present study, researchers at Leicester and Warwick Universities in Great Britain measured the cotinine in the 104 babies' urine and found that those whose mothers smoked had quadrupled cotinine levels and those whose fathers smoked had doubled cotinine levels compared to babies of nonsmokers.

Babies Become Passive Smokers

Dr. Mike Wailoo of Leicester University described the outcome: "Our findings clearly show that by accumulating cotinine, babies become heavy passive smokers secondary to the active smoking of parents." He pointed out that nicotine is "merely one of the several thousand constituents of tobacco smoke and may not be the most lethal."

Parents' Smoking Also a Risk Factor for SIDS

The authors also reminded the public that parents' smoking is a risk factor for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), the sudden, unexpected death of an apparently healthy baby during his or her sleep.

Has cigarette smoking harmed your baby? Contact an experienced product liability attorney to discuss your legal options.