Exposure to secondhand smoke is a major cause of illness among children. More than 27 percent of North Dakota s children are at increased risk of illness or death because of exposure to secondhand smoke in the home. Secondhand smoke can lead to low birth weight, sudden infant death syndrome, asthma, ear infections and lung cancer. Asthma, the leading chronic childhood illness in the United States, can be aggravated by exposure to triggers such as dust, tobacco smoke, pollen and allergens from mold, animals, plants and insects. Asthma is the leading cause of school absenteeism due to chronic illness.
Radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the United States.
In North Dakota, elevated radon levels have been found in more than 60 percent of homes tested for radon. For that reason, every North Dakota home should be tested during the winter heating season and homes that have elevated radon levels should be installed with radon reduction systems. For more information about indoor air quality and its effects on health, contact Sandra Washek, North Dakota Department of Health, at 701.328.5188. Because North Dakotans spend much of their time indoors, clean, healthy indoor air is important to everyone. But many factors negatively affect the quality of the air we breathe, including radon, carbon monoxide, secondhand tobacco smoke, lead, asbestos and even certain household products.