New measures have been unveiled today aimed at encouraging parents to give up smoking round their children.

As part of the next stage of the NHS campaign to raise awareness of the damaging effect that smoking in the home has on children, new bibs with a secondhand smoking slogan will be made freely available for every baby born in December. According to a new survey which found that 82% of children aged 7-10 years dislike anyone smoking near them. Of smoking parents, over half are told by their children that they should quit; nearly half of their children move away from them when they light up and nearly a third of children leave the room altogether. At a conference on smoking, Chief Medical Officer Sir Liam Donaldson also gave more details of a new phase of the secondhand smoke campaign, which launched this July with a TV advert showing babies 'exhaling' smoke. Alongside the distribution of the bibs, from 5 December 2003 the TV advert will be shown in cinemas before family films; and new billboard and press adverts featuring the slogan 'If you smoke, I smoke' in crayon will appear nationwide during December. Sir Liam Donaldson said: "We recently found from talking to families with children aged 7 to 10 years, that, other peoples' cigarette smoke is a worry for children and parents are concerned about their children's health because of secondhand smoke. It makes children feel uncomfortable, prompting them to leave the room or worry about their health when a parent smokes near them." The survey also showed that over three-quarters of parents who smoke, do worry about smoking near their children, and the great majority (89%) feel concerned about their children growing up to become smokers. Smoking parents are four times as likely as non-smokers to expect this to happen. Public Health Minister Melanie Johnson said: "This survey paints a picture of parents concerned for their children, but who may feel trapped by their addiction. We know that nearly half of UK children are estimated to live in a home with at least one smoker. "I would encourage any parents worried about the effect their smoking has on their children, and who want to stop, to use the free, expert help available to them." Smokers are urged to call the NHS Smoking Helpline (0800 169 0 169) and ask for details of their local NHS Stop Smoking Service. Last year nearly a quarter of a million people set a quit date with their local service, and over half successfully gave up, by the end of their course. (gmcg)

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